Times Square Red, Times Square Blue

Starred review from March 29, 1999
In a provocative and persuasively argued cri de coeur against New York City's gentrification and the redevelopment of Times Square in the name of "family values and safety," acclaimed science fiction writer Delany (Dhalgren, etc.) proves himself a dazzlingly eloquent and original social commentator. In the first of two radically distinct but related essays, Delany, an Amherst college professor and native of Manhattan, writes frankly about his gay sexual adventures in the peep shows, porno movie houses and bars of Times Square. This personal history is juxtaposed with a detailed record of how the city's red light zones have changed over the past 40 years. The companion essay movingly details Delany's sociological and anthropological observations of the men who live, work and socialize in the area, and extols the virtues of a society that not only tolerates but values a public sexual culture. Drawing upon a wide range of historical and theoretical materials--the history of the pornographic film, Jane Jacobs's Death and Life of Great American Cities and Supreme Court discussions about homosexual activity--Delany makes the case that because urban areas like Times Square promote relationships across class boundaries, they are not a blight but foster an environment of safety, empathy and social coherence. In his most dramatic argument, Delany charges that, despite City Hall rhetoric, Times Square's "Disneyfication" is not about public morality, safety or health but simply serves corporate and private economic interests. This bracing and well-calibrated blend of journalism, personal history and cultural criticism will challenge readers of every persuasion.

July 1, 1999
Times Square's emergence as a "safe" family entertainment mecca in the heart of New York City, suggests novelist and critic Delany, isn't necessarily for the better. He offers a cautionary tale on the perils of over-gentrification based on observation, analysis, experience, and sociology. Fluent in the culture of sex movie houses, he candidly discusses his homosexual experiences there over the years and then presents a philosophical look at networking vs. interclass contact in many settings--from writers' conferences to the sexual arena. This all blends into a strong case against a sanitized Times Square, which could ultimately threaten the city with a loss of social and racial diversity, a reprise of pre-gay liberation days, and an evolution into streets of monotony. A lesser writer than Delany could not have woven many seemingly divergent ideas into a cohesive whole, but he succeeds with intelligence and style. His strong endorsement of the richness, energy, and social benefits arising from contact between people from all walks of life is somewhat reminiscent of William Foote Whyte's Street Corner Society and has a great deal of merit. For libraries with collections in urban sociology and gay studies.--Carol J. Binkowski, Bloomfield, NJ

Copyright 1999 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.