New Yorkers: New York City memoir and travel

by Clifford Browder

A quirky New York City memoir and travel book

Clifford Browder’s New Yorkers is the quirky memoir of a longtime resident who loves his city, a selective glance at that city’s amazing history, and a bit of a travel book, all rolled into one.It’s for people who love (or hate) the city, and people who have visited or want to visit it.Readers will learn• Who New Yorkers are and how they live and die• How many languages are spoken there (you’d be surprised)• How many witches there are (you'd be surprised)• Whose funeral caused an all-day riot• Why a cemetery offers trolley-car tours and whiskey tastings• How Fifth Avenue went from goats to grandeur• How your taxi driver may be a Tibetan, a Sherpa from Nepal, or a gypsy• How the Statue of Liberty almost didn’t happen• Which flashy modern hotel would-be suicides should avoid at all costs, and why• How the author learned the Charleston on YouTube, proof that geezers rock.New York is the most exciting city in the world. Everyone should know it, at least a little. It’s unique.

Genres: Ebooks, Memoir, Nonfiction

212 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 8, 2020

Reviews

[Ivonne Rovira · Rating 3 out of 5]

Man-about-town Clifford Browder has penned a work that is equal parts travel guide, history and memoir. He brings up little-known tidbits of New York history, such as now-vanished landmarks, the recruitment of Mohawk Indians in the 1940s to work construction in the Big Apple (where they continue working to this day, commuting from their reservation in Upstate New York); the rise of a Nepali enclave in Queens in 1980s, the anti-Semitism and anti-Quaker bigotry of Dutch Governor Peter Stuyvesant, the cholera outbreak of 1832 that led to the creation of a modern water-supply system in New York City, and much, much more. Browder includes such interesting bits as identifying different kinds of New York architecture, the Roma in New York City, the multiplicity of religions in the alleged sinful city, whether New Yorkers are really rude, plus a lot of fun facts.

Browder infuses the book with stories about his own life as a gay man in New York City. He came to the City in 1953 to study French at Columbia University, and never returned to Evanston, Ill. Eventually, Browder became a freelance editor, and he seems to have made a good living at it. Which brings me to the irony of this book: Browder really could have used a good editor. He wanders around from one thing to another without rhyme or reason. A chapter on his life as a freelance editor is sandwiched between a chapter on New York billionaires and a chapter on gay Broadway chorus boys and their fun nightlife. Readers will have to work harder than they ought to in order to get through New Yorkers, which is a pity, as it’s full of really fun anecdotes and facts. As a New York native, I really wanted to like this more.

[Jennie Louwes · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really like the front cover of this book. It's eye-catching, appealing, and makes you want to read it. The front cover art makes this book a definite stand-out!

This book is long but highly informative. You'll want to pull up a chair and sit for a while. That being said, it's also a book you can easily read and then leave; but, you will want to finish.

It's not brilliant; and, yet the research it took in order to find all of the historical back-stories of New York (a city that began as New Amsterdam) just might be!

I highly recommend this book to anyone traveling to N.Y.C. as a tourist. Who doesn't want an insider's look into where to go? Plus, for those born and bred New Yorkers, or those who have assimilated and been there for years, why not learn about the history of the place you call home?

I've rated this book as a 3 out of 5 stars. Why? The cohesion could've been better in regards to the relation of chapters. There are a few editing bobbles that are hard to overlook; such as, one complete paragraph found in two separate chapters that reads verbatim in each. Does the paragraph in question fit within the subject matter inside of each chapter? Absolutely! However, if you're going to repeat yourself then you should at least vary up the ways in which the words are presented. Same meaning, different words, would've been preferred.

The above being said 3 stars from me means this book was a good read. Nothing earth-shattering but filled with lines of information worth remembering.

For instance, did you know there are quiet corners within N.Y.C. to be found? (City quiet, not to be confused with country quiet.) You'll have to read the book to find 5 places the author recommends where you can "be still and know" (Psalm 46:10).

An in-depth look at what makes New York City, New York. Going into a detail and depth you may not have realized you were signing up for on the outset; but, in many ways, it's fascinating.

*I received an advance review copy, via Reedsy Discovery, in exchange for my honest review.

[Janet Graham · Rating 1 out of 5]

Anecdotes and Opinion Not Fact or History
I enjoy New York City. I enjoyed my time there and am planning a return. I was hoping this book would be simpatico with the huge diversity I found there. Each neighborhood is its own world, but the author does not touch that at all. This book has fewer facts than anecdotes. And fewer anecdotes than unsubstantiated opinions. It also has a bigoted slant that set me on edge from the beginning. The author seems to have forgotten that people make up the entire world, not just his world. He speaks very highly of New York and New Yorkers, as to be expected. Not expected is his building up of New Yorkers by tearing down other groups. He lists well-known American Sikhs but ignores the famous and popular Sikh, Nikki Haley a former governor and US Ambassador to the UN. Just as unexpected were his disparaging remarks about The Heartland and its Republican and WASP nature. Almost every group he extolls is paired with a group he reviles. Not even 20% into the book, he went on an extremely vile rant about our President. Without proof or even anecdotal evidence, he made vile claims that are his opinion only and not historical facts. That is the point I stopped reading this book. It is more a manifesto of what the author thinks of NYC versus the rest of the country and less about the facts of what makes NYC what it is. There are no footnotes to substantiate any of his claims. I would rather spend my time and brain cells elsewhere. I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.

[Lucy-Bookworm · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a quirky book giving a unique insight into various aspects of New York life. New York is a melting pot of many cultures, nationalities & personalities - of course much of what is discussed will be found in other major cities, but this gives a flavour of New York specifically from someone who has lived there for many years. I initially though this was by a younger person but the author recounts tales from the 50s & 60s right through to present day.
The book is full of anecdotes and personal observations drawn over many years, but there is also a surprising amount of historical fact – who knew that there is a long tradition of Mohawks working on high steel projects (skyscraper construction, bridges etc) – and I did enjoy the hotchpotch of information and the way it had been structured into the “who we are” , “how we live” type sections. It’s a chatty book, broken into short paragraphs but with the author being a former teacher & editor, I was surprised how choppy the writing was, and how grammatically/structurally poor with sentences such as “And again, that’s just a beginning.” I suppose the author is trying to maintain that chatty fast paced “New York-ish” vibe but it makes it harder to enjoy. For all the emphasis on diversity, I was surprised by how people were categorised and the generalisations that were made in places. The author is an older gay male, and it is interesting to see the city & its changes through his eyes, but he makes little effort to look at New York through other eyes.

Overall, I enjoyed the insight into New York city (as a foreigner who has never visited) and I learnt some quirky facts, but it’s not a must read or one I will return to.

Disclosure: I received an advance reader copy of this book free via NetGalley. Whilst thanks go to the publisher for the opportunity to read it, all opinions are my own.
#NewYorkers #NetGalley

[Scott Phillips · Rating 3 out of 5]

A memoir-style book by Clifford Browder detailing the history and vibrancy of New York City, a city I love and currently miss visiting. This book will be well loved by history buffs as the author takes you through centuries of facts & stories and does a wonderful job of tying them back to present day NYC. The reader could easily take notes from this work and turn them into a brilliant tour of the city. In this current state of COVID it was nice to read a book that brings back vivid memories of one of the most famous cities in the world. I often found myself pausing to recall seeing certain monuments, streets and structures.

At times it is a lumbering read filled with far too many commas as Mr Browder goes a little list crazy at times, so much so I skipped to the end of the commas often and didn’t feel I missed anything. My only other criticism is he gives off the uncle at the holiday table vibe in trying to make funny comments to relate to you, but it falls flat. We all have that relative and Mr. Browder is trying hard to get an invite.

I would read this again to fulfill my wanderlust but not sure I would do so cover to cover.

Many thanks to NetGalley for providing a copy for review.

[Ioana · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's hard to say just one thing about this book! It is delightful, fun, colorful. It is not a travel book, you will not read it necessarily for it's information but just for fun.

It's like asking your favorite neighbor about the city and you get tons of his stories and experiences he, his partner and various acquaintances have gone through, nuggets of historical facts and events and all kinds of ideas concerning New Yorkers and their city these days.

While at times it feels like it's composed of author's blog posts, it is easily read and fun. I believe it is also a matter of taste, some pieces of information may seem a bit too gossipy, too judgy, but some scenes are so delightful. For a lover of New York - passages of this book filled my heart with joy and longing. I can only hope people who haven't experienced this incredible city will find it charming by reading these pages.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Joanna · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley.

This book wasn't at all what I was expecting. I thought it would be more anecdotal, quirky and personal, but in reality it was more historical and data-driven. In the end it didn't really feel like a book about the people of New York at all, but just another book about New York City history. The one time it did get personal, when the author talked about the death of his partner, it felt uncomfortable & out of place. Some of the sections, most notably ones about architecture, needed photographs. It's hard to really immerse yourself in the author's world when you can't get a clear picture of it. The writing also was not very strong. There was too much of the author saying "now I'm going to tell you about this" instead of smoothly transitioning from topic to topic.

[Sarah Berry-O'Cain · Rating 3 out of 5]

Firstly, I would like to thank the author and publisher for the complementary copy of this book. Also, I find others opinions and viewpoints extremely interesting regarding the city. This book was a collection of opinions and/or a memoir from the authors viewpoint. I am moved to New York City when I was 17 years old from a small town to attend university. I have always felt that I am a New Yorker and that it is home. Perhaps, due to New York City aiding and abetting my metamorphic transformation of completing my path of finding myself and/ or helping in my healing process. Thank you to the author for a glimpse of what NYC symbolizes to you.

[Jeannette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full Disclosure: I received a copy of New Yorkers: A Feisty People Who Will Unsettle, Madden, Amuse and Astonish You by Clifford Browder from BooksGoSocial via NetGalley.

As a fellow Midwesterner transplanted to such an iconic city as New York, I was interested in Mr. Browder's take on the experience. Granted, he has lived in New York quite a bit longer than I have. The book is a mix of travel guide, history, and social commentary. I learned some really cool things and noted some places I need to check out as I get to know the city. If you have a connection to NYC or just enjoy reading about it, check this book out.

[Zee Monodee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed this one, but felt it was mostly a look at the history of New York and then the place in decades well before the 2000s came in (as such, it is very much a memoir of the author's life in New York during his youth and middle age and not much about now and even current times). So this 'historical' aspect was a bit of a let-down, especially if you didn't come to learn obscure facts about the history of the place. The content did get entertaining at times, but it felt a lot like a 'in my days...' type of rendition and not very pertinent to the world now

[Courtney · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book unfortunately didn't do it for me. I'll be the first to say I wasn't born and raised in New York, so I can't be considered a "real New Yorker". However, as accurate as this book was, it was a love letter from New York to the people who have never experienced it. If you dream of coming to the Big Apple and seeing the lights, the people, and the excitement, then sure give it a read. As someone who's lived this life, it just didn't add anything different to the city for me. It's not a terrible book by ay means, but I do think that it has a limited target audience.

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read about one-eighth of this book before setting it aside for good. I found it to be a boring recitation of facts. It was like reading an encyclopedia. While these facts are well-researched and could have been fascinating reading, sadly, that was not the case. I was struck by the fact that while the author proclaims how diverse the city is, he demonstrates this diversity by describing categories of people. Very disappointed.

I received this book book from NetGalley and the publisher.

[Raymond Baudon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointingly this book just did not capture for me the excitement and quirkiness of New York. The writing style was too repetitive and often felt that the author was either paying or the word limit or just had too many facts he wanted to share when instead a little more editing and analysis would have improved the book enormously.

[Lydia Pazienza · Rating 2 out of 5]

Got this through a goodreads giveaway and had to give up at 28%- not sure why this book exists. It’s not personal enough to be a memoir , and the author feels the need to speak for a number of diverse populations with anecdotes and unclear citations. Don’t waste your time

[Cynthia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not my cup of tea, I am not the target audience.

[Crystal · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't really have a good or bad feeling about this book. It was interesting enough for me to keep reading when I normally would have quit, but nothing that I would rave about.

[Lauren Zahn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you Goodreads for this giveaway.

[Mochalove · Rating 4 out of 5]

When it comes to New York City, its dynamic environ and multicultural fusion of distinctive inhabitants, author Clifford Browder focuses his keen literary eye on his life and experiences as a seasoned resident there, as well as providing glimpses of the eclectic history of the city in his recent work, New Yorkers: A Feisty People Who will Unsettle, Madden, Amuse and Astonish You. Moreover, being no stranger to using the backdrop of New York as a setting for his previously published books, including a series set in nineteenth-century New York, titled Metropolis, author Browder once again provides an intriguing exploration of a very culturally distinctive locale.

Moreover, this is not your typical cut and dry biography, providing dry facts; instead, the read is a heartfelt memoir of a man and the city he lives, loves, survives and works in. The narrative keeps you rapt in its pages with a winning combination of information gleaned from Mr. Browder’s unique standpoint, research, and experiences from his many years as a resident. Consequently, author Browder does well with transfixing the mental eye with descriptions of his life as a longtime resident, including historical glimpses and insider tidbits of the better-known aspects of New York as well as the lesser-known and even the obscure.

Providing a narrative which flows well, as Author Clifford Browder employs a friendly, authentically knowledgeable tone, within which he gives literate life to a multilayered perspective of New York, through his work in this book. In no particular chronological order, the text is divided into five parts with each section bringing into focus an intriguing variety of elements.

Firstly, Part one includes topics covering looks into the many people, languages, the hustlers, scavengers and the rich. Next, Part 2 looks at how New Yorkers live with chapters including; Fun, Booze, Smells, and Graffiti just to name a few. However, also included within this section is my favorite chapter #16, Are New Yorkers Rude? I think author Browder explored this question in fine style. Consecutively, Part 4 covers some of the more iconic locales including Broadway, Fifth Avenue, The Bowery, Wall street and 14th street. Part four continues with a tour of some of the museums, statues as well as an obscure but interest-piquing, whiskey-tasting cemetery. Followed by Part 5 which delves into some of the past history of New York, providing the insightful histories of both the good and the bad.

Overall, I enjoyed reading New Yorkers. Author Clifford Browder gave a fascinating insiders tour of New York. Part biography, part historical dive and part travel guide, this work offers a tantalizing vision of an exciting city overflowing with diversity in all respects. This was a worthwhile read which I do recommend. However, as a fellow New Yorker, I experienced some turbulent emotions while reading this book particularly with the advent of Coronavirus and the current lockdown in NY and all those wonderful people locked inside of their homes because of a virus. My heart and prayers go out to my family and friends as well as the author, his family and all other New Yorkers-God Bless Us All.

[Sami · Rating 2 out of 5]

Much like the author of this book, I have claimed New York as my home despite being born and raised someplace else (and despite my not having spent a comparable number of decades there--that Browder published this book at 93 years of age is an accomplishment in and of itself). Given that context, I was so excited to read these reflections and historical insights about the city I love so much and its people. Unfortunately, I was underwhelmed.

The book can't seem to decide if it wants to be informative or a diary--frankly, I think Browder brandished his age, wrote whatever the hell he wanted, and managed to have it published anyway. Certainly, Browder's life is full of interesting stories and anecdotes that brought New York to life, and it was entertaining to read about his time engaging with Broadway chorus boys and eventually falling in love with his partner, Bob; however, most of these stories were stuck in semi-randomly, only tangentially related to the topic at hand or shoved between two unrelated chapters as a placeholder. Likewise, though the historical information that Browder provided, specifically about the variety of building philosophies and designs in various neighborhoods over time, was often fascinating, it was unstructured and often interrupted by statements of opinion that added little to--and sometimes detracted significantly from--the story being told. Browder repeated himself frequently and relied upon "telling" to communicate that the topic might be shifting: "This chapter shows this." "Now I will demonstrate....".

I'm disappointed to give this book such a low rating because it is chock-full of fun facts about New York, including many stories that I had never heard or even considered before. Sadly, though, I think this book is only worth powering through if you are as passionate about New York as the author, and even then, I think it is best read by flipping it open at random to read a couple pages before putting it away for several weeks or months until the urge strikes again.

Read from NetGalley in partnership with BooksGoSocial. Opinions stated in this review are honest and my own.
Release Date: 19 January 2020

[Stephanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

First, thanks to the author and publisher for allowing me to read this book for free. Second, to those reading this review, my star rating is not an indication of quality of this book but rather one of my personal enjoyment. The book just wasn't for me. With the title and description of the book, I was expecting mostly anecdotes with a touch of history. What I read was more of a memoir of NYC itself (much of it before the author could have possibly been born). That being said, this book covers a wide enough breadth of subjects about NYC that most people will have something they enjoy in the book. The first two parts focus a bit more on people of NYC while the last three parts focus more on the city itself. I personally enjoyed the former but almost couldn't get through the latter. The book itself is well-written and organized which isn't surprising considering the author was apparently an editor for a number of years. I would certainly recommend it for people who want to know more about the history of NYC and maybe for anyone planning on going to NYC in the future who might like some travel ideas.

[Jeff · Rating 2 out of 5]

I LOVE New York City. I've visited NYC more than any other place. Each visit reveals something new, whether it be a new destination, history or the people- New York is unique.

New Yorkers: A Feisty People... is more about the city than the people, in my opinion. Sure, you get glimpses of different populations, recollections and experiences but the star of the book is the city itself. Author Browder gives some of his own experience and background but this isn't a memoir. There is some great historical content about the city and its growth but I felt like the author strayed from the title subject: the people.

I also felt that though this is clearly the author's love letter to NYC, it lacked passion in its telling. NYC has a magic and an energy that never comes through here. This may appeal to historians or those that have not had the opportunity to spend time in the city, but for those of us that love it-- this never captures its charm.

I won a copy of this book through the Goodreads Giveaway program.

[Lee F. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now this is a new yorker...