New York in fiction

I have been reading like a fiend lately.  A branch of the Brooklyn Public Library is up the street from my home.  I just love the concept of borrowing a book - reading it and returning it, not having to worry about finding space for it.   And as I browse the stacks, my mind turns to New York.  For obvious reasons (see the post below) I have been thinking about this city, why I love it so much, and what makes it so unique.

In my own self-reflection, I realize that literally thousands of people (if not millions) over the past 200 have found themselves in my shoes exactly.  So I think about the life of the city, life in the city long ago and the events that made it what it is today.  A bit of a history buff, I am always yearning to learn more.

Even more than a history buff, I find that I am a historical fiction buff.  When characters are interacting in the times and the setting, I find a context to how people lived and what they did.  Two books came across my path recently, that are nothing short of phenomenal

Forever by Pete Hamill tells the story of a  Corman, young Irish man who comes to New York City seeking revenge.  During his travels he meets an African shaman, brought to America as a slave.  Cormac saves this man during an uprising and in return is granted eternal life, with one stipulation - he must never leave Manhattan.  Cormac sees the city grow and experiences momentus events that change the history and landscape of the city.  The book is written in beautiful, almost poetic prose, almost feeling like a legend. 

New York: A Novel by Edward Rutherfurd is another saga of New York history.  In this case (as with his books on Ireland), Rutherfurd follows a family as they arrive and settle in New York City.  Starting as a Dutch trading post in the harbor, New York grows into a metropolis.  Changing through the years, through family ancestry, you remember how the city is connected, how the neighborhoods developed, and how the lives of the people are connected.  Full of historic detail, reading this book will make you fall in love with the city (if you haven't already).

Now these are just latest books I have read on the topic. It just happens that they were both phenomenal.  If you are interested in reading more about the rich history of New York City, I would also recommend Low Life by Luc Sante.  This book is straight history, written with fantastic style and wit.  It is filled with tidbits of information - little facts that are fun to bring up at parties.

In all cases, these books inspire me to roam the streets, finding familiar names and historical sites.  They add to the richness of an alread deep city while providing a nice read.

Comments

[Margaret]

I loved New York (and reviewed it at www.HistoricalNovels.info), and I'm not even a New Yorker or, usually, a big fan of time-sweep novels that cover such huge swathes of history. But Rutherfurd is superb at developing interesting characters who are not stereotyped and really come alive on the page. I was especially fascinated by the story of New York during the Revolutionary War, when it was a Loyalist stronghold. It's a different angle on the Revolutionary War than the typical historical novel set in that period offers.