PanThe New York Times Book ReviewFlorida focuses on what the creative class’s emergence, and the decline of the middle class, have done to cities. Florida uses the category ‘creative class’ to distinguish the one-third of the American work force who employ their brains rather than their bodies … ‘Creative class’ is not an accurate term, but it is sexy … Florida states blithely that ‘Uber and Airbnb hope to actually make some aspects of cities work more efficiently.’ Sure, and BP hopes to end climate change … Several of Florida’s solutions are sound — although they, too, would benefit from a closer look at individual cities. He suggests more mass transit, including bringing rail to suburbs that have reached the limits of moving people efficiently by car. He suggests more rental housing construction, a good idea for New York, but not so much for shrunken cities that have too much housing.
