Gotham Rising
New York in the 1930s
by Jules Stewart, foreword by Amor Towles
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Pub Date Feb 01 2017 | Archive Date Feb 01 2017
Description
One December night in 1932, Gan Kolski leapt from the George Washington Bridge into the icy waters of the Hudson River. He left behind a note:
To All: If you cannot hear the cry of starving millions, listen to the dead, brothers. Your economic system is dead.
The devastating words of a down-and-out driven to suicide rang in the decade that made New York. New York is one of the most emblematic cities in the world. Yet much of the iconic architecture and culture which defines the modern metropolis only came into being in the 1930s, in what was perhaps the most significant decade in the city’s 400-year history. After the roaring twenties, the catastrophic Wall Street Crash and ensuing Depression seemed to spell disaster for the vibrant city. Yet, in this era, New York underwent an architectural, economic, social and creative renaissance under the leadership of mayor Fiorello La Guardia.
In this new book Jules Stewart weaves together the tales of that time, as the war on mafia mobs running vast swathes of the city played out against a backdrop of Art Deco, jazz culture and impoverished millions. He chronicles how La Guardia attacked political corruption and kick-started the economy with construction and infrastructure; the stories of the Harlem Renaissance championed by writers like Langston Hughes; the advent of Tin-Pan Alley, the Cotton Club and immortals such as Duke Ellington making his name
in the Big Apple. The picture that emerges is one of this iconic city at the moment of its greatest transformation.
JULES STEWART, a born and bred new Yorker, is a journalist, historian and author.
His books include Madrid: The History; Albert: A Life; The Kaiser’s Mission to Kabul;
On Afghanistan’s Plains: The Story of Britain’s Afghan Wars (all published by I.B.Tauris); Crimson Snow: Britain’s First Disaster in Afghanistan; The Savage Border: The Story of the North-West Frontier; Spying for the Raj: The Pundits and the Mapping of the Himalaya and The Khyber Rifles: From the British Raj to Al Qaeda. He currently lives in London.
Advance Praise
- Anthony W. Robins, author of New York Art Deco: A Guide to Gotham’s Jazz Age Architecture
‘a delightful romp through one of the
city’s most dynamic eras. Jules Stewart deftly weaves history with heroes and
villains’
- Eric Schmitt, Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times correspondent
‘How ironic that the decade following the Wall Street Crash should be the one which made the city what it is today. The book is a terrific read, bursting at the seams with beguiling stories and extraordinary facts. If you want to know how New York became New York, this is the book for you...inspiring and engrossing...In many ways, this is America in essence – told from the right time and the right place.’
- Paul Strathern, author of The Medici
Available Editions
| EDITION | Hardcover |
| ISBN | 9781784535292 |
| PRICE | $29.00 (USD) |
Featured Reviews
Jennifer C, Reviewer
‘This book sets out to be the story of the decade in which New York rose to become the cultural, artistic and financial powerhouse of the United States.’
I’ve read a few books about New York over the years. My main focus has either been on the history of the city, on some of the inhabitants, or on some of the iconic buildings. I was intrigued by the description of this book, by its focus on the 1930s.
Is the 1930s the most significant decade in New York’s 400-year history? I guess it depends on how (and by whom) significance is measured. Mr Stewart certainly makes a strong case for the importance of the 1930s, and I found sections of the book – especially the discussion of Fiorello La Guardia’s role as mayor, and the role of Robert Moses – fascinating. While I had some awareness of the war waged on the mafia mobs during this period, and against political corruption I knew very little about most of the infrastructure projects undertaken.
And it wasn’t just building and infrastructure which changed the face of New York. Waves of migration had their impact on the city, as did cultural change. Where else in the world would religious Jewish Sabbath observance take place around the corner from a Hell’s Angels clubhouse?
I hope to visit New York one day, and see some of the iconic buildings mentioned for myself. In the meantime, I’ll settle for reading more about Fiorello La Guardia and Robert Moses. And whenever I listen to Duke Ellington, I’ll think of New York.
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and I.B.Tauris for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
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