Tuesday, October 03, 2006
City Beautiful
In Subway City, terms such as 'picturesque' and 'sublime' are used to described New York City. To me, these terms still have meaning, as New York City is truly a beautiful place. I find the vibes given off by most areas of the city to be both unique and amazing. The brownstones, the parks, the people; these all give off a sense that can only be felt and not described. The public art is amazing too. Taking into account Roy Lichtenstein's famous Times Square mural and others like it displays the concept of 'city beautiful'. Even more applicable in terms of public art is graffiti, which is praised in Subway City.
The difference betweem 722 Miles and Subway City is great, though both are valuable. 722 Miles tends to offer a dry history of the subway and its politics. In other words, the author gives us the plain facts, fairly objectively. Subway City, on he contrary, provides more of a subjective view of the social conditions that contributed to the subway, and also the social conditions and attitudes produced by the subway's construction.