The Thumbnail Book Reviews
by John Q McDonald --- 17 June 2005
by Pete Hamill
The author of this reflection upon the streets of downtown Manhattan was the editor-in-chief for both the New York Post and the New York Daily News, and he has lived in the city for almost all of his life, so he knows the streets of which he writes. This is a highly personal trip through New York's streets, selected by the author based on his experiences and memories of his life through most of the last half of the 20th century. These are the places he knew, and the places he now knows, still living in his Tribeca apartment. He introduces us to a particular form of New York nostalgia, that runs through the city as a key element of its personality. The way New Yorkers relate to their town has always been, Hamill argues, steeped in a sense of nostalgia and loss, despite an almost ever-optimistic quality. But the city is ever-changing, in often dramatic and sometimes tragic ways. Hamill appreciates the landscape and history of his downtown with the mind of a true flâneur. The buildings evoke his reflections upon people, events and even long lost buildings and places. While Hamill has much direct experience to draw upon, he writes with a slight distance from events, as though what he tells us he merely observed or even heard second-hand. Perhaps this comes from his detached reporter's demeanor, or from all the historical research he puts into this book. Overall, though, it actually invites the reader to imagine himself on these same streets, soaking up the atmosphere of this great and vibrant city. This is a relatively light read, and Hamill's historical reflections often avoid the deeply intricate complexities of economic and demographic history in order to maintain that feeling of nostalgia and what is, ultimately, a passionate love for his city. So, don't expect an in-depth examination of New York's history or present-day character. There are many other books to elaborate on those things, and Hamill presents many of these in a good bibliography. What you can expect, though, is a walk through downtown Manhattan with a man who appears to be a dedicated flâneur, one who loves the life he has there, who loves the street and its life, and the historical depth of the buildings and the place.
Also by Pete Hamill: [Tabloid City]
See Also: [Long Time Gone by Denis Hamill] & [Gotham]