American–Canadian journalist, author, and activist (1916–2006) Jane Isabel Jacobs was an American-Canadian journalist, author, theorist, and activist who influenced urban studies, sociology, and economics. Her book The Death and Life of Great American Cities (1961) argued that "urban renewal" and "slum clearance" did not respect the needs of city-dwellers. 607,514 views on May 4, 2016 — Wikipedia's most-read article that day. Also most read: Emirate of Abu Dhabi, Donald Trump, Captain America: Civil War, Cinco de Mayo. Wiki link