The book goes in search of their remaining individuality in ten once independent cities. On his walks, the author collects mosaic stones that come together to form an atmospherically coherent overall picture. In the process, he recognizes the typical in the seemingly banal, documents chance encounters, asks questions, associates and comments. The individual chapters can be read independently of one another. Hamburg-Harburg, Berlin-Köpenick, Wolfsburg-Vorsfelde, Eisenhüttenstadt-Fürstenberg, Düsseldorf-Kaiserswerth and Krefeld-Uerdingen (the latter two in a joint chapter) are presented, as are Koblenz-Ehrenbreitstein, Frankfurt-Höchst, Würzburg-Heidingsfeld and Karlsruhe-Durlach. The whole is embedded in a small frame story consisting of prologue and epilogue. It takes place in an eleventh "shadow city" whose name is not mentioned. It should be delightful to read this.