Books about 1920s new york

A historian at new york university, gordon has written books on a broad range of topics, from 16thcentury ukraine to birth control, and she is one of only a few historians to twice win the. Sex, booze and jazz in 1920s paris the new york times. Sinclair wrote the novel to portray the harsh conditions and exploited lives of immigrants in the united states in chicago and similar industrialized cities. And the columbia professor of english and comparative literature herself has been the subject of profiles in mirabella, the new york. Life at home in new york city 18351865 by mary knapp, nowy jork. She also illustrates how the aesthetic attitudes and institutional structures from. The 1920s and the making of modern america by nathan miller. Passing is a novel by american author nella larsen, first published in 1929.

The book follows philip bowman, a world war ii navy veteran who has returned to new york to success in the publishing industry. Stuarts family members gradually adapt to the social and cultural changes that having such a small child brings about, along with have to change some of the physical aspects of their home to facilitate stuarts living there. The city boasted nearly six million residents and served as a booming center for immigrants and migrants entering the through road, rail, and boats. It is a private, nongovernmental, independently managed, nonprofit corporation. Chicago daily tribune from frederick lewis allen, former editorinchief of harpers magazine, comes a classic history of 1920s america, from the end of world war i to the stock market crash and the beginning of the great depression. New york is such a fertile ground for fiction, so no list can be exhaustive, but a book that is central to me is time and again by jack finney. Online shopping from a great selection at books store. Christopher gray, the author of abrams new york streetscapes and other books on new york city architecture, has written the streetscapes column in the new york times since 1987. To get a sense of whats essential reading for the new york history neophyte, we asked 11 historians and authors to tell us their favorite books of.

When paris sizzled the 1920s paris of hemingway, chanel, cocteau, cole porter, josephine baker, and their friends by mary mcauliffe illustrated. Nongenre novels and short stories written after the 1920s, but set at least. The new york public library nypl is a public library system in new york city. New york city, new york online historical directories. In figure it out, the polymathic writer turns his attention to shakespeare, adrienne rich. People were dancing the charleston and drinking giggle water in speakeasies. The big apple, the center of the universe, the city of dreams, the city that never sleeps, the city so nice, they named it twice and more. New york times a perfectly grand piece of historical record and synthetic journalism. Everyone has a different take on this bustling, diverse city. Set primarily in the harlem neighborhood of new york city in the 1920s, the story centers on the reunion of two childhood friendsclare kendry and irene redfieldand their increasing fascination with each others lives. With nearly 53 million items and 92 locations, the new york public library is the second largest public library in the united states behind the library of congress and the third largest in the world behind the british library. The jungle is a 1906 novel by the american journalist and novelist upton sinclair 18781968. It was the first book about new york that i read when i arrived in the city.

While the technique was not new at all by the 1920s, no one had ever wielded it so powerfully, or so thoroughly. Dh lawrence called it the best modern book about new york he had ever. This murder mystery follows harlem attorney david mckay as he. Capital of the world and millions of other books are available for amazon kindle. New york city including all boroughs telephone directory. Here is some fiction set in new york city between the postcivil war gaslight era and the jazz age of the 1920 s. Published in 2014, but set largely in 1950s new york, all that is served as underappreciated writer james salters epitaph. The ku klux klans surprising history the new york times. David stravitz is a professional photographer, an industrial design consultant and product creator for many fortune 500 companies, and the author of the chrysler building. Suggested reading from critics and editors at the new york times. The miniature books are brownish green in color, of imitation leather, and characteristic of the redcroft edition published between 1920 1924.

The age of innocence edith wharton 1920 the beautiful and damned f. First written in 1975, this is my classic favorite. You werent there, of course, but because of wholly atmospheric 1920sset ya novels like these, youll feel as if you were. The 25 best books about new york city history brick underground. This page lists microfilmed city directories available at national archives building, 700 pennsylvania ave. Scott fitzgerald 1925 manhattan transfer john dos passos 1925 the island within ludwig lewisohn 1928 plum bun jessie redmon fauset 1929 1930s.

This microfilm is not available for sale from nara. New york city directories nypl digital collections. Letty larkspur and cordelia grey escaped their small midwestern town for new yorks glittering metropolis. Manhattan and the bronx are listed together, brooklyn and queens are listed together, and. Here is some fiction set in new york city between the postcivil war gaslight era and the jazz age of the 1920s.

The best books published during the 1920s decade 1920 1929. Guide to the little leather library collection, 1920 1924. Circa 1930 city directories available at nara national. His primary purpose in describing the meat industry and its working conditions was to advance socialism in the united states. Lawrence dubbed it the best modern book about new york. Building off a new york times feature that solicited reader input on the tchotchkes that best represent new york, robertss 2014 book is a compact, yet thorough, history of the greatest city in. This will give you 10 free credits allowing you to view 10 directories on the site. Fiction set in turnofthecentury new york city 61 books. I wrote a thankyou note to the author for being the one responsible for the beginning of my love affair with new york. Weaving in and out of the present, morrisons novel illustrates the complexities of life for black new yorkers in the 20s. Fifteen essential novels about new york city qwiklit. The book begins by telling the reader about how stuart was born to a family in new york city. The little leather library collection consists of 101 books, 314 x 4, published by the little leather library corporation of new york.

Flappers were bobbing their hair and the economy was booming. Best 1920s historical fiction nongenre novels and short stories written after the 1920s, but set at least partially in the 1920s. David wallace anoints 1920s new york the capital of the world. List of books and articles about 1920s america online. Ann douglass book about the explosive cultural growth of new york city in the 1920s has exploded on the national media scene this spring. The modern five boroughs, comprising the city of new york, were united in 1898. A transcriptionist working in a new york city police precinct finds herself falling hard when another woman comes into the office. Emphasizing the economic disparity between rich power brokers and poor immigrants, the novel is a compelling portrait of new york city in the 1920s. Life in 1920s new york, defined by its sights and sounds, was. The end of world war i welcomed a new era in new york one in which jazz, illegal booze, gangs, commerce, and culture flourished. Books of the times wayne koestenbaums cerebral, smutty essays playfully disobey the rules. That year, the cities of new york which then consisted of presentday manhattan and the bronxand brooklyn were both consolidated with the largely rural areas of queens and staten island.

They also feature images, including maps, illustrations of buildings, and advertisements. Scott fitzgerald 1922 old new york edith wharton 1924 bread givers anzia yezierska 1925 the great gatsby f. Here you will find new york in the 1880s, time travel, a mystery and an early foray into the modern illustrated novel all in. Oja explores this artistic renaissance from the perspective of composers of classical and modern music, who along with writers, painters, and jazz musicians, were at the heart of early modernism in america. These three nationsengland, spain, and francewere the chief nations to establish colonies in the present united states, although others also took part, especially the netherlands in the establishment of new netherland explored by henry hudson, which became new york, and sweden in a colony on the delaware river see new sweden. Its 1926 and new york is the center of america, with gangsters and flappers, and all the glamour in between.

New york city directories record the names and addresses of city residents, businesses, churches, schools, police stations, courts, and other government offices, as well as the names of individuals associated with those institutions. A book s total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book. In order to view directories at historic map works, you must register for free. The harlem renaissance was just hitting its stride. Score a book s total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book. America, roaring twenties, fiction 52 1920s, new york 50 1920s, prohibition 50 1920s, fiction 45 1920s, romance 44 fiction, flappers 44 jazz age, nonfiction 44 1920s, historical fiction 43 1920s, history 42 jazz age, novel 42 1920s, america, history 41 new york, jazz age 41 1920s, historical fiction, romance 40. New york city witnessed a dazzling burst of creativity in the 1920s. Juvenile collection, rare book and special collections division, library of congress 035. Top 10 books about life in vintage new york boo york city. The revelation that the murderer is the narrator of the book who has been assisting with the investigation and supplying the reader with all the information remains shocking today, and makes this book a prime example.