Times Square at 100

Sunday's New York Times ran an excerpt from James Traub's forthcoming book, The Devil's Playground: A Century of Pleasure and Profit in Times Square, on the upcoming (April 8th) 100th anniversary of Times Square. The online version (registration req'd) also features a brief slide-show history narrated by the author, taking us through the early years, the decline and the reinvention of Times Square.


Image from the New York Times

Like many people, Traub is torn between loving and hating the current situation in Time Square. While it is safe and full of life it is also full of "restaurants and shops [that] are the local sites of global retail and entertainment businesses...and headquarters for some of those very companies." Not to mention Disney's role in the reinvention of Time Square, what Traub refers to as, "the methodical corporate engineering of the fun experience."

As much as I agree with the author that big business has taken over much of Times Square, the location seems to be a reflection of the nation as a whole so its present state is understandable. The reciprocal inverse is also the case, with national news, MTV and other media broadcasting from the area and influencing the country via the imagery and energy of Times Square.