Within three centuries, seven west-coast islands evolved into the Bombay peninsula, then into a flourishing center for trade, ultimately becoming the cosmopolitan, high-rise metropolis of Mumbai. In three sections, richly illustrated with much hitherto unpublished material by early painters, map-makers, and photographers that reconstructs images of the past, plus a series of modern architectural photographs, the book highlights Bombay's momentous changes to the cityscape. It portrays a historic spectrum of this enigmatic and intriguing city while discussing opportunities for the future. A separate, folded, user-friendly map helps readers locate places mentioned in the book, with a map of the whole