Scan barcode
A review by offbalance80
St. Marks Is Dead: The Many Lives of America's Hippest Street by Ada Calhoun
4.0
"Well, there goes the neighborhood."
We've all thought it, said it, or heard it. Ada Calhoun uses it as her thesis statement for her remarkable history of a rather small radius of East Village territory (a part of town I know and love well). She begins with the Lenape tribes that first settled around the area, and had to contend with Peter Stuyvesant and his ilk moving in and messing everything up. I was completely captivated by each capsule of time that Calhoun wrote about, particularly years I wasn't as familiar with (such as the early 20th century). I also deeply appreciated the way that she talked to not only the artists and edgy scenesters who chose St. Mark's as their home, but those who lived ordinary lives raising families and running small, non-remarkable businesses along the street. It provided a diverse look at the city that wasn't lacking in warmth or affection. The history sort of trails off around the time of the book's publication. I can appreciate the concept that St. Mark's Place will continue and the newer histories are still to be written, but the ending felt a bit abrupt. Still, if you enjoy NYC history, this book is a can't-miss.
We've all thought it, said it, or heard it. Ada Calhoun uses it as her thesis statement for her remarkable history of a rather small radius of East Village territory (a part of town I know and love well). She begins with the Lenape tribes that first settled around the area, and had to contend with Peter Stuyvesant and his ilk moving in and messing everything up. I was completely captivated by each capsule of time that Calhoun wrote about, particularly years I wasn't as familiar with (such as the early 20th century). I also deeply appreciated the way that she talked to not only the artists and edgy scenesters who chose St. Mark's as their home, but those who lived ordinary lives raising families and running small, non-remarkable businesses along the street. It provided a diverse look at the city that wasn't lacking in warmth or affection. The history sort of trails off around the time of the book's publication. I can appreciate the concept that St. Mark's Place will continue and the newer histories are still to be written, but the ending felt a bit abrupt. Still, if you enjoy NYC history, this book is a can't-miss.