It Happened in Manhattan: An Oral History of Life in the City During the Mid-Twentieth Century

by Myrna Katz Frommer, Harvey Frommer

It's just a narrow island, only 22 square miles. But it's so much bigger than that. Now, in this album of period photos and first-person reminiscences, readers can experience the mosaic of midcentury Manhattan from Altman's to Zabar's. Ranging from the post-World War II years when the city came into its own to the mid-1970s when the city nearly went bust, this book features interviews with such New York luminaries as Jimmy Breslin, Bill Gallo, Monte Irvin, Robert Merrill, Herman Badillo, Elaine Kaufman, Jerry Della Femmina, and Pauline Trigere, plus the everyday people who form the hustle and bustle of the city's daily life. For anyone who grew up in or near "the city"-or fell in love with New York as an adult-this unique history, filled with vintage photos, is a compelling read...and a powerful testament to the indescribable mystique of magical, memorable Manhattan.

Genres: New York, History

336 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2001

Reviews

[Matthew Berkshire · Rating 2 out of 5]

My professors wrote this book, and I was a little skeptical that I would be engaged by a book about a place I have only been to once, but I found the book quick and accessible. I loved the sections on the culinary explosion and American artistic revolution. I would especially recommend this to any New Yorkers.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

It Happened... is a very interesting book, but it does have a flaw:black print superimposed on blach & white photos (which means mostly gray) is damned difficult to read.










sacrificing art for readability would have made sense.

[Erik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful read. An oral history of New York in mid-century. Although this was before my time, I did recognize some of the speakers. Agh, I feel soooo homesick now.