New York Books

When Joseph Mitchell died in 1996 at the age of 87, the obituary that appeared in the New York Times, May 25, 1996, called him the "chronicler of the unsung and the unconventional." Mitchell began his career as a writer for The New York Herald Tribune in 1929. His career spanned the 1930s to the 1960s. He joined The New Yorker in 1938, and the pieces he contributed to that magazine have continued to gather momentum, taking on a life of their own. The six essays offered in this collection, a revised edition of The Bottom of the Harbor, were first published between 1944 and 1959.

Mitchell came to New York from rural North Carolina, and quickly found a fascination with life in the city. His essays, a combination of oral history, natural history, and psychological observation, reflect his love for the people and the surroundings of New York, with a special emphasis on fishermen and others involved in life around the harbor.

The first essay in the collection, "Up in the Old Hotel," is a kind of mystery--from a restaurant on the ground floor of a building near the Fulton Fish Market, Mitchell leads the reader to wonder along with him what the abandoned floors above may hold. It is this idea of mystery, things hidden from view, which permeate his stories. Whether he is describing the rat infestations on board ships in the harbor or the wild flowers growing in graveyards, his eye for detail is captivating. The narrative in each essay unfolds slowly, following a kind of wandering trajectory like the paths Mitchell takes to visit the individuals whose stories he relates with charm.

The Bottom of the Harbor is a book to be enjoyed slowly. The characters and settings are vividly drawn. The historical detail will delight those readers with an interest in New York's past, and the oral histories will captivate those readers who have a penchant for dialogue and psychology.

Armchair Interviews says: First-class essays all will enjoy.

The people that Joseph Mitchell introduces the reader to in these character sketches are representative of a New York that no longer exists and their stories are nostalgic and sentimental. But there is more here than that. Mitchell writes with a respect for his subjects regardless of their circumstances that reveals a true observer of life at work. Without a hint of judgementalism he takes the time to understand and the reader is rewarded and enriched as a result.
This collection is particulary good and Up In The Old Hotel contains more of the same style. The latter book is more readily available although I found a copy of this at the Strand bookstore off Union Square.

He really does take you places. Places you may have been before, but in a time we'll never know again. As I'm reading, I'm careful to catch every word, afraid of missing out on the world he's revealing to me.

This is the first I've ever read of Mitchell, but he's already one of my favorite authors. Journalism at its finest.

Informative and very well-written short stories about life near and on the New York waterways in the 1940-1950's. A thoughtful and seemingly kind writer...I will definately read more of his work.

There are so many good things I could say about The Bottom of the Harbor. Mitchell's writing style is clean easy to read without lacking in depth and texture. The stories themselves are fascinating and off beat.

But the best part of the book are the characters Mitchell writes about. They come alive through his portrayals and you will find yourself thinking about them, their thoughts, and their ways of life long after you stop reading.

The book contains six separate stories, each about 40 (short) pages long, so you can absorb them at your own pace without losing the thread. Personally, I had a hard time putting the book down.

In this important book, the authors tackle an old issue in a modern context. We might recall that Victor Hugo, in the Hunchback of Notre Dame, discussed the moral and cultural implications of the printing press. Burniske and Monke bring this discussion to the 1990s by studying the implications of Internet technology on education. The fundamental question centers on what it means to be educated in the first place. Burniske, for example, makes a distinction between being trained, the language of technology, and being educated, the language of the humanities. This book walks us through specific efforts by the authors to integrate Internet technology into their classroom teaching, but what clearly galls both of them is that deeper questions about how to properly educate students are getting lost in the hype over equipment, technical wizardry and on-line chatter. There are plenty of kids out there who can create web sites, hack into complex systems, and master the language of technology, but do these same kids know right from wrong? Can they critically read a text, or relate to the deep emotions revealed in a play or novel, or even treat fellow classmates or online correspondents with respect? These issues are the real test of education, and if they get lost in the hype, we are building a Brave New World every bit as pernicious as the one described by Huxley. Burniske is an innovator who is trying to find ways to correctly use technology in the classroom, that is, without surrendering human issues or context. Monke is more skeptical, perhaps, but a willing participant in the dialogue -- how can teachers be empowered and liberated to properly educate their students.

Students, by the way, are the real concern of these two teachers. They do not see them as products or consumers, but as a community of people who need to be nurtured, cared about and finally led to a deeper and wiser understanding of their place in the world. Burniske and Monke are teachers in the best tradition of that word. They are about shedding light on the human experience, not simply walking the beaten (and often failed) paths of traditional educational discourse. Whether you agree or disagree with their arguments, you will find the discussion worth the effort. The final chapter is riveting, but the rest of the book provides a rich context for an important, humane and caring dialogue about some very important issues confronting humanity.

I heard one of the authors, Dr. Burniske, speak at the Odyssey Bookstore in Massachusetts in July. He gave such an impressive and thoughtful talk that I decided to buy a copy of this book. I'm not an educator, but I am a parent and I found this an extremely thoughtful and thought-provoking book. I don't think you have to be a teacher to understand the stories that Burniske and Monke tell or the ideas that they develop. It helps, however, to understand some of the problems that teachers face with respect to their own professional development. If you've not been in a school recently this book will certainly help you understand why so many teachers struggle with new technology -- and why we all should be asking more questions about its place in the curriculum. As some of the other reviewers have suggested, I think this should be required reading for every parent and teacher who wishes to take part in the discussion of technology in education.

I believe this book will greatly help educators to find practical and very effective uses of this emerging technology. With the guidance of this book, educators should lose their confusion and the trepidations that I believe many of us have in the use of this potentially excellent tool. With a bit of help from their teachers, students can learn to focus their efforts and perhaps for the first time, realize they can take part in making positive and profound changes in their lives and in the lives of others that they will touch. The deep insights revealed by this book, and the practical ideas presented by Burniske and Monke will reduce or eliminate much stess by educators that do not wish to repeat the mistakes of those who have gone before us.

I am a high school (Gymnasium) teacher from Germany and I picked up a copy of this book at an education conference. We have been using computers in our school for two years now but have received little training in how to use them to aid our teaching (we have received only technical training). By looking at the case studies in this book I finally have a good, practical guide for me that I can use to help teach my students using e-mail and the Internet. This really opens up a whole new world of learning for me and my students. It is nice to finally read *by teachers* about how teachers are actually using the technology, and not just a bunch of theories on how you *could* use it. Highly recommended.

As a secondary school English and social studies teacher, I found "Breaking Down the Digital Walls" to be inspiring, thoughtful and helpful. I would like to embark upon a telecollaborative project with my students, and use the Internet for something more than research, but until now, I hadn't felt prepared to do so. This book provided me with ideas and support, and it was interesting to read - thank you!

The author shows us how he learned to love life from his love for dogs and opens his heart telling us the course of his life

This amazing REAL story open my eyes and brougth me closer to my dogs,I cried,laugh and get angry reading this fabulous stories that this dog walker lives on this magical dog world...I recomend to dog owners to read it,if you care for your dog you need to know what this smart man is teaching us...I thank him and wish him much succes!

I've ordered several of these so far as gifts for friends and family. It is a wonderful account of life in the Big Apple from a fresh perspective that is really quite eye opening.

I believe this book rates up there with Bridges of Madison County in terms of its social impact. It really makes you stop and think about life, and our interactions with others as we all go about our own struggles etc.

You'll learn some incredible advice on dealing with dogs...AND humans. I guess walking a dog is sort of like walking yourself...this book provides an insight on life that is really very deeply moving...and it does make you stop and think about "The Brisk Walk" thru life we all share.

This is story dear to my heart. Richer has a way of letting the hand he was dealt become the winning hand. I cried and laughed. For all dog lovers and for anyone thinking of getting a dog.

This is a book for dog lovers & anyone who has dealt with adversity. It evokes a wide realm of emotions and ultimately shows that hard work, honesty and integrity allowed this Protagonist to succeed while sharing his love and discipline with his dogs and their owners. Anyone who reads this book will cheer for this 'under dog'. I highly recommend this brilliant book. I want him to be my dog walker!

One of the most interesting parts of this book is Schwarz's examination of how Runyon created the special language of his 'Runyonese', of how he put together the language of vaudeville, of the radio, of the criminals slang, of New York City street talk, of Yiddish mamaloshen, to build an idiom all his own yet reflecting the energy and vibrancy of his special world of gamblers, sportspeople, Broadway characters , of all types.
Schwarz is also interested in examining how Runyon contributed to the shaping of our image of New York City, of urban life in general.
An outstanding study especially for those who know who Nicely- Nicely and Harry the Horse are.

"Broadway Boogie Woogie" is a fascinating read, both for anyone who finds New York City a fascinating city and for anyone with an interest in the origins of today's debate about how American journalism does and should shape the popular imagination. In "Broadway," Schwarz convincingly and vividly portrays an early-twentieth-century urban world of celebrity journalists and criminals, those who set the stage for that part of today's popular culture embodied in the celebrity cult phenomenon.
At the same time, he paints the true American Dream story of Damon Runyon, a man who used words--from his newspaper articles to his short stories--to pull himself out of humble beginnings to attain wealth and fame. But while Runyon took full advantage of the elevated status he reached in early 20th century society--somewhat in the tradition of William Randolph Heart--he never forgot where he came from: his highly entertaining stories about humble men and women were suffused with a great deal of sympathy and sometimes even glorified shadowy and desperate lives. Anyone who ever loved "Guys and Dolls" and "West Side Story" should read this book.

"Broadway Boogie Woogie" is a fascinating read, both for anyone who finds New York City a fascinating city and for anyone with an interest in the origins of today's debate about how American journalism does and should shape the popular imagination. In "Broadway," Schwarz convincingly and vividly portrays an early-twentieth-century urban world of celebrity journalists and criminals, those who set the stage for that part of today's popular culture embodied in the celebrity cult phenomenon.
At the same time, he paints a true story of "the American dream," embodied in Damon Runyon, a self-made man who used words--through his newspaper articles to his short stories--to pull himself out of humble beginnings to attain wealth and fame. But while Runyon took full advantage of the elevated status he reached in early 20th century society--somewhat in the tradition of William Randolph Heart--he never forgot where he came from: his wrote about humble men and women with a great deal of sympathy, sometimes even glorifying the lifestyles of the shadowy and desperate. Anyone who ever loved "Guys and Dolls" and "West Side Story" should read this book.

Schwarz has written a fine book that captures the energy and excitment of high life and low life in Manhattan in the first half of the twentieth century. He discusses Damon Runyon's many short stories--including those that were incorporated in the musical "Guys and Dolls"--setting them in their historical context and drawing our attention to Runyon's gift for conveying speech in writing. Schwarz also discusses Runyon's life and his work as a reporter who covered many of the major events of the day, especially showcase trials like the Lindberg trial. If you liked "Seabiscuit," you; will like this book: as with "Seabiscuit," you will come away from Schwarz's book feeling that you have vacationed in the twenties and thirties and have been enriched by the experience.

BROADWAY BOOGIE WOOGIE situates Runyon's stories and reportage in their New York, circa 1929-1946, context and tells us why Runyon's work still matters. The seriousness and skill that Schwarz used in earlier books to examine the writings of High Modernism (Conrad, Joyce, Woolf, Wallace Stevens) he uses here to illuminate the "wiseguy" world of BROADWAY BOOGIE WOOGIE. With insight and compassion Schwarz re-visits this world of gamblers, gangsters, swindlers, womanizers, and cheats and looks at America's ever present yearning to "take a walk on the wild side." The book should appeal to not only students and scholars in American Studies, 20th Century American History, Urban and Immigration History, Working-Class Studies, and American Literature, but also to anyone who simply loves New York.

Beautiful book, wonderfully written, about the most amazing and historic site in the great borough of Brooklyn, NY.

"It was the ambition of the New Yorker to live upon Fifth Avenue, to take his airings in the [Central] Park, and to sleep with his fathers in Green-Wood."

- From an 1866 New York Times article


Brooklyn's Green-Wood Cemetery - New York's Buried Treasure by Jeffrey I. Richman is full of interesting stories and anecdotes of New York's most colorful citizens. As the dust jacket so eloquently states: "Everybody loves a great story, and Brooklyn's Green-Wood Cemetery has many of New York's great stories to tell. Everyone who was anybody in 19th century New York wanted to be buried there, and they were."

Some names you are sure to recognize - Elias Howe, Jr. (inventor of the sewing machine), Nathaniel Currier and James M. Ives (Currier & Ives prints), Henry Ward Beecher (pastor), Edward R. Murrow (TV and radio journalist), Henry Engelhard Steinway (of piano fame!), Leonard Bernstein (composer), Louis Comfort Tiffany (acclaimed designer).

But the lesser known figures in Richman's book have fascinating histories of their own. For example, you may have seen the movie Glory, the story of the all-black 54th Massachusetts Regiment during the Civil War. General George Crockett Strong, who died leading the charge on Fort Wagner, now reposes at Green-Wood.

Charles Feltman, the Coney Island restaurateur who is credited with inventing the hot dog as we know it, is also buried at Green-Wood. He was born in Germany, where he was intimately familiar with the frankfurter. To help improve business, he decided to put the frank in a special long roll, to make it easier to eat while walking on the street or strolling the beach. The rest, as they say, is history.

The book is lavishly illustrated with a wide variety of historic images from several different sources, showing the author's broad range and scope when composing his narrative. Richman photographed all of the cemetery monuments himself, adding a sense of place to each of Green-Wood's permanent residents.

Although the book is a bit pricey, it is well worth the money. It is only available in hardcover, and is 240 pages long. It is written as a collection of short biographies that you can pick up and read now and again.

But I will warn you: Once I started reading this book, I couldn't put it down!

I found this book to be an interesting chronology of the individuals who, at some point in time, were the bedrock (sorry about that) of New York's high society as well as its underworld (well, maybe I'm not so sorry).

In addition to its well prepared text, the book is a wealth of contemporary photographs and a rich collection of historically significant pictures and illustrations.

A major portion of the book is devoted to the magnificent monuments, memorials, and statuary that make Green-Wood the "buried treasure" that is it.

You don't really have to be from New York to buy this. It's a very nice history of the individuals who populate the Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn. I picked it up after my first trip[ to Green Wood and found it very useful on the second trip. Though it lacks much in the way of maps to find the markers were you planning to seek them out, it is lavishly illustrated with short biographical bits on the more prominent people there mixed into a history of the cemetery.

I purchased this book directly through Greenwood Cemetery. Greenwood is the most magnificent cemetery and this books uncovers so much of it's rich history. I live very close to it and visit it regularly. It's full of great photographs and you'd be wise to get yourself a copy. Jeff Richman thoroughly explores this Greenwood. I have a framed picture of the Niblo Lion monument hanging on my wall that Mr. Richman was kind enough to inscribe for me. Just one of his many beautiful photographs. Highly recommended.

Terrific photo essay on the people that make up good old Brooklyn NY.
This book is a must for all Brooklynites, current and past residents.
It really captures the essence of each individual highlighted, with a
interesting mix of subjects. Highly recommend-

I love this book! It embodies everything Brooklyn. I grew up in upstate New York, didn't visit Brooklyn until I was in my 30s, I fell in love immediately with the sights, sounds and people...there is nothing fake about Brooklyn, it's the real deal. This book not only puts it into words, but amazing portraits of the people that live and work there. It's worth a look.

The care with which these two have crafted this vision of our beloved Brooklyn is evident in every shot and sentence. I went to high school with both of the authors and am in the book. But even if I hadn't and weren't, from half way across the country this book would make me feel like I was back on the block.

Growing up in the nosebleed section of Queens, I always admired Brooklyn from afar. And this incredible book captures it all in verse and image--it's big and brash and bold and beautiful and unabashedly proud. You'll find all the big Brooklynite names profiled here (Spike Lee, Rosie Perez, Jonathan Lethem...) but I think what makes the book so touching is how the authors were able to capture the "real" people who call this place home. In these pages, you find a sense of pride and community that has all but evaporated in the rest of the city...and the country, for that matter. Deserves a spot on your bookshelf or coffee table.

As a native Brooklynite now living beyond the boundaries of Kings County I spend at least half of every day pining away for the comfort, culture and security of this beloved borough. Now I have found an artful and authentic way to bring Brooklyn back to my senses and into my life. Well done.

Has there ever been a more unlikely hero than Richard Gillies? I don't know one.

A socially awkward, somewhat introverted, Social Security claims analyst in Manhattans lower east side, our first glimpses into his inner landscape show a slightly creepy office savant whose most joyful moments arise during his innocent but fantasy tinged interactions with a married coworker. From these humble beginnings, however, he evolves into a highly principled and courageous bureaucratic knight in shining armor, risking all that he has and even endangering his dream girl, so that a wild collection of bizarre and unfortunate individuals can justly partake of society's benefits. Even when he is finally discovered and threatened with prosecution, he remains courageous and true to his ideals,and in so doing provides inspiration for others to display their better selves.

The strength of character which he comes to display was always there, it seems, but never reached the surface, mostly because it wasn't needed. Crucial to its emergence is the General, a father figure and martyred leader, who may be roughly and partially modeled after a real psychoanalytic business maven named Leonard Strahl. The conjunction of Richards own unique brilliance at the SSA bureaucratic process with his innate sense of justice and compassion, nudged on by the General, creates an underground superhero who we can all marvel at, however unhappily improbable he may be in real life.

Throughout the tale, there are numerous fascinating and lascivious subplots showing others besides Richard who develop and bring to the surface their own higher aspirations and potentials...or not....It's kinda like a snow ball effect when one person breaks free of the things which limit their own true expression, and in realizing their better self inspires others to do the same.

Plus the good guy gets the girl in the end !

Something for everybody !!! WooHoo!!!

Bureaucrat is a compelling read, which is surprising because the protagonist is one of the least sympathetic subspecies of homo sapiens: the Social Security Administration claims representative. The author makes one care about the claim rep Richard and his two beloveds, one a fellow worker, one a client. Just as notable an accomplishment is he also forces us to care about Richard's many other clients, memorable characters from New York's homeless population. Be carried along as the plot unfolds and as Richard acquires and avoids self-knowledge; it is an engaging journey.

Eric Rosenblatt mines the subterranean world of New York City--and the human heart--in this perplexing new novel. His protagonist, Richard Gillies, is Elckerlijc--Everyman--wrestling with moral ambiguity. Ultimately, Gillies understands that in the end, a person will only have his good deeds to accompany him beyond the grave. A significant work of staggering complexity from a promising young author.

The people in this novel are related to Chekhov's characters: they live submerged lives and they evolve in fascinating and surprising ways as the story turns. This is a great unknown work of art--and it's also accessible to people who like Pee Wee Herman.

This is a story of a middle-income guy risking it all to give the city's loonies a proper chance at life. This along with a romantic twist and a clever plot becomes an intriguing, page-turning, honest novel with wit and integrity. And the imagery of New York City is fascinating! I absolutely recommend this book - I couldn't put it down!

This is yet another twist on the Dr. Faust legend, and it follows other similar stories such as "The Devil and Tom Walker" and "The Devil and Daniel Webster." Having not read the Faust legend in its entirety, but having read the other two, I note that whereas Tom Walker failed, both Daniel Webster and Joe Hardy, the hero of this book, overcame Satan. There is a difference, however, in the reasons. Daniel Webster overcame the devli through his goodness, whereas Joe Hardy overcame Satan through his determination. There is a similarity here, because Joe Hardy remained true to his wife's love in overcoming the wiles of the beautiful Lola. Having watched "Damn Yankee," the movie taken from this book, just after reading the book, I saw two different twists to the same story, both applicable to the genre in which they were produced. Overall, a recommended reading either for the sports buff or the casual reader.

man it would take the devil for the yankees to loose the series. This is a great book that isn't to long to read and it is a very good story

This is a wonderful story, and one that I enjoyed for personal reasons - the main character Joe Hardy was inspired by my grandfather Joe Judge, who played first base for the Washington Senators from 1915 to 1932. The story is told in my book Damn Senators.

I first read this as a kid, and loved it then. It's a happy thought that, 50 years ago, the greatest desire a man could aspire to was to have his underdog baseball team beat the undeafeated Yankees, and was willing to sell his sould to the Devil for it. Today he'd probably want at least one oil-producing country.

Well written, entertaining and with some great twists, it still remains one of my favourites for moralistic humour, right up there with the various Don Camillo books. Really gives the flavour of baseball in the 1950's when there were fewer teams, stronger loyalties and better sportsmen.

The novel tells the story of Joe Boyd, a long-time fan of the Washington Senators who have the worst record in baseball. One night after an incredibly bad loss, Joe decides to take a walk around the neighborhood and runs into the mysterious Mr. Applegate. It turns out that Applegate has been keeping tabs on Joe and his Washington Senators and wants to offer Joe a proposition. How would he like to watch his beloved Senators to win the 1958 pennant? Not only watch, but even help the team by becoming their newest star player? Reluctantly, Joe agrees but has Applegate write an escape clause into the contract. Within a few days the old Joe Boyd is transfromed into the 21-year-old Joe Hardy and sets off on a whirlwind ride that moves the Senators up from 7th place to just within reach of the Yankees.

Along the way, Joe begins to realize just what he's given up and what the ramifications are of his joining the team. It's a heart-warming trip, both funny and sad, and delves into a passionate fan's view of the world of baseball. So many temptations to stick with the game, and even stronger feelings tying him to his old life. Until the gorgeous Lola steps into the picture to keep his mind off the old Joe. Author Douglass Wallop's story keeps you enrapt and rooting for Joe and the Senators until the very end, never quite sure just what the outcome is going to be. It's a unique, light-hearted twist on the tale of Faust with many great and wonderful characters.

Stephen Hanan played Gus, Growltiger, and Bustopher Jones in the original Broadway production run of Cats. Fresh from the London stage there was only an inkling that the show would be a great success and no true idea that it would be the longest running show in Broadway history. During the time he auditioned and through the rehearsals and opening week Stephen Hanan kept a very detailed diary of his experience as part of the first Broadway cast of Cats. A Cats Diary details Hanan's thoughts and experiences as he auditioned and the rigorous work that went into rehearsal and the production. He details the changes the show underwent as the cast, choreographer, and director tried to find what would work best for all involved and give the best possible show. As a fan of the show (I saw a very well done production at a regional dinner theatre and then the national touring production, the dinner theatre was superior), I found the behind the scenes look at one actor's experience of Cats to be fascinating. Unlike what I would expect from most diaries, Stephen Hanan is very detailed and writes out complete events and complete thoughts and writes well that there is a narrative that forms over the course of the hundred pages of diary entries.

My only real quibble is that footnotes are printed in a cursive font, as if Hanan had handwritten the footnotes into the book to explain people and things that wouldn't be obvious to the casual reader. The footnotes were difficult to read.

Hanan's strength is in the descriptions and that his personality comes through in the text of the book. A Cats Diary is a wonderful resource to those who are seeking to learn more about what goes on to produce a Broadway show and what some of the actors go through.

-Joe Sherry

This book is defenitely a must-read for any CATS lover. It answers questions such as "Why wasn't the Italian aria in the Original London show," as well as giving insights into the preparation, rehersal and immense effort that was put into the original Broadway production. Also wonderfully written are the relationships between the author and the rest of the cast and production team. This book is a CATS fan's dream!

This is a specialty item for the fans of the Broadway production Cats: A Cat's Diary follows the author's daily involvement with the popular production, from rehearsals to finished audience product. Especially involving for drama students, who will receive specific insights into the making of a Broadway production.

Thoroughly enjoyable. The pages flew by. You get a real appreciation of how close the company grew, and how grueling the rehersals were. It is amazing how much was done in a relatively short rehersal period. I saw the show and loved it. I do not know if that made difference, but I would think that for anyone interested in the theater, this would be a wonderful book.

    Seven Tony Awards. Box office receipts of more than a billion dollars. A Broadway run of nearly 8,000 performances. And yet, if I asked you to name the actors and actresses who became stars because of "Cats," you'd probably be stumped.
   Okay, Broadway buffs, so you recall Betty Buckley, for singing "Memory."
   Next?
  In fact, although this was the ultimate ensemble piece, there was one cat who outshone the others. His name is Stephen Mo Hanan, and in the original Broadway cast, he played Bustopher, Asparagus and Growltiger. "Hanan is fantastic," purred Clive Barnes in the New York Post. And the Times, Wall Street Journal and New Yorker agreed.
    Hanan's had to wait two decades for his next plum role --- this Spring, he stars as Al Jolson in an off-Broadway production --- but he's going to be immortal for a slim little book that he never intended to publish: "A Cat's Diary." Written during the rehearsal period, these nightly entries are l00 pages of delight and insight.
    DisneyWorld has spoiled us --- people disappear into animal costumes and goof around and we find them charming, in a sentimental, how-can-you-not-like-this way. But being a cat in a musical inspired by T.S. Eliot and directed by Trevor Nunn?  Not so easy. Hard physical work, in fact. And that's just the outside preparation --- as Hanan tells it, there's immense psychological inquiry and tons of improvisation.
     Although the diaries tell us a great deal about the technical challenges of mounting this musical, there's a strong human narrative (the march toward opening night) and one heroic figure (Trevor Nunn). Mostly, Nunn stands on the sidelines, watching. When he makes a comment, it's rarely what you'd expect --- before an actress does a song in rehearsal, he asks, "But are you having fun?" And, as it happens, that innocent query opens her up to deliver a terrific performance.
      Hanan, for his part, also serves up terrific little insights: "What is the acting approach? Everyone had an opinion, and I began to understand why it took so long to set up the protocols for the Vietnam peace talks." He doesn't shrink from self-deprecating anecdotes: "Trevor said, 'You've got to look like nothing anyone has ever seen before, which is easy if you're Steve Hanan, but for the rest of us....'" And, boy, does he ever show us how the griity, unglamorous work of acting takes its toll: "I come home so tired I can hardly find my way to bed."
      As the cast becomes an extraordinary performing unit, Hanan --- who is pre-disposed to a lovely hippie-esque spirituality --- doesn't fail to get the larger point. He's amazed at how far he's come, he's constantly on the verge of tears. Trevor Nunn makes the spiritual lesson less overtly. "You must remember what the greatest power in the theater is," he tells the company. "It has nothing to do with sets and special effects. It's what's going on in your minds, and how that affects the minds of the audience."
     Hanan's account of opening night is appropriately triumphant. And, because this actor is as emotional as he is analytical, you'll tear up when it's time for Nunn to leave New York and go on to his next production. Fifteen months later, with a Tony nomination on his resume, Hanan also left "Cats." To the indelible performance he gave during his stint can now be added this slim but potent book. "Cats" lovers will enjoy it. Actors, if they are smart, will turn it into gold.

This is a beautifully written book on the portrayal of New York City in the movies. The author is extremely knowledgeable about the architecture of NYC (in fact, he is a New York architect), about the geography and history of NYC, and about film, both in its historical and technical aspects. The writing is imaginative, lyrical, thoughtful, and intelligent--this is a labor of love that took 15 years to complete. If you have any interest at all in New York City or in film, do yourself a favor and buy this book. It made me want to go out and rent at least 60 of the films discussed in it, and it reminded me of many great films set in NYC that I've enjoyed in the past and will want to see again to note some of the characters, themes, landmarks, or stage sets that Sanders describes.

If there was ever a book that really needed to be written, and was then executed nearly flawlessly, this is it. Documenting the multi-threaded releationship of New York City and Hollywood (the movie biz began in NYC, and the studios' financial offices remained there; much of the writing/directing/acting talent came to Hollywood from NYC; Hollywood's backlot NYC was the setting of thousands of films; the ideas of the Hollywood versions eventually changed the real thing; etc.), this is a heckuva fun and interesting read.

Among its most fascinating parts are information on the techniques used to create believable NYC settings by the studios (e.g., the most detail I've ever seen on Hitchcock's enormous Rear Window set), examples of the vast amount of architectural and local-color detail contained in the studio's art department photographic files (more than in some of NYC's museums!), and its general architectural analysis of NYC's major iconic structures: skyscrapers, rowhouses, tenements, train stations, nightclubs, etc.

But of even greater interest are the detailed treatments of how NYC was SHOWN in films (both well-known classics and obscure titles) of different genres and eras, and how the IDEA of NYC affected the world audience, and eventually changed the city itself as new generations flocked to their city of dreams... A flip through the photographs alone is a total pleasure.

This is a great book for film buffs, fans of NYC, architecture students, and those interested in 20th century social history. (I'm all of those things, and I LOVED it!)

If you have an interest in films, architecture or New York City then the purchase of this film is a no-brainer. The book is packed with photographs of movies and film sets that feature the buildings of New York. Another reviewer mentioned the Alfred Hitchcock set shot from the film Rope. I would add the shots from Fountainhead and Week-end at the Waldorf as being special and stunning.

James Sanders said that he spent 15 years writing and researching this book and it shows. His points are well written and quite informative.

I would strongly suggest the hardcover edition for its slightly larger size and the quality of the Knopf binding.

First editions can be purchased used at a very attractive price. Like I said, no-brainer.

This fascinating exploration of the interrelationship between the city of New York as an urban center and its portrayal throughout the history of moviemaking is filled with perceptive insight and thoughtful analysis. Highly recommended.

How New York is seen (figuratively and literally) by the rest of the world has been influenced more by Hollywood than anything else. James Sanders brilliant "Celluloid Skyline: New York and the Movies" explores the relationship among Gotham, Hollywood, and the rest of the planet. There's a lot here, and a lot of material that has never been presented before.

Each section offers specific insights into the cinematic image of New York: its icons, its myths, its realities. What is also intriguing is how Hollywood's directors manipulated actual city locations to make it look "more like New York". One of my favorite essays has to do with the "domestic" look of New York: its mansions, row houses, and tenements. Also fascinating is the section called "Nighttown"--Hollywood loves the dangerous flavor of New York's streetlife.

This is a marvelous book with a marvelous look. Take one of the other reviewers' advice, however, and get the hardcover. The size makes a big difference.