"Few cities," writes Phillip Lopate in his introduction to this historic anthology, "have inspired as much great writing as New York." Here Lopate and The Library of America present a sweeping literary portrait of the city as seen through the eyes of over a hundred writers. Residents and tourists, novelists and poets, architects, politicians, social reformers, naturalists, humorists--in unexpected and dazzling ways the writers in this volume take on the challenge of capturing New York's enduring spirit, its constantly changing public spectacle, its gossip, amusements, hard-luck stories, and tragedies. This paperback edition includes an expanded introduction and additional selections be Don DeLillo, Colson Whitehead, and Vijay Seshadri, bringing the story up to the present.
Few cities on earth exert New York's pull on the literary imagination. There may be nothing like Paris in springtime, or a foggy day in London Town, but for sheer page volume, neither of these can rival the city that never sleeps. In celebration of Greater New York's centenary, the Library of America has assembled almost 200 years' worth of literary Gothamiana--no small task, given the scope from which they had to choose. The result is a hefty, pleasingly eclectic anthology that works as both historical document and literary revelation. Editor Phillip Lopate has wisely chosen to include both the familiar (Melville's "Bartleby the Scrivener," Whitman's "Crossing Brooklyn Ferry") and the unknown (the diaries of English actress Fanny Kemble). Edith Wharton, Oscar Hijuelos, Henry Miller, Willa Cather, Tom Wolfe, Hart Crane: these are only a few of the writers who offer up their takes on the city, in terms that vary from nostalgic to cynical, romantic to tart. "I want this new novel to be delicate and cutting--nothing will cut New York but a diamond," observes Dawn Powell; "I don't like the city better, the more I see it, but worse," writes a homesick Thoreau. F. Scott Fitzgerald mourns the giddy New York of 1919, his "lost city," while E.B. White lauds the metropolis for its dual bequests, "the gift of loneliness and the gift of privacy." Vibrant, opinionated, more than a little bit overwhelming, the anthology is a fitting tribute to a city whose most enduring characteristic is the speed at which it can change. In the words of E.B. White, "A poem compresses much in a small space and adds music, thus heightening its meaning. The city is like poetry: it compresses all life, all races and breeds, into a small island and adds music and the accompaniment of internal engines."
Customer Reviews:
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The Big Town in Literature:
An immense collection the Big Town, arguably still the most exciting city in the world.
It begins with Washington Irving contemplating the meaning of Manhattan and includes works of tens of the first- rate writers who have been influenced by the Big Town. It includes diaries, journals, letters, stories, poems, essays. Over one - hundred writers give their take on the City which Bellow once said includes every single human type and kind. It touches too upon the vast worlds of inner feeling , the... more info
A Literary Tribute to the Big Apple:
The tale of New York City is one of the most interesting in world history. Starting as a humble colony by different European hands, it has emerged as the financial capital of the world in the past 100 years, symbolizing the dominance of the sole superpower in the world. Perhaps the ultimate melting pot, the city is home to among the most diverse populations in the planet. "Writing New York: A Literary Anthology" captures the zeitgeist of this most modern of metropolises. A literary compendium of famous... more info
Amazing Tribute to the Phenomena of NYC:
This collection was the centerpiece of a course I recently took on Literary NY. Every piece of writing in this collection is memorable, evoking the timelessness of the place, from Washington Irving to Joan Didion, with a wide spectrum between. There are wonderful observational and personal essays, socio-political satires, poetry and short fiction all highlighting the on-going phenomena of this most fascinating of cities. The writers, some well-known and some lost in their time, all record from the heart.... more info
Delightful and Intriguing Read:
I'm a transplant from San Francisco but have always been a New Yorker at heart.
Every morning, while drinking my coffee, I read a few of these essays, poems and stories. I love this island and city and I love reading about it.
Truly a delight for any New Yorker or New York lover.
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