Two Books (2025)

Being housebound these past 6 years has presented some problems I never expected to encounter. One of the most challenging has been how to keep myself supplied with fresh reading material. Sue has, as with most things, made it very easy for me. She simply brings home 6 books at a time for me to choose from, in addition to reserving which I specifically request on line from the 3 different County Libraries near where we live. (Cabarrus, Iredell and Mecklenburg) Those books come from Municipal and County Libraries as far away as Louisiana! 

In addition to that she buys me books from the Discontinued pile. Some branches simply give them away. All in all I read about 2/3 of them. And many of those are out of print. Some real gems, as with Desi Arnaz's autobiography titled "A Book." His friends were always asking him when he was going to write a book, and so he did. 😀 That one sells for about $80 on line in poor condition, and much, much more in new condition. 

Anyway, here are 2 new books (2025) which I never would have picked, and didn't intend on reading, but turned out to be real gems. 

The first, "Concrete Dreamland" by Patrick Dougher, is a wild ride by an independent artist who actually went to my high school, James Madison in Brooklyn, in the early 1980's. It deals with his struggle to find his place in life amid much hardship. But, he prevails. And that's not a spoiler because the story isn't in the end, it's in how he got there. 

The next book, by Barry Diller, is about the author's life as the son of very wealthy and detached parents. If you read the screen credits on many of the films you see you will know his name. He pioneered, actually invented, the TV miniseries in the late 1970's. And he also brought the TV series "Star Trek" to the big screen. His struggles were with himself, trying to find out which "hat" fit him. He eventually became the President of Paramount Pictures. And once again that is not a spoiler because, just as with the first book, the story is in how he got there. 

And, today, in addition to 6 new books, Sue brought home 2 shopping bags filled with memoirs from the discard pile, which will keep me occupied for a few months!

"Two for the See Saw" (1962) Robert Mitchum and Shirley Maclaine

"Two for the See Saw" is a 1962 film. The opening credits showcase the Brooklyn Bridge and Fulton Fish Market, just as I remember them as a kid, but without the smell! 🤣

The film, with a score by Andre Previn, is a masterpiece. Robert Mitchum is wonderful as a newly separated, and "lost", lawyer from Nebraska, opposite an equally lost Shirley MacClaine, a would be dancer. The two strike up a tenative friendship which quickly turns romantic. 

In real life the two had a “long relationship” according to MacLaine. “I loved his complications. He was a bit of a coward, actually, and I was interested where that cowardliness came from when his demeanor was such the opposite,” she said. Perhaps this is what makes their parts ring so true. 

You will find yourself rooting for the relationship to work out. They belong together. They learn about themselves as they learn about one another. But will the weight of their past baggage be too much for love to conquer? 

Elizabeth Taylor and Paul Newman were originally cast in these roles, but Taylor was delayed while filming the last scenes in the epic "Cleopatra", and Newman was already committed to playing "Fast" Eddie in "The Hustler", so the parts fell to Robert Mitchum and Shirley McClaine. And I'm glad it did. 

While not a sucess at the box office, this film is a "hit" in my heart. I rooted so hard for these two to really make their love work, and you will too. 

Meantime, enjoy the view in the opening credits. Perhaps it will interest you enough to watch the entire film. And along the way, maybe even learn a bit about yourselves, and what really motivates us all in our search for lasting love.

"Tenth Avenue Angel" with Angela Lansbury and Margaret O'Brien (1948)

Looking for a great Christmas film? You just found one. It begins in the late summer of 1936 in New York City and winds up on Christmas Eve at midnight. Something went wrong with the upload, so use this link instead.....https://youtu.be/SruIpM523RM?si=W3tJLcFnKumowZFK

Eight-year-old Flavia (Margaret O'Brien) lives in a New York tenement during the Great Depression with her mother Helen (Phyllis Thaxter), and father Joe (Warner Anderson), who's nearly broke and needs a job. Her aunt Susan (Angela Lansbury) lives with them, too. Flavia's thrilled because her aunt's sweetheart, Steve (George Murphy), is returning from a one-year absence. The little girl is unaware that Steve has been in jail for racketeering. She has been told he was a sailor on a long voyage

Flavia lives in a world built around fantasies and white lies told to her by her mother and Aunt. For instance, when she sees a mouse and is afraid, her mother tells her a story that if you catch a mouse and make a wish, it will turn into money. 

In the midst of the Depression everybody's desperate for money. Flavia's mother Helen is pregnant and faces physical complications. Steve is unable to get his old job back, driving a taxi. His  gangster friends offer him a quick job stealing a truck, but Steve's conscience gets the better of him at the last minute and he backs out.

This leads Flavia to catch a mouse, which she hides in a cigar box in an alley near Mac (the blind newspaper man's) stand. She wants the money to buy Steve a taxi cab of his own. Christmas Eve is now fast approaching. 

Two neighborhood youths rob "Blind" Mac (Rhys Williams) and, by coincidence, hide the money in the girl's box after finding it and throwing out the mouse. Flavia then returns and finds that the mouse really has turned into money! She is overjoyed; until the adults accuse her of stealing it from Blind Mac. Her mother has to tell her the truth about the story and Flavia realizes that so many things she has been told are "lies". This leads her to a crisis of faith. 

Her mother is having a rough time in the last stages of her pregnancy and, in an effort to give Flavia back her faith that all will be well, tells her another "story" about how on Christmas Eve all cows kneel at midnight in homage to Jesus' birth, just as in the scene of the Manger. Flavia is desperate to believe this, but assumes it to be just another "lie". 

Still, in desperation for her Mom, she tries to find a kneeling cow in New York City on Christmas Eve. It is now approaching midnight; and the last few minutes of the film. She heads to the railroad by the meat market to find one out the "truth" before it's too late. Her whole world now depends on finding out if cows really do kneel, or if this is just another "lie." 

This is a delightful, and well written drama about a young girl's search to have her faith restored. Along the way she discovers that life is really made up of a balance between truth and faith. And when the church bells ring at midnight; all is revealed.

John Wise - 1859

This is one of my favorite old photographs. It was taken on August 17th, 1859 and shows John Wise about to lift off from Lafeyette, Indiana with the first attempt at Air Mail in the United States. He was bound for New York City with 123 letters on his balloon named Jupiter.

Aside from carrier pigeons there had only ever been one other attempt to use balloons to carry mail. That  was on January 7th, 1785 and the goal was to carry mail from Dover, England to Calais, France. That efffort was successful. Jean-Pierre Blanchard and American Dr.John Jeffries made the first manned crossing of the English Channel by air.

But the return effort was almost a disaster. Their ballon was equipped with a rudder and even 2 oars by which they believed they could row through the air if needed. The extra weight required them to ditch everything they could, from the oars and rudder and even including their clothes. They landed clad only in their undergarments.

10 years later Monsieur Blanchard actually did cross the Atlantic successfully by ballon carrying mail, this time landing fully clothed.

By contrast, John Wise took 5 hours to travel anout 30 miles before giving up and landing in Crawfordsville, also in Indiana, where he descended and put the mail on a train. The winds had been tending to the Southwest, and even ascending to 14,000 feet he had not been able to overcome the problem.

One letter seems to have survived over the years from the first flight and is housed at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. It bears a 3 cent stamp, equivalent to 80 cents in today's currency. It is addressed to "W H Munn, No. 24 West 26 St., N York City."

One month later, in September, he tried again. This time he made it 800 miles to Hendersonville, New York. It was there that he crashed, losing all the mail in the process.

He tried several more times and failed before his attempts were interrupted by the Civil War, during which he flew Observation Ballons, which was hazardous duty. But as soon as the war ended he resumed his efforts, amassing a total of 463 fights, all of which were unsuccessful. Winds and weather always seemed to overcome him. He crashed several more times but continued; undaunted in his quest.

It was the 364th attempt in 1879 which did him in. He was last sighted sailing over Lake Michigan, blown off course and never seen again. He was 71 years young at heart, and he died a true visionary.

Finally, with the advent of the airplane, Air Mail became a reality. The first flight, carrying just 3  letters, was successful and delivered them a few miles between Petaluma and Santa Rosa, California, in February 1911. A far cry from John Wise's original goal in both capacity and distance.

"Jenkin's Grave" - and Mrs. Denslow

The poem above was written in 1965. I still remember writing it- though not as clumsily as it reads 46 years later. My teacher in 5th grade was Mrs. Christine H. Denslow, a saintly woman if there ever was one. She wore her grey hair in a braid coiled on the top of her head, and took an interest in everyone of her students.

When my Mom was ill, and I was having problems in class, Mrs. Denslow took the extra time to visit my home, talk with my parents, and generally made me feel that my future actually mattered to her.

At times, her husband, who was a naturalist of some kind, would bring reptiles and snakes to class. Mrs. Denslow made sure that we all touched and felt them, dispelling the myths that all reptiles are slimy and dirty. The life's lesson was clear to me then, as it still is today. You don't fear the things which you know nothing about. You take the time to learn about them, removing the fear of the unknown.

There weren't many teachers like her then, and I suppose the same is true now. So, 46 years later I have reworked this poem into a short, and botanically correct version of the original. I wish Mrs. Denslow were still around. I'd send her a copy.

Jenkin's Grave - 2011

Jenkin's grave is a cursed one, indeed.
For only one single flower has grown from the seeds,
scattered there by mourners
who all came out to grieve.
Jenkin's grave is a cursed one, indeed!

He wasn't just a sad man,
but a bad man, I believe.
And it was so surprising
to see anybody grieve.

Jenkin's grave is a cursed one, indeed.
For only one single flower has grown from the seeds,
scattered there by mourners
who all came out to grieve.
Jenkin's grave is a cursed one, indeed!

Now, I’m not superstitious,
But I think that you’ll agree.
Jenkin’s grave is a cursed one, indeed!

"Bummy Davis vs. Murder, Inc." by Ron Ross (2003)

If any book is a gift in and of itself, and a good book a treasure; then it follows that a good book given as a gift is an even greater treasure. And, so it is with this book; which I received as a Chanukah gift from Glen Slater, a friend who lives in my old neighborhood off Kings Highway in Brooklyn. He also happens to be related to Albert “Bummy” Davis, the subject of this colorful biography.

Albert Davidoff was born in Brownsville in 1920. He arrived at the dawn of Prohibition, and he would live and die at odds with the world of that misguided public policy which spawned the era of Organized Crime, which still stands as a testament to the wisdom of social engineering by the government.

But this story is more than just about politics and gangsters. It is the story of a soulful man living in a world devoid of a soul of its own, and how he came to deal with the hand that life had dealt him. In his case that hand took the form of a devastating left hook.

Author Ron Ross brings life to the character of the man who bore the name “Bummy”. Born as Albert Davidoff to a Jewish family in the East New York section of Brooklyn known as Brownsville, he was a typical kid for the times in which he lived. Surrounded by colorful characters and friends he grows up in a world where making a living was of paramount importance. His father worked at running his candy store, selling newspapers and sodas for 12 hours a day. Each member of the family had their own tasks to perform which brought in the money to feed them all.

Al was a bit different than his brothers; especially Willie, who hung out with the faster crowd and sported pin stripe suits. He also had a reputation for strong arming the local pushcart peddlers and store owners for protection money. In a time and place inhabited by the likes of Lucky Luciano and Abe Reles, this was actually considered a living.

As Al grows up he realizes that he has a talent for fighting and begins to fight in the amateur bouts at the AAU. But he soon comes to realize that in Brownsville everything is up for grabs. Even some of the fights are “fixed” so that the “smart” bettors; the ones who are connected; will always win the big money. Fighters could be marginalized so that they would never fulfill their full potential, while making big money for the “handlers.”

“Bummy’s” big break came in 1939 when he defeated former lightweight champion Tony Canzoneri in 3 rounds. He was finally on his way to the big time. By the close of 1939 he would go on to defeat Tippy Larkin, dispatching him with a mighty left hook in the fifth round. That left hook was his trademark, and enabled him to amass the impressive record of 66 wins and 47 knockouts, with only 10 losses and 4 draws. He is still considered one of the greatest punchers of all time for his weight and class.

His career was marred by his utter distaste for the corruption that went along with the sport of boxing, as well as his own quick temper. His penchant for anger caused him to lose a bout with Lightweight Champion Lou Ambers in 1940. Also that year, he fought Fritzie Zivic, who knocked “Bummy” down in the first round, and continued to harass him in the 2nd round, gouging his eye with a thumb. 

Al went slightly ballistic in response, peppering his opponent with no fewer than 10 “foul” blows, causing him to be disqualified in New York for life. (This suspension was later lifted.)

Along with a terrific account of Al Davis’ life and the fight game, Mr. Ross has also given us a history of “Murder, Inc.”-  the place where the mob went when they needed to have someone “rubbed out.” Abe Reles and the Half Moon Hotel were like local legends to me growing up just about 1 mile or so from Coney Island. The savagery with which they went about their work dwarfs even some of today’s more lurid crimes.

This book reads like a film noir classic; and also boasts a complete record of Al Davidoff’s fights as well as a pretty cool Yiddish glossary to help those who may not be from Brooklyn navigate the dialougue more easily.

In the end Al “Bummy” Davis goes down most unexpectedly. While I was expecting the hail of bullets which ended his life, I expected them to come from a different source. If it’s of any consolation, I think Al Davis was equally surprised.

"Say No to the Devil" by Ian Zack (2015)

This is the story of Reverend Gary Davis, the blind preacher who gave up blues and jazz to play gospel music on the streets of New York City. He lived in Jamaica, Queens in the 1960’s when I was growing up. Along with Moondog; the Viking poet of 6th Avenue; he was an iconic figure in the life of the city.This is the story of how he came to be there and his influences upon modern folk music and even bluegrass. 

If you are a Jorma Kaukonen fan then you are already familiar with Reverend Davis’ work; though you might not even know it. His guitar style was completely his own and his delivery of contemporary classics such as "Hesitation Blues" is a spontaneous romp. While the rest of the country was "discovering" many of the old Delta Blues players like Sun House and John Hurt, Reverend Davis was championing the old time gospel music of his youth.

Instead of the usual review of the book by me, here’s Reverend Davis; let him tell you the story in his own way.

Father Corridan - The Real Waterfront Priest

The photo above is of John "Pete" Corridan, the "Waterfront Priest,” testifying before a Senate Commerce Committee investigating waterfront crime in the late 1940’s.

If you have ever seen the film “On the Waterfront” with Karl Malden as the crusading Priest Father Barry, then you need to know that he was not a totally fictitious character. As a matter of fact, that soliloquy which he gives in the hold of the ship where Dugan is killed by the falling cargo was actually spoken by a Father Corridan who was the real life inspiration for the film version of the Priest.

Here is the portion of one of Father Corridan’s addresses to the men which inspired Bud Schulberg’s version;

“I suppose some people would smirk at the thought of Christ in the shape-up. It is about as absurd as the fact that He carried carpenter’s tools in His hands and earned His bread by the sweat of His brow. As absurd as the fact that Christ redeemed all men irrespective of their race, color, or station in life. It can be absurd only to those of whom Christ has said, ‘Having eyes, they see not; and having ears, they hear not.’ Because they don’t want to see or hear. Christ also said, ‘If you do it to the least of mine, you do it to me.’ So Christ is in the shape-up.”

Father Corridan gave the speech at a meeting in the Union trade school across the river in New Jersey, not in the hold of a cargo ship. But his words were almost identical. "The speech was written more by Father Corridan than me," writer Bud Schulberg said. "Eighty percent of it was his words."

Schulberg was soon treated to a tour of the waterfront by one of Corridan's longshoremen, a man named Arthur "Brownie" Brown. Schulberg became an admirer of the Priest and described him as “the greatest individual I have ever known.”

For more about Father Corridan use this link;

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_M._Corridan

And here is Karl Malden delivering Bud Schulberg's version of Father Corridan's speech in the film "On the Waterfront";

"Holes In My Shoes" - Jack Beers (2006)

Here’s a little documentary about a guy I never heard of before. His name is Jack Beers, and apparently he was very well known in certain areas of the city I grew up in; New York. He was born in 1910 on the Lower East Side, near where my Grandmother Marcus had been raised a few years earlier.

He was raised in and around East 6^th Street in a cold water flat, the son of Jewish immigrants who had left Austria for a better life. What must have they thought about the Lower East Side? Like many of the immigrants of the time they may have seen it as a step down; but also as a stepping stone to a better future than they would have in Austria.

Jack was only about 5 when he started selling newspapers on the corner of Avenue B and East 10^th Street. This was the beginning of a lifetime of odd jobs; including gleaning fallen coal from the wagons, to help the family keep warm in the winters. In the summer they slept; like so many others; on roofs and fire escapes. He had 4 siblings; one sister named Lilian, and 3 brothers named Manny, Julius and Hy. His memories of them are beautiful.

He became a self-taught Structural Engineer and worked on many of the most notable of New York’s famous buildings; including the Empire State Building and Radio City Music Hall. He also trained dogs and found the time to appear in over 200 films. He was married 3 times.

In 1950 he was responsible for erecting the radio tower on top of The Empire State Building for General Sarnoff and RCA. And in the 1960’s he did much of the steel design work for what would become Lincoln Center. So, he’s all around you, even today, 6 years after his death.

He passed away in 2009 in Stamford, Connecticut, still holding the title of "New York City's Strongest Boy". This man’s life tells like a work of fiction. To have him telling it on film is priceless, as he appears to be just another old man. The type you see in MacDonald’s nursing a coffee for the entire morning because he has nowhere to go. The type of guy who tells you stories you don’t really believe. Think of him the next time you talk with someone like that. There’s a lot of truth behind those old eyes.

The Jumel Mansion - Manhattan

I’m not going to tell you too much about this place. I went there in 1964, just after my Mom had read about it in the newspaper. She was like that; she’d read something interesting, clip it out and the next thing I knew we were in the car and my father would be driving us to see it.

My wife is like that, too. I’m more of a drive by and see something, stop and look at it. It might seem more spontaneous, but I come up with less things than either my Mom, or Sue. So, their method is obviously a more fruitful track.

Without looking anything up I remember the story like this; Madame Jumel was the richest women in Colonial America due to some circumstances involving marriage and death. In those days that’s how it worked for women. They married as well as they could and then hoped for the early demise of the husband. Then she was free to marry the stable hand if she chose to. But, it worked both ways. George Washington married up, so to speak, when he tied the knot with Martha.

Anyway, Madame Ju

mel was involved with two men; one of whom I believe was Alexander Hamilton; but I’ll check that before I wrap this up. This is just my preliminary memory of the house and the things we were told on the tour.

At the time of our visit there had been a ghost scare at the mansion. A group of school children had gone on a field trip to see the house. When they were assembled on the front lawn a figure appeared on the upstairs balcony screaming at the children; and their very frightened teacher. No explanation was ever uncovered for the bizarre incident; other than the “ghost” screaming that the kids were making too much noise.

When we visited about a month later the docent showed us some of the window panes which had been etched upon with the signatures of either Madame Jumel, or one of her family. I don’t remember exactly. I do know this; that prior to the 1960’s the house was in disrepair and the local residents in Harlem had broken a good many of the windows.

But you could readily tell the original wavy panes from the new replacements. And these were the ones which had writing on them. The odd part was that the name and handwriting were from one particular person who had been dead too long to have done the etching on a few of the panes.

The house is on something like 160^th Street in Nicholas Park. The Alexander Hamilton residence is barely a mile south of that on 141^st Street, where it was relocated in the early 2000’s. It is still within the original 34 acre tract of land which Hamilton called home.

Okay, so now I will look on line for a picture of the house and a link which will tell the whole story. What you have read is merely the memory of a 10 year old kid. I’m looking forward to reading the whole story. Hope you’ll join me… here’s a great link with photos of every room.

The one of the mannequin reminded me of the fright I had when we came up the stairs to the second floor. The bedroom pictured with the mannequin was positioned in such a way that when you turned at the top of the landing you were looking right at it. As a 10 year old expecting a ghost to jump out at any minute, it did the trick and scared the hell out of me!

http://gothamist.com/2014/08/13/americas_richest_woman.php

"The Times of the Sixties" - Edited by John Rockwell (2014)

There is nothing pretentious, or confusing, about this title. Plainly put, this is a book of some of the most emblematic stories which appeared in the New York Times during the 1960’s. I don’t say the most important; although there are a number of those; I say emblematic because that what this book is. It is a wonderful representation of the things which made the 1960’s the memorable decade which it was, and still remains.

Organized into 8 sections covering 317 pages the book begins with the top stories in National news beginning with the Woolworth’s lunch counter sit- ins; which would come to characterize the Civil Rights Movement for much of the decade. That was on February 15, 1960. By November of that year JFK was President and Eisenhower bid us a farewell, warning us against the “military-industrial complex” which he had helped to create. The March on Washington, the Civil Rights demonstrations; and riots; are all covered. This section of the book speaks loudly to the little news junkie I was back then; with my 6 transistor radio always glued to my ear, or under my pillow at night.

In addition to the Civil Rights Movement, the National section also recalls the death of General MacArthur, JFK’s assassination, and just about every other important news item which would have an impact on the rest of the decade. The last article in this section is from August 1969, and is about Charles Manson.

The International section begins with a typo in the article about Francis Gary Powers being shot down over the Soviet Union in a U-2. The heading reads May 9, 1965. It should be 1960. The accompanying photo is dated correctly. From Eichmann’s kidnapping in South America to Krushchev pounding his shoe at the UN, this section is very colorful. The world still had some pretty colorful political leaders left; political correctness had not yet begun in earnest, making it possible for Politicians to still act somewhat candidly. 

The beginnings of our real serious involvement in Vietnam is chronicled; as well as the Communist expansion in just about every corner of the world; including Cuba. The rise of the Berlin Wall, the death of Pope John XXIII, Diem’s assassination only weeks before JFK’s killing, Israel fighting with Palestine, it’s all here. Mandela convicted of sabotage and sentenced to life in South Africa, while our own streets burned with the desire for freedom recall my struggle to make sense of why Apartheid was wrong in South America while it was still being practiced here in the United States. Communist China getting her own bomb, and Ho Chi Minh’s death, close out the International scene.

The Business Section begins with a raise in the minimum wage in the United States. JFK pushed through a bill making the new wage $1.15 per hour. The steel crisis; when Kennedy faced off with the steel producers over a price increase which would have triggered mass inflation; DOW breaking 1,000 points for the first time;  the Bank of America rolling out credit cards; and oil leases in Alaska all show a vibrant and growing economy.

There is a section devoted solely to New York City; which is appropriate, given that this book is about the New York Times coverage of the 1960’s. First up is Casey Stengel being let go by the Yankees for the crime of being 70 years old. The next big story is the collision of 2 airliners in the fog over New York, one landing in Park Slope section of Brooklyn; and then the fire on the aircraft carrier Constellation at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, which killed 46 and injured hundreds. Both of these horrific events happened one week before Christmas in 1960 and so always stand out in my memory.TV news broke both of these stories to me. I was just 6 years old. 

The Twist, the folk music scene and a young Bob Dylan at Gerde’s Folk City; the World’s Fair; Shea Stadium; the Verrazano- Narrows Bridge; the theft of the Star of India from the Museum of Natural History; the Blackout of 1965; all of these stories took me back to my days delivering the New York Post by bicycle; reading the headlines as I loaded up for work each day.

Science, Technology and Health is subdivided into 3 shorter categories. Science dwells on the Space Race; which we were losing at first. The Soviets put a man in space before us; orbited the earth before us; even space walked before we did. But we cheered our astronauts on to victory with the first manned landing on the Moon. If you were alive then you will remember that day and how it felt.

Technology concerns itself with portable electric typewriters and battery powered tooth brushes, the advent of the cassette as the wave of the future in music; and the first “jumbo” jet, a Boeing 747. The only thing still relevant is the battery powered toothbrush. All of the other achievements have been surpassed. But my toothbrush is still about the same; only cheaper.

Health covers the first Pacemakers, plastic contact lenses, open heart surgery, Medicare, cigarettes causing cancer; birth control and lung transplants.

Life and Style is one of the more interesting sections as it directly affects us all. From Barbie dolls to Mustangs, skateboarding and marijuana, this section is fairly representative of the way we were back then.

Fashion covers Jackie Kennedy, miniskirts, Audrey Hepburn, big glasses and Twiggy in a highly entertaining way. The articles fairly sing the praises of the subjects they explore.

Food and Drink is another section which is fairly interesting. It’s easy to forget that a microwave once coat about $1,200 in 1955. By 1962 this had dropped to $795, still out of reach of almost all Americans at the time.  The rise of fast food and artificial sweeteners also dominated the news at the time.

Sports is a vivid recollection of the Lakers, Wilt Chamberlain, the Mets, Roger Maris, the first Superbowl, the consolidation of the NFL and the AFL, Cassius Clay becoming Muhammad Ali, and the triumph of the Mets over Baltimore in 1969.

Arts and Entertainment starts off with the architectural achievements in New York at the time. From the new airline terminal at Idewild; with its observation deck; to the opening of the Pan Am Building, and the Whitney in Manhattan, the changing skyline of Manhattan reflected the rapidly changing world.

When the book gets to Music and Art it really showcases the color and dynamics of the 1960’s. From the Beatles to James Baldwin and everything in between, this is one of the most entertaining sections. Andy Warhol and his Chelsea Girls film had me running to the computer and You Tube to see what I missed as a kid. Ava Gardner reading “The Feminine Mystique”, Monty Python, A Clockwork Orange, Tom Wolfe, James Earl Jones, Andy Griffith, Hair and Woodstock are all represented as examples of the culture of the times. The last entry, closing out the section and the book, is the Altamont Concert in California.

It’s always interesting to look back and see how far we have come in certain areas; and how little progress we have made in others. In 1961 the Senate was struggling with the issues of healthcare and equal pay for women; both of which are still unsettled today. It's possible that we have not advanced socially as far as we would sometimes like to believe. Maybe we haven't come "such a long way baby". Inadvertently, perhaps that is the message of this wonderful book.

"Sorry, Wrong Number" with Barbara Stanwyck and Burt Lancaster (1948)

I caught this movie on television the other night by accident. Well, maybe it wasn’t such an accident because I was clicking around looking for something to watch; which is always easier said than done. And, as often happens to me, I was hit with a black and white screen; bringing an instant halt to my clicking. Black and white really grabs me.

I was only 15 minutes into the 1948 film noir classic “Sorry, Wrong Number” with Barbara Stanwyk and Burt Lancaster. They play the ill-fated couple Henry and Leona Stevenson; she as the hypochondriac bed ridden wife, and he as the henpecked husband driven to despair by his wife’s imagined illness, as well as being a victim of his own demons.

Henry Stevenson is a man with secrets. He lives sort of a double life; caring for his stricken wife; and also as a philandering and a thief. But all of his secrets come tumbling out one night when his wife; who is addicted to her phone, as it is her only link to the outside world; hears 2 men on the line plotting a murder.

At first she tries to contact the police, but since there is no identity to the men she refers to there is little that they can do. During her attempts to trace the call and find the intended victim she becomes privy to her husband’s secret life; including his infidelity with Sally Hunt Lord; played by Ann Richards. She also learns that he has stolen some money and must make good or face some serious consequences.

During the flashbacks, as she recounts her life with her husband, she realizes that there were many clues she chose to ignore. And when she finds out about the money she is ready to forgive him instantly; she really does love him. But by this time it’s too late to stop a series of events already in motion, set to happen at 11:15 PM.

As the film closes; with Henry talking on the phone to a frantic Leona; all of the pieces fall neatly into place and leave you wondering how both of them could have been so stupid so as not to see the beauty in the lives they had; trading them for a guaranteed appointment with a hell of their own making.

Outstanding performances by both Burt Lancaster and Barbara Stanwyck, and superb direction by Anatole Litvak, combined with a screenplay by the original author of the play, Lucille Fletcher, make this a classic you don’t want to overlook.

"The Rat Race" with Tony Curtis and Debbie Reynolds (1960)

This is a remarkable film in so many ways. Tony Curtis plays Pete; a saxophone player who comes to New York with big dreams and little hope. He immediately finds himself sharing an apartment with Peggy; a “taxi dancer” played by Debbie Reynolds. For those who don’t know it, a “taxi dancer” is one of those ten cents a dance girls you rented by the dance. Sometimes you could strike up other “deals” with them for after hours. Sometimes they were just dancers.

Lonely people attract other lonely people; and so it is with Pete and Peggy. Pete doesn’t realize the debt that Peggy is in while he scouts around for a job. She is dancing regularly and paying the bills for both of them. Although Pete is kind of smitten with Peggy, she denies her feelings for him.

When Pete’s saxophone and other belongings are stolen she goes to her boss “Nellie”; a sinister character played by Don Rickles in what has to be the most sleezy role he ever played; for a loan. She is already hjeavily indebted to him, and this “loan” comes with conditions. “Nellie” is the guy who runs the dance hall, ensuring that the girls all fall into debt with him. Then he tries to turn them into “escorts” for out of town businessmen who arrive in New York looking for fun.
  

Garson Kanin wrote the play and the screenplay for this film, which is searing in it’s portrayal of the dark and predatory side of humanity. In one of the more tender scenes, the bartender, Mac, played by Jack Oakie, waxes poetic, noting that “One half of the world is looking for the other half; we’re all buyers looking for sellers.”

I saw this film on TV the other night. I had never seen it before. It’s an old movie, but the topic of how we treat one another in life never gets dated.

"Supreme City" by Donald L. Miller (2014)

New York is the greatest city in the world by any measure. To paraphrase Dickens in “A Christmas Carol”, you must realize this “for any good to come of it.” But the growth of the city from the quaint days of the “Gay Nineties” to what it became after the Second World War required a growth spurt unlike that seen by any other city before or since.

That is what author Donald L. Miller sets out to prove with this ambitious and informative biography of the city between the turn of the century and the beginning of the Second World War. And he does it with style as he explores both the physical changes to the city’s skyline as well as the men who wrought that change. Along the way he takes us on a tour of the speakeasies and nightclubs, as well as the back rooms of the politicians and the boardrooms of the big corporations.

Carefully researched and annotated, this book covers such diverse topics as the changing modes of transportation and the expansion of the subways, the building of the Grand Central Railroad Station and the rise of Park Avenue, and the city wide construction boom which would push the city’s boundaries further northward.

In the fields of Entertainment; radio; vaudeville; theater; a new invention called TV; musical recording; and even the motion pictures; all had their start in the Big Apple.

As far as Politics and Personalities go, this book explores the characters of the day; Tex Guinan and her saloon; the speakeasies; Mayor Jimmy Walker, Ziegfeld, William S. Paley and the rise of mass media.

The major events of the 1920’s; Lindbergh’s parade after soloing across the Atlantic, Valentino’s funeral and the rise and fall of Tammany Hall are all given their respective dues.  

The author covers all bases in an effort to paint an accurate portrait of Manhattan during 3 of her most fascinating; and active; decades. These are the years which made New York what she is today; quite simply put; the most fantastic city in the world.

This book is an excellent companion to the book “Gotham” which chronicles the history of Manhattan from the time of Hudson to the present. They go well together on my shelf.

"Dark Invasion" by Howard Blum (2014)

If you believe; as I do; that the only thing new is the history you don’t know, then this book will astound you. It’s like reading today’s newspaper; underscoring the fact that precious little has really changed in the last 100 years since these events occurred.  

Terrorism, espionage, germ warfare, piracy; in short; anything which you can find in today’s paper can be found in this book which recounts the events of the 2 years preceding America’s entry into World War One. Germany’s undeclared war on the United States mirrors everything which the Islamic terrorist of the 21^st Century would like to accomplish.

If you lose track of some of the aliases and names while reading this book, don’t worry, author Howard Blum pulls everything together in an ending which rivals the best that Hollywood has to offer in the way of fiction. The big difference, of course, is that this story is true.

With the same wide ranging and highly charged style which marked his earlier book “American Lightning”, Mr. Blum introduces the reader to an astounding cast of characters; comprised of diplomats, Professors, stevedores, watchmakers and even J.P. Morgan; the American financer who once bailed out the country with cash during a recession. There are policemen, detectives and politicians; some good, some bad; but all part of the plot to keep American munitions out of the war against Germany by whatever means necessary.

The bombings were simple enough; compared to the planned anthrax and horse plaque attacks which were planned by German diplomats, along with scores of German seaman who found themselves stuck in a foreign neutral port for the duration of the war.

The story also involves a Harvard college professor named Muenter, who killed his wife and left his children, taking on a new identity in New Mexico.  He remarried under the assumed name of Frank Holt and began a new academic career in foreign languages. He was soon at the top of his profession. He also became an important component to the larger story.

At the same time, Detective Tom Tunney; in New York City; is on the trail of the mysterious bomber who has been successfully sabotaging the American war effort.  At the direction of the Police Commissioner he is able to tap phone lines, use force, and whatever else may be necessary to stop the sinking of ships by explosion after the ships have been at sea for several days.

During the summer of 1915 there were scores of ships sunk as a result. The devices ranged from a small “cigar” bomb; which was a small lead container divided in half by a small sheet of copper. Chemicals were added to each side that ate the copper sheet away. When the chemicals combined they produced a white hot flame. Planted among cargo they were devastating.

The German ships which were interred in the harbor on both sides of the river made for ideal recruitment for the network needed to plant the explosive devices on the American ships. And with the help of German diplomats and shipping executives, the operation was well funded and there was serious money to be made for the bored German seamen. One ship, interred at Hoboken, was actually converted into a bomb factory, with every member of the crew taking part in some way. Irish stevedores; with no love for England; were also a reliable source of operatives.

There were also plans to blow up various landmarks around the country. One of the first successes Detective Tunney enjoyed was the arrest of the men who planned to blow up St. Patrick’s Cathedral. That effort was foiled by two detectives dressed as scrub-women, who watched the bomber plant the bomb before tackling him.

Detective Tunney successfully infiltrates the Brescia Circle; a group of radical immigrants; and before too long finds himself involved with the German Abteilung IIIB spy network headed by Heinrich Albert, who was also the Commercial Attaché to the German Embassy here in the United States. From this lofty position he was able to recruit and co-ordinate not only the ship bombings, but also the germ warfare program. There is even a plan to restore Mexico’s exiled President Huerta to power in exchange for his help in de-stabilizing the Mexican border. His reward was to be the restoration of Texas and New Mexico to his country.

The germ warfare was designed to sicken the horses which the United States was supplying to all of the nations at war; with the exception of Germany. This is the same thing that caused Japan to form the Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere, which led to the Second World War. Sanctions don’t work well without force to back it up. This is a lesson which should be heeded by our own politicians today. There is no teacher as adept as knowing history.

Paul Koenig was the German shipping magnate who ruled the waterfront in New York and New Jersey. He was loaded with cash but when his nephew didn’t show up for work one day due to an illness, he was docked $2.52 for the day. Infuriated at his Uncle he would become part of the events which unraveled the madness.

It was the same with Heinrich Albert. He was too cheap to spring for a $1.75 taxi ride; opting for the elevated train instead. He fell asleep on the train and left his briefcase; which held documents summarizing all of the sabotage that had been done up to that point; and also gave insights into what was still being planned.

But of all the characters in this story, none is more fascinating than Frank Holt, the former Professor Muenter. After killing his wife with arsenic and leaving the children with his in-laws, he sets out to reinvent himself. With his love for the fatherland and his talent for languages, he is looking for a way to serve the cause. In a 48 hour period during the July 4^th weekend in 1915 he not only successfully plants an explosive in the Capitol; he then heads to Long Island and the home of J.P. Morgan.

Once there he intends to speak with him; he wants Mr. Morgan to stop financing the Allied war effort; but he brings along 6 sticks of dynamite and a revolver just in case JP needs persuading.  He is beaten and captured by the servants after shooting Mr. Morgan. Morgan survives, but Frank Holt only lives for a few more days in the town jail, where he is either killed by 2 gunshots to the head, or he jumped from the top bar of the cell door, dashing his skull.

There is so much more to recount about this book, but it really needs to be read to be enjoyed thoroughly. I think it is to safe to say; from the Black Tom Explosion to the Zimmerman Telegram; that Mr. Blum has covered it all.  He has a style which makes you wish he had been your history teacher in high school. He writes with a sense of urgency which is easily felt by the reader. As Detective Tunney races against the clock to avoid one disaster after another, you can almost hear the clock ticking. Or, is that a bomb? 

"Sweet Jane" - Lou Reed Live

Lou Reed defined New York City Punk Rock in the early 1970’s and even pulled that weight long into the 1980’s and beyond. I was never a huge fan, but some of his stuff was stellar, like this song. Another highlight of his long career was the album “Coney Island” released in the late 1970’s.

Some folks dismiss him as a minor blip on the radar of Rock and Roll history, but I have to disagree. He was influential in taking the music he heard and turning that into something new and unique. His lyrics were always edgy, as in “Take a Walk on the Wild Side” which explored the gay sex scene just a few years after the Stonewall Riots in New York’s West Village. The man pushed envelopes.

Although not a guitarist along the lines of Eric Clapton or any of the other superstars he was able to gain and hold a fan base for over 40 years with only a few big hits to sustain him. His magic was in connecting with his audience and knowing how to reach them. Just listen to this song; I mean how many ways can you play 2 chords over and over again and keep it interesting? Somehow he does, which presents an equal challenge for the lead guitarist.

There is a much earlier version of this song recorded in Paris in 1974. Mr. Reed was decidedly under the influence of “glam rock” at the time; it shows in his stage dress. Contrast that video with the later, more mature version and see which you prefer. Both are very good, I just preferred to post the one above. I think it’s because of the more simple staging, and perhaps the sound quality. That video is at;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnZTarK9Ohc

And, if anyone knows when and where the video at the top was recorded, please let me know!

"Mel Brooks: Make a Noise" - American Masters (2013)

Once you have been exposed to the comedy of Mel Brooks you’re hooked for life. This is the guy who wrote for the landmark TV show “Your Show of Shows” starring Sid Caesar. Writing alongside such luminaries as Carl Reiner, and Woody Allen, this is the man who gave us the character of the “2,000 Year Old Man”, and then went on to be co-creator of the TV series “Get Smart”. That’s right, he invented the “shoe phone”, and the “cone of silence.” As far as the shoe phone goes, he was way ahead of his time.

Drawing on interviews with Mr. Brooks himself, as well as those who have worked with him for decades, the film provides a look inside the mind of someone who is arguably one of the funniest and most creative men of his time. Gene Wilder is effusive in his praise of Mr. Brooks, who really gave his career a boost as the foil to Zero Mostel in 1968”s “The Producer’s”, which has since gone on to become a legendary Broadway Show, a feat all in itself.

His marriage to Anne Bancroft is explored by both Mel and Anne, with predictably comic results. She claims, at one point, that he pursued her relentlessly, while at other times she admits to having fallen for him in an instant. And he has his own side of the story to tell, describing himself as a poor Jewish writer, struggling to make it, and smitten with the best actress on Broadway; Ms. Bancroft was fresh from her run in ‘A Miracle Worker” and seemed to be light years ahead of Mr. Brooks, and thus unattainable.

He was struck with the “bug” at age eight when he saw Ethel Merman on Broadway and knew exactly what he wanted to do in life. There was never a doubt in his mind about where he was headed. His time on “Your Show of Shows” is remarkably re-created in the film “My Favorite Year” with Peter O’Toole.

From “History of the World” to “Spaceballs”, which grew out of the little vignette at the end og the “History of the World” film (remember “Jews In Space” at the end?) Mr. Brooks has given us some incredible characters over the course of his 60 years in the business. And in this film, he recalls them all fondly. A must see for fans of Mel Brooks.

PS: I just saw that today is Mr. Brooks 87th birthday. Proof positive that laughter keeps you young at heart. Happy Birthday Mel Brooks!

"How the Other Half Lives" by Jacob A. Riis (1901)

Through his remarkable series of photographs, documenting life in the tenements of old New York at the turn of the 19^th Century, Jacob A. Riis has become an icon of compassionate liberalism to many folks. That’s because they haven’t read his book. This landmark classic of sociology is often spoken of as if it were a plea for compassion and sympathy for the poor. If that is your opinion of this highly vaunted work, then you have probably not read it either.

The book is somewhat akin to D.W. Griffith’s epic motion picture “Birth of a Nation” in that it stereotypes every minority then in existence in New York City. Jews are clever and suspicious; Chinese are opium pushers and white slave traders; the Italians are happy people except when pushed too far and their passionate nature gets the better of them; while the Irish are just plain filthy and would rather drink than work. And all are criminals of one sort or another.

While quoting from the crime statistics available at the time he notes that the majority of the criminals come from the slums. Crime itself is the result of unclean living and poor habits, as well as the choice of lifestyles made by the individual. When the well to do come down to the slums for entertainment, they are sometimes unwittingly dragged into these lifestyles themselves; making them victims of the poor.

As a kid I used to go to Riis Park in the borough of Queens. Riis Park is the beach which sits next door to the Breezy Point Section, which gained widespread fame this past year in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. Riis Park was the brainchild of Robert Moses, who oversaw the building of most of the bridges and tunnels, as well as countless parks throughout the 5 boroughs. He named Riis Park for the author of this book, who is often considered to be a champion of the poor, and presumably would have wanted poor people to have a sunny, open place to go for fresh air. But, I wonder if Mr. Moses ever read this book.

Perhaps I am being too harsh upon the author; after all, those were different times. And he did expose the horrid conditions of the city’s slum dwellings through his photographs. It was just somewhat of a shock to read the author’s views on the predicament of the people he was trying to help.

For better, or worse, we are all products of the environment in which we live. For all the flaws in the way he has expressed himself in this book, he did lead a crusade that helped, in some way, to draw attention to the plight of the poor. Though most of the social ills which he decries in this narrative still exist today, he does deserve credit for being among the first of the moral crusaders who attempted to do something about the conditions he saw to be unfit.

And, then there are also those remarkable photographs he took, leaving us a window into our past, which might not always be so pretty, but represent who we once were. May it be that we never go that far backwards again.

"Island of Vice" by Richard Zacks (2012)

1896 was a crucial year in the history of New York City. The annexation of all 5 boroughs was less than 2 years away. The City of New York, comprised at the time of the island of Manhattan, was in the throes of a crime wave the likes of which would never be seen again. Literally, as the title of this book suggests, it was a city of sin. This was also the beginning of the end for Tammany Hall, the political party which had ruled the city for decades.

In a story propelled by the likes of characters such as Nellie Bly, the female reporter of crime at the New York World; and Reverend Charles Parkhurst, the leader of an anti-crime crusade; this book rips and roars its way through the final years of the 19th century, ably guided by the skillful authorship of Richard Zacks.

Much of the story centers on Theodore Roosevelt, who would in short order become famous for his exploits at San Juan Hill during the war in Cuba, as well as becoming President of the United States at the dawn of the 20th century. And what a story it is!

Think of any criminal enterprise in operation today, and it was available then. The only difference was in the technology used in committing the crimes; as human nature has not changed much in the intervening years.

For instance, in the place of todays "chop shops", which alter automobiles, the horse thief of the 19th century merely rode the animal to one of the scores of stables dotting the riverfronts on both sides of the island, and had the animal dyed, the mane clipped, and the saddle changed. The rider then emerged on a "horse of a different color"; so to speak; free to gallop away out of the city to sell his stolen steed.

Gambling was rife, with hundreds of illegal gaming establishments throughout the city, all under the protection of the Police. Prostitution, in every known form, was also readily available in all areas of the city. Women, respectable ones, did not roam about freely at night. Even gentlemen did not stroll after dark without a sense of foreboding.

Into this scenario came Theodore Roosevelt, who had been raised in New York, but had spent the last several years in Washington, D.C. He was now back in New York, determined to clean up the city, as well as make a name for himself. He lost no time in doing both.

Teaming up with Reverend Parkhurst, as well as with Jacob Riis, these men set out to put the city back on course to become the greatest metropolis ever known.  Riis and Roosevelt had become great friends, and mutual admirers, after Roosevelt read Riis' "How the Other Half Lives", which was published in the 1880's when Jacob Riis was working as a Police Reporter for the Evening Sun.

The photos, and their accompanying stories, shocked the city into a social awareness which would spark the changes affecting the most disadvantaged citizens Manhattan.

Roosevelt and Riis, in disguise, went on a series of midnight journeys into the seediest parts of the city, seeking to document the criminal activities, and then tear them down. Acting upon the heels of Reverend Parkhurst's own campaign against vice, in which he too, toured the city at night under the protection of Detective Charles Gardner, the city was rocked by scandal after scandal, as the veneer of corruption was laid bare for the people to see.

The Police Department was so corrupt that Roosevelt canceled the 1895 annual Police parade, declaring that the force was unworthy of the honor. When he went on his midnight tours he found himself threatened by his very own officers! With tireless effort, and knowledge that his crusade was a just one, he re-enforced the Civil Service laws, giving the city a better police force with which to fight crime.

With a bold and exciting style of writing, Mr. Zacks has created a veritable visual montage of New York in the not so "Gay Nineties", putting truth to the sepia colored images we all hold of that era. Illustrated with some of the best photos ever of old New York, this book is a "must read" for anyone interested in, or in love with, the history of Old New York.

Driving in New York City - 1928 / 2012

This 1928 video from You Tube features Harold Lloyd in one of the old silents still being made in New York City at the time. It's a wild stunt filled ride showcasing Manhattan in the late 1920's. The Great Depression was still a year away.

And here's a little something from my old neighborhood, on Kings Highway between East 15th and 16th Streets sometime in early 2011. I stumbled upon it while looking at old films of New York and Brooklyn subways. I was just there last September. While I do remember that trucks used to get stuck 1 block north of Kings Highway, on Avenue P, quite often, I never remember one getting stuck under the trestle on Kings Highway itself. I guess if you live long enough, you see it all...