I was given a copy of When the City Stopped, Written and edited by Robert W. Synder from NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Gee, I feel bad about giving this book two stars, but I will explain my reasoning and hopefully, it will make more sense.

As we sink into 2025, the pandemic is becoming part of our history, which is why I was so intrigued by this book and this description: Snyder builds bridges of knowledge and empathy between those who bore dangerous burdens and those who lived in relative safety (...) When the City Stopped preserves for future generations what it was like to be in New York when it was at the center of the pandemic.

My biggest problem was that I thought this book would be similar to And the Band Played On, which, as well as being one of the best titles ever for a non-fiction book was such a unique project from Shilts. Characterising victims, politicians, scientists, journalists, and those connected with the disease's rise and spread of the disease, I was intrigued as to how Snyder would handle the countless sources. Perhaps I should have paid more heed to the reference to poems, first-person narratives and interviews, however, because the first poem reads like this - early morning fog/covers the town like a shroud/death floats in the air. I'm not quite as prose-y but this book generally seemed to include far too many sources he received fragmenting the narrative to vingarettes of people in NYC at the time.

And the Band Played On was a chronological journey through the madness of the AIDS madness, punctuated by social, political and medical analysis. Synder's introduction is descriptive but textbook. He mentions that he cherrypicked the sources that best illustrated the shared experience; however, perhaps the book could have had a more inciteful narrative pull. After all, the pandemic is still so fresh in people's minds but history allows us to comment on the absurdities and errors in which we make the mistakes, which are the cause and effect.

This book is punctuated into chronological chapters; however, there could have been a better link between all the persons involved. He could have maybe begun each chapter with a geographical exploration of NYC a bit like Mrs Dalloway did. His voice, which introduces every chapter, is free of any narrative thrust. For such a passionate topic, it feels a little bloodless. We start with the early days before heading into the eye of the storm, Spring 2020. This chapter is lengthy as each contributor gives mini-essays into what happened. It needed tightening (although I felt the Echoes of AIDS essay was pertinent and a good addition) and lacked cohesion in a way that made me realise that the book would not be easy to hold on to. There's an equally lengthy chapter about workers, a chapter on losses, coping, the tentative return to normalcy, the vaccines (which included a 'lexicon of the pandemic' that I found excessive), reflections and a conclusion.

I recently watched Come from Away, which centres around about 5 days of fear, uncertainty and, ultimately friendship as travellers disembark in Gander, Canada whilst the world is in flux. The musical had an impressive sense of community in the musical as the 12 actors interpreted various characters with heart and soul. There's a conclusion somewhat akin to this book; we shouldn't forget what happens. I just feel that this book would have benefited from a different approach, although I hope Synder has success with this historical time capsule.

An excellent read! The stories of the pandemic must not be forgotten and kudos to Robert Snyder for presenting us with such a well-rounded collection of writing during the pandemic and follow-ups. I'd imagine every New Yorker would want to read this and it is an ideal preservation of history.
Not only that, but you could teach a college course using this book because it is that meaty without being tedious. So much to absorb and think about. And remember.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. May it climb to the top of the New York Times best seller list!

I really enjoyed reading this book! It was a good read, and makes you think about a lot of things, I was an essential worker during covid times and these stories are really relatable. I liked the way the book flowed, and how it was interesting throughout the whole read

Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complementary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!

What a powerful moving book. It’s funny because a lot of folks kind of forget those years when we all had to stay in and forget all the work the health and essential workers had to do. I am thankful everyday for them

When the City Stopped captures the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City. Robert Snyder shares the personal accounts of healthcare workers, transit employees, grocery clerks, and community activists, highlighting the fear, isolation, and solidarity of a city in crisis. The stories reveal the stark inequalities faced by those on the front lines, contrasting their dangerous work with those sheltered in relative safety. Through poems, interviews, and narratives, Snyder preserves the experiences of those who lived through the pandemic in one of the world’s hardest-hit cities.

Review:
The stories in When the City Stopped are poignant, eye-opening, and unforgettable. Snyder’s collection is both informative and important, offering a powerful look at the resilience and solidarity that defined New Yorkers during a historic time. It’s a crucial record of life during the pandemic, and I’m grateful these voices have been preserved.