"Gated communities are the fastest growing form of housing in the United States. In the last twenty years, thousands upon thousands of upper- and middle-class Americans have retreated into these exclusive neighborhoods. What has sparked this alarming trend? " "Behind the Gates is an account of what life is like in these suburban fortresses. " "In this account, Setha Low probes the hopes, dreams, and fears of gated community residents to uncover how the rapid growth of fortress neighborhoods is effecting subtle transformations in American middle-class values. "--Jacket.