City: A Users Guide to the Past, Present and Future of Urban Life by Kevin Smith - Book Report/Review Example

A Creative Journey through Time. Kevin P.D. Smith the of A User’s Guide to the Past, Present and Future of Urban Life, wrote his book in 2012. He is also an acclaimed author with many other titles in his name all having a distinct reflection of his excellent writing skills and creative abilities. He completed his doctorate at the University of Sussex, England and also completed the Chief Executive program for Healthcare Leadership at the Wharton School of Business. In addition to this, he was in 2013, awarded with the Queen’s Golden Jubilee medal that recognized his achievement as a Canadian national with outstanding and exemplary contributions to the communities and his country as a whole. He is currently President and Chief Executive Officer of the St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, St. Mary’s General Hospital in Kitchener and an associate professor at the McMaster University School of Medicine. He also serves as part of the board of directors in various organizations like the Association of Canadian Healthcare Organizations, The Ontario Hospital Association and the Ontario Council of Teaching Hospitals, (Innovation, par.2). The book is based on Smith’s observation of what we now call modern day cities that are a complete contrast to the towns of the past. He makes a clear comparison taking the reader through the past experiences all through to the present circumstances. This gives the reader an opportunity to relate the writing to their own personal experience making the book more of a reference journal than just mere words. He gives a clear picture that is duplicated all over the world, even in the less developed countries. Mankind has formed a habit of moving into the cities and from his book he claims that about 3.3 billion people are currently living in cities. He then gives a comparison going back about two-hundred years ago where there was no evidence of development. At the time he stated that only about three percent of the population lived in the city, people were mainly based in the rural areas. He then paints a picture based on the constant rise of populations in the city, predicting that it was possible that the population would increase. In his view, by around 2030, about sixty-percent of the population would be living in the cities, giving them the name of urban dwellers, (Freedman, p.50). He is able to take the reader back and forth in a sort of history lesson of how cities were formed in ancient times and the differences with those found today. Out of these notes he is then able to create a somewhat believable picture of what we can expect the future to look like seeing that people’s moving patterns are consistent. Smith gives the reader a vivid picture of the history of mankind in terms of development of cities and the various changes that have been effected over time. He is able to give an accurate calculation of the approximate numbers of people currently living in cities and those that were in ancient times. His theme of change is evident using it as the main aspect to show the differences in design, belief and behavior over the years. He becomes the international tourist we all dream of, going through cities in the world and extracting the information we need. Clearly giving his reader the much needed satisfaction, he is able to weave through times and seasons to create a story and book that all can relate with irrespective of the country of origin. He works his way through the history of every city he talks about, to the various customs and languages that have been adopted over time. By doing this, he gives the city, its much needed identity and in addition creates a situation where the reader is able to have a background to the story for clarity and understanding. The then goes on to discuss the development of infrastructure, including transport systems, shops and markets. Later he talks about tourism and its effect on growth in transition to currency exchange and in some instances trade between cities for the creation of empires. The city dweller has been taken not just in the context of the modern day age, but a reflection is made all through including the future cities that come around 2030, (Curran, par.5). Having various tourist destinations in the world, the urban explorer is looking for more than just the normal sightseeing. He wants to experience various foods, currencies and experiences because they give him a form of satisfaction and thrill that gives meaning to his life. He gives detailed descriptions of downtowns and suburbs, a picture everyone is well aware. The creation in the mind reminds you of a certain street or town that completely fits his accurate description. The reader is able to travel with him and experience every event and drama, including the housing almost smelling the filth on the street, (Moeinaddini et al, p.5). He then moves on to the suburbs and a different picture is created, all the time making his reader relate and understand the various experiences he goes through himself. It is his description of the graffiti on the walls and subways that hits closer home. The reader is able to relate to this modern town of the present age where the skylines are dotted with skyscrapers, with noise and pollution ruling the day. Crime waves in the cities are the obvious cliché from the big cities to the smaller cities this is one aspect that does not change and may even become more sophisticated with time. The entertainment in the light creates a vision of two different city themes, day time and night. Each of them has its own unique aspects and specific clientele with the working person occupying the day city life. The party person who is out for fun is our main occupant of the night life and sees the city in a completely different light, to them the city is full of life and fun. This is their view and just because one lives in the daytime city, they may not understand the intricate details of life in the night. The recent craze in the 21st century of flash mobs and SimCity also gets a much deserved mention seeing that it is the modern craze. Although the writer talks about very many different cities of the world, and compares different times, the similarities are endless. There have been always color and life and photographs are always available as a reminder and reference of what was and what is today, (Kirby, par.4). It is clear from my understanding that the writer understands what the reader wants and needs when reading a creative piece of work. This book can only be described as creative tourism where the reader is taken from one dimension of life to another experiencing the various points of life. In my opinion, the writer has been able to accurately describe and define the various themes seen in cities today. He also draws a clear reflection of ancient cities seen in history books, but adds life and color into them making them interesting. As a reader, I am able to travel with the writer into the various cities and experience firsthand what he is talking about, even though I am not able to have the experience physically. Professions are mentioned vastly in the book, and as the writer draws his contrasts from day and night, we are able to meet many different characters. From the business people who wear suits and are always rushing down the street to make their important meetings to the tourist seeking directions on the street. The reader meets the 24 hour economy concept that needs to cater for both daytime and nighttime clients. The needs differ, but surprisingly there are certain aspects that remain constant. Restaurants, taxis, shops, chemists, gas stations to name a few are open at all times. It is even more exciting that the same facilities are available in various other cities in the world in similar if not better capacity. In the end, the reader can safely assume that all cities are similar and are created out of man’s need to develop and sustain themselves. Of interest is the fact that the writer is clear to point out that cities are the creation of man and everything in them, is borne out of someone’s ideas. Everyday life creates needs and the more people use and rely on facilities the better they want to make them. He goes back to give an interpretation of past cities and the weaknesses they had in terms of infrastructure and facilities and mentions that changes are made constantly. These are however never enough with the continual increase of people flocking into the cities all the time. Since time immemorial, cities have always been crowded as they carry the most percentage of any country’s population, (Smith, p.150). This because they are associated with fun, development and opportunities and everyone wishing to change their lives heads straight into them. For this reason, cities are seen as developed states in the sense that they are like countries by themselves defining their own culture and way of life. But even with these very different aspects of cities, they are all the same, the difference is geography. One may read the book and compare cities in developed countries and see them as lacking when compared to the ones with more developed countries. This in my opinion is far from the truth. Every city of the world serves the purpose for which it was made, and although they may have differences they serve the needs of the people within them. Having less buildings or less activity does not necessarily make a city any less adequate for its people. From earliest cities in Rome to the more advanced Time Square today, each of them has served its purpose adequately and made an effort to ensure that its inhabitants experience the best of what is available to them. The writer is able to connect with his readers and give them the gift of literal tourism, travelling through his words into different towns and times. What makes the reader more interested is the vivid yet creative description of the various aspects of this town. This book is what one may call a creative genius, the writer has been able to take the mind of his reader and given them the gift of discovery. For those who desire adventure, this is one sure ticket that will not disappoint. Works Cited: Curran, W. “The New Urban Vandalism: Why Cities Are Destroying Graffiti”. Point of View. 2014. Web. Accessed 11th February 2014. Freedman, J.L. Handbook of Contemporary Urban Life. American Scientist Review. 68(1). 1980. 94. Accessed 11th February 2014. “Innovation.CA”. Biography – Kevin P.D. Smith. Canada Foundation for Innovation. 2014. Web. Accessed 11th February 2014. Kirby, T. How do We Create an Holistic Urban Environment? The Guardian. 5th October 2011. Web. Accessed 11th February 2014. Moeinaddini, M., Asadi, S.H., and Shah, M.Z. The Relationship between Urban Structures and Travel Behavior: Challenges and Practices. Journal of Land Use, Mobility and Environment. TeMA. 5(3). 2012. Accessed 11th February 2014. Smith, P.D. City: A User’s Guide to the Past, Present and Future of Urban Life. Bloomsbury Press: Press, 2012. Accessed 11th February 2014. Read More