The Ghost of Greenwich Village

by Lorna Graham

In this charming fiction debut, a young woman moves to Manhattan in search of romance and excitement—only to find that her apartment is haunted by the ghost of a cantankerous Beat Generation writer in need of a rather huge favor.

For Eve Weldon, moving to Greenwich Village is a dream come true. She’s following in the bohemian footsteps of her mother, who lived there during the early sixties among a lively community of Beat artists and writers. But when Eve arrives, the only scribe she meets is a grumpy ghost named Donald, and the only writing she manages to do is for chirpy segments on a morning news program, Smell the Coffee . The hypercompetitive network environment is a far cry from the genial camaraderie of her mother’s literary scene, and Eve begins to wonder if the world she sought has faded from existence. But as she struggles to balance her new job, demands from Donald to help him complete his life’s work, a budding friendship with a legendary fashion designer, and a search for clues to her mother’s past, Eve begins to realize that community comes in many forms—and that the true magic of the Village is very much alive, though it may reveal itself in surprising ways.

Genres: Fiction, New York, Ghosts, Paranormal, Chick Lit, Contemporary, Supernatural

342 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

LORNA GRAHAM has been writing for top network anchors, including Tom Brokaw, Katie Couric, Charlie Gibson, and Ann Curry, for fourteen years, at Good Morning America and currently at Dateline NBC. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, Reader's Digest, New Woman, and The Educated Traveler. She has also written a short film, A Timeless Call, about America's veterans, which was directed by Steven Spielberg.

Reviews

[Laurie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Based on the description- a ghost! Greenwich Village in the early 60s! Beat Generation artists! I thought this book would be right up my alley. But sixty or so pages in, I was getting very dismayed. I was finding it very hard to care about the protagonist, Eve, or, for that matter, anyone else including the ghost. But I kept with it, and the story slowly found its legs and gathered itself into a run, with the second half being reasonably satisfying.

Eve Weldon has just moved from the Midwest to Greenwich Village, NY, the place where she knows her mother was happiest- possibly the only place she ever was happy. She goes there expecting to find this same happiness; expecting, really, that nothing has changed in the Village in 50 years. It’s a shock to her when most of the places her mother spoke of- the bars and cafes- are gone. It’s also a shock to her that she is not given instant entree to groups of young people talking about art and writing that her mother spoke of- Eve goes into the one bar that her mother frequented that still exists and is crushed that the patrons ignore her rather than joyously greeting her, recognizing her as a fellow intellectual. This sounds like a teenager, but Eve is in her 30s.

Among other things, this novel is a belated coming of age story. Eve must find a job on her own for the first time in her life (she’s been working for her father since graduation), must navigate finding a date without already knowing everything about the man, and must figure out what she really wants to do. It’s also a bit of a detective story, weaving together the past lives of Donald- the ghost of a Beat writer who never made good (who gives dictation to Eve, so his life’s work can be completed)-; Klieg, a famous fashion designer who is soured on life; and Eve’s long dead mother. And it’s also a paean to the intellectual life of the Beats, and an exposé of sorts of how the morning TV shows work.

While Eve never really did grow on me, the story did. The back stories of Donald and Klieg really make the book. I loved the author’s use of the vintage clothing that Eve inherited from her mother as a symbol of Eve trying to inhabit the past. I liked the ending. But the book tried to go in too many directions and some of it wasn’t woven together very well. It’s another case of a first novel not getting enough editing- good in parts but a lot of things should have been jettisoned.

[Nancy · Rating 2 out of 5]

My original reaction to the writer's strike a few years ago was irritation. This was, after all, the last year of Scrubs, which I loved. So why did the strike impact Conan O'Brien and David Letterman? Ah, you see, they don't actually write their own stuff. I assume this would also include Rosie O'Donnell and Ellen who find terribly sincere and clever. Again, it's the writers.

So our protagonist, Eventual Weldon, makes her way from Ohio to New York and snaps up a job as writer for a morning show. The way is sticky, however, and paved with politics you don't even want to cross. Unwittingly Eve will as many writers have done in the past.

I found it very interesting to see the back workings of interviews and segments. Not even Oprah could do everything that needs to be done. A booker contacts the guest and the writer is given only a few hours to write a cohesive, intelligent introduction, be well read and current on all topics, call the guest and flesh out interesting directions for the interview then write a script for the segment down to the second. The job of the writer is to provide a script that makes the anchor look brilliant and clever. The interview questions are to be intelligent and provide a platform for the guest to tell the story but above all, the anchor must look good.

Donald, the ghost, was an interesting distraction but ultimately did not capture my attention as much as the inner workings of a network. The back story is that Eve is looking for evidence of her mother's existence in Beatnik New York from the 1960's. Meanwhile, Eve shares an apartment with a ghost named Donald who lived at the same time in New York with Eve's mother but didn't know her but he is obsessed with publishing his lost works and wants Eve to transcribe for him.

It was an enjoyable book and the writing is solid. The ending lacked a cohesive resolution for me. I would have liked to have the stories for interconnected for my tastes. Still, it's a good read.

[Nera entre Historias · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cuando empecé a leer este libro esperaba otra cosa, pero al final ha acabado gustándome la historia. A lo largo de todo el libro conocemos a su protagonista y su vida en Nueva York, pasamos por altibajos, momentos duros y momentos dulces. Le pongo tres estrellas porque en algunas partes se me ha hecho algo lento, pero creo que al final vale la pena.
(Reseña completa en el blog).

[Sandie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eve Weldon is living her fantasy life. Growing up in the Midwest, her mother dying early, left Eve lonely and longing for more. She has worked in her father’s law office for several years but now she has decided to follow in her mother’s footsteps. Her mother had a mysterious past that centered around the time she lived in Greenwich Village as a young woman before she married and had a family. Eve’s fondest memories of her mother center around the stories she told of her time there, and the wonderful writing community she was a part of.

Gathering her courage, Eve takes off for New York. She is lucky enough to find an apartment she can afford, and soon she worms her way into a writing job. The apartment, unfortunately, is haunted by the ghost of a Beat writer, but Eve tries to ignore the downside and takes pride in being the only one who can experience Donald’s existence. He is full of stories about the same group that Eve’s mother was a part of, and she delves into his life to discover more about her mother. The job is also an issue. Eve tries several things to shine, but each seems to backfire. Can she make a secure life in this new environment, or will it prove to be too much for her, leaving her to head back home to a more routine existence?

Lorna Graham has written a charming, inspiring tale that will delight the reader’s heart. Eve is a character it is hard not to love. Her ingenuity, resourcefulness, and determination to make her dreams a reality draw the reader into her world. Along the way, the Greenwich Village lifestyle of the 1960’s is lovingly portrayed. This book is recommended for readers ready to be entertained and left cheerful and inspired.

[Mookie · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's been awhile since I've felt so annoyed by a book and it's characters.. Too many stolen plot ideas thrown into the mix. Belabored writing. Insufferable girl who really needs some situational awareness.

[Sara Strand · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok. I have to be honest. This isn't a book that I would think to recommend to people because I struggled through it. Here's the thing. I didn't like Eve. I don't like people like Eve. People like Eve are people who have a hard time adjusting to the real world. Now, never having lost a parent I can't say how I would feel if I lost my mom. But I will tell you- never would I feel the need to try to re-live my mother's life, which is very much what Eve is trying to do. It seems to me that it would be obvious that the times and life of an area would be very much different several generations apart... but Eve doesn't seem to get that.

I also didn't understand the whole Donald thing. Yes, he's a ghost. Yes, he wants Eve to write his book and she learns a lot about the generations and her new fashion designer friend because of Donald. But... the whole character and story line of Donald is just so.... off. I don't know. I had a hard time even wanting to read sections of the book where he's present because it didn't make sense. Why even have that as a character or part of the story line?

The parts of this book that I found fascinating was the hustle and bustle of her working on a morning show. Not only was it interesting to somewhat learn about that type of job, but it seemed more of a real life scenario that could happen to a single woman coming to the big city from the Midwest. THAT part of the story made absolute sense.

Often times I felt myself thinking Eve was kind of a dumb girl who, though she has real world experience and a great education, she is a person you'd pass up and assume she's just another idiot in the big city. I wouldn't feel sorry for her or her plight if she was one of my friends. Which sounds terrible...but it's true.

Now, if you enjoy a chick lit book, or if you like stories about women trying to empower themselves- this would be a good book for you.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a satifying read. Nothing bad really happened to anyone and it was a good read. I liked the reference to some of the beat writers . . . myself being a fan of some of their works.

[Liz Fedor · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think 2.5 stars. Didn’t hate it but didn’t care much for it either.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

A random pick off the library shelf -- proved of more interest than expected.

[Sofia · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Nel Village, strade vicoli e viuzze si aggrovigliavano secondo una logica tutta loro e la nette e la notte non durava mai abbastanza. Era un posto senza tempo e Eve voleva assaporarne la magia segreta."

Eve Weldon è una ragazza di provincia che coltiva un sogno: fare la scrittrice.
Per realizzare il suo sogno, decide di trasferirsi dall’Ohio e di cominciare una nuova vita altrove. Trova un grazioso appartamento nel quartiere più affascinante di Manhattan, in una splendida palazzina d’epoca nel cuore del Greenwich Village. La nuova vita di Eve Weldon comincia proprio qui, in un luogo di cui lei avverte una magia segreta. E qui ha forse la sorpresa più grande della sua vita: il suo coinquilino nell’appartamento in affitto al Village è addirittura Donald Bellows, uno scrittore esponente della ”beat generation”.

Una sorpresa incredibile, al di là della realtà, perché Donald Bellows è morto da più di trent’anni, anche se non lui non vuole ammetterlo. Nessuno può vederlo e sentirlo. Solo Eve e solo a lei Donald detta il capolavoro che aveva dovuto lasciare incompiuto. E così Eve affronta la prova e la supera abbastanza bene, visto che trova lavoro come ”ghost writer” per un programma televisivo, nel quale vengono via via portati alla luce i segreti del passato di Donald. È un risveglio di persone, di luoghi, di cose: la scoperta di fantasmi e misteri sepolti nel passato della stessa Eve e in quello della sua famiglia.
Nel Greenwich Village Eve è quindi felice, al di là del fatto che qui ha potuto realizzare i suoi sogni: fare la scrittrice e trovare un nuovo amore. È un luogo senza tempo e senza…piano regolatore: atmosfera bohémien, strade, vicoli e viuzze che si aggrovigliano senza una logica e la notte è lunga da vivere. Un luogo che esercita su Eve un fascino magico. Eve Weldon comincia la sua nuova vita seguendo le orme della madre Penelope, che negli anni Sessanta aveva vissuto proprio qui il momento più felice della sua esistenza. Ma è l’incontro con Donald Bellows, il coinquilino più inatteso, che le regala il senso di un passato affascinante e misterioso.

Ho letto questo libro tutto d'un fiato. E' magico e ti trascina nell'atmosfera di una New York magica e non descritta come la grande metropoli, quale è, ma ci porta sulle tracce di scrittori passati degli anni Sessanta che con le loro opere sono ancora capaci di incantarci e di accompagnarci lungo tutto il nostro cammino. Eve, la protagonista, è una ragazza semplice e sotto molti punti di vista molto simile a me, anche se io non ho nessun fantasma che infesta la mia casa!, e non è difficile immedesimarsi in lei.


Consiglio di leggere questo libro a tutti coloro che hanno dei sogni e non si tirano indietro al momento di realizzarli e non hanno paura di accettare i cambiamenti. E' un libro magnifico e il finale non è proprio così ben definito, sembra quasi lasciare spazio per un possibile sequel... dovrò informarmi!

[Denise · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eve Weldon moves to Greenwich Village searching for a connection to her dead mother who was an artist there in the 1960's. Jobless and alone she is adrift in the big city until she rents an old apartment. She soon discovers that the ghost of a little known, beat generation author haunts her apartment. With his cranky advice and sometimes unhelpful guidance she soon finds herself with a writing job for a local tv show, a friendship with a famous, avant garde fashion designer, and a budding social life. But the ghost has secrets and as Eve spends more and more time with him she begins to have suspisions that he is somehow connected to her mother.

The Ghost of Greenwich Village is an immature effort from a possibly promising author. The main storyline, Eve's relationship with the ghost, Donald, and her unraveling of his secrets, is cluttered with unnecesary details and mysterious subplots that aren't interesting. Why have Donald present himself to Eve in such an unusual, confusing way? It doesn't accomplish anything for the plot and just takes time and patience to wade through the explanation of how exactly he appears in her head. Its also baffling as to why Eve stays in the apartment, paying more rent than she can afford, for the sake of a ghost she most often dislikes and who is very inconvenient for her. On the other hand, many of the side stories about Eve's life outside the apartment were fun and imaginatively written. The morning talk show world and the dynamic between the stars and the writers was different and intriguing. The fashion designer also added a nice twist and glimpse into that glamorous world. The story has enough interesting parts to merit picking up Lorna Graham's next effort, but I won't be recommending this book to anyone.

I listened to The Ghost of Greenwich Village on audio, narrated by Nicole Vilencia.She does well with the youthful, fanciful tones of Eve, but didn't quite manage the switch to a more serious, grumpy Donald.

[Carmen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Leggero ma concluso male.

E' stata una scoperta, per me. Non sono solita lasciarmi andare a letture di questo genere, nutro nei loro confronti qualche errato -ma neanche tanto- pregiudizio, però non potevo rifiutare di leggere un libro regalatomi da mia sorella. Dunque ho letto "La ragazza del Greenwich Village" in base alle seguenti motivazioni: pressione affettiva, nessuna traccia di interesse al genere, sbocciata curiosità, voglia di sperimentare letture che mai mi auto-proporrei.
La trama è coinvolgente, eppure la presa dell'autrice -o della storia, se vogliamo confondere e mescolare un genitore alla propria creatura- al filo dell'attenzione è a metà strada tra il debole e il deciso. Da lettrice abituale di classici -roba pesante, diciamocelo- ho sventolato bandiera bianca, seppur con qualche amarezza.
La storia evolve lievemente, a metà strada tra il vecchio e il nuovo, tra una leggerezza narrativa e una non totale assenza di contenuto: insomma, non è un libro-spazzatura d'eccellenza.
Non mi è piaciuto il finale, ho avuto come l'impressione che la stesura del libro sia stata affrettata, che la conclusione sia stata abbozzata. Questo mi è dispiaciuto molto, perchè immagino che sia capitato per due motivi -sempre che sia così o resti solo una mia impressione-: o l'autrice ha avuto dei limiti di tempo e delle scadenze entro cui pubblicare, e questo è veramente un crimine nei confronti del libro, della storia e dei personaggi -come se un giorno ci dicessero di morire in fretta perchè il contratto dei nostri giorni sta per scadere-, oppure ha davvero pensato di concludere come ha concluso, e questo mi farebbe riabbracciare i miei vecchi, cari pregiudizi, nonchè rinsaldarli quasi a convizioni.

Forse con una conclusione più articolata mi avrebbe convinta davvero.
Mi riservo di leggere qualcos'altro della Graham, prima di sparare a zero.

[Suspense Magazine · Rating 4 out of 5]

To Eventual Weldon, Greenwich Village is a place of magic. Having lost her mother early, Eve is aware of her mother’s time in New York when she was young, prior to marrying and having a family. Eve wonders what her life would have been had she not died young. The only girl of four siblings, Eve has grieved for her mother and feels that retracing her steps will give her new insight.
Eve arrives with no job and little money, and manages to snag a small apartment in Greenwich Village. She finds a job as a writer at the number two morning program on network TV.
Oh, and did I mention the ghost? Soon after her arrival, the ghost of a writer in the Beat Generation begins communicating with her telepathically. He used to live in her apartment. After getting over the shock, Eve develops a relationship with Donald Bellows, a man who never fulfilled his potential, and died too young to be recognized for his talent.
As Eve matures, as a writer and a woman, she learns fascinating details about the creative world in the mid-century. She also learns the heartbreaking stories of several of the talents involved.
Lorna Graham has an encyclopedic knowledge of the period, mentioning clothing designers, artists, writers, and political movements of the time and I learned what a fascinating period it is. Since I was born in the fifties, I was too little to know much about many of the gifted artists mentioned, but I discovered so much about that period!
I highly recommend this book, not as a mystery, but as a coming-of-age novel with an enormous gift of knowledge about an under-appreciated period in history. Bravo, Lorna! I look forward to your next book!
Reviewed by Holly Price for Suspense Magazine

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun summer read about a woman living in Greenwich Village with her puppy and a beatnik ghost. The protagonist, Eve, is a writer for a morning talk show, the writer aspect an interesting revelation. That’s right, everything uttered by Matt Lauer was written by someone else (indeed the author wrote for Katie Couric and Ann Curry). The dynamic in that world is fun to follow, especially as the writers are quite the dirty little secret, called “staffers” by the talent. I was fascinated by the inner workings of putting together such a show and I found Eve’s gang of fellow “staffers” eclectic and compelling. In fact I wish her cohorts were featured in the plot more.

The grouchy beatnik ghost is also a nice (and unique) element. I loved his descriptions of being a writer in Greenwich Village back in the day. It was easier to play the part of a starving artist then because the cafes and shops actually catered to creative individuals and wanted them to eat at their establishments, wear their clothes, etc. Lots of freebies like celebrities get now, the difference being the artists really needed them.

There is much to like here, but I never really adored Eve. I wanted her to be fine and everything (I didn’t hate her) but I didn’t feel any angst when she was, at various points, in danger of losing her job and/or her apartment. Also a lot of the things in this book seemed overly coincidental or just flat out unrealistic (e.g. how Eve gets her job in the first place). In addition, the writing is a little corny at times. Still, though, I enjoyed this book.

[Darcia Helle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eve is a young woman who heads out to New York with hopes of connecting with her long dead mother whose past included being part of the sixties Beat Generation. While 'Ghost' is prominent in the title, Donald, the ghost here, is a relatively minor part of the story. This is more about Eve and her quest to find her place in life.

We're taken behind the scenes of a morning news show and shown how things work. There are many references to Beat Generation writers woven in with Donald the ghost and Eve's new friendships. I found some things a little too convenient and at times got restless with the lack of action in the story. That being said, I got a great feel for the characters and enjoyed Graham's writing style. Overall, I found this an easy and fun read.

[Anne Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was not really my type of story, but if it gets in the hands of the right person it will be enjoyable. First of all, too many coincidences. So Eve, a young woman with that spring in her step, (in other words, young and willing to work at a job all day and into the night) moves from Ohio to a nice Greenwich Village apartment. The rent isn’t expensive because the apartment is “haunted” by Donald, a former tenant who was a writer. He dictates his stories, mainly nonsense, to Eve and thinks they will be a big hit when published. Eve has moved to Greenwich Village to find out more about her mother, who passed away. She was always secretive about her life when she lived in the city. She dreams about her mother going out with friends, and even wears her mother’s vintage clothing.
Through Eve’s friend Vadis, she gets a job as a writer on a TV show called Smell the Coffee. Her first interview is with a famous designer, Matthias Klieg. It goes so well he invites her to his opening gala exhibit, Eve wearing one of his designs. This follows with several other lunches and outings, and meeting his nephew, Gunter.
The coincidences start coming...Klieg knew Donald. They were friends with Luisa, a woman who both men loved. Once Eve knows the background of both men, the memoir Donald dictates to her will be an interesting book. In her research, she comes across a collection of notebooks from a man who was inspired by Donald. This man, Mike McGuire, turns out to be her mother Penelope’s love when she lived in New York! He decided to go to Vietnam, while Penelope moves to the mid-west, marries Eve’s father, never really happy, and her children, including Eve, know it.
With all these coincidences happening that have to do with the past, Eve is also fortunate in making friends...a successful designer, his nephew which sounds like will be a romance in the future, friends at her writing job, and Gwendolyn, who works at a store that sells vintage items. Eve gets fired from Smell the Coffee due to standing up for herself and fellow writers on TV, but in the end lands a job that will bring literature and writers of the past back to life in a PBS documentary, coincidentally, coming “full circle” in finding out about her mother’s life and her ghost “roommate.”

[Liza M. Jones · Rating 2 out of 5]

Recensione completa su http://www.pennaecalamaro.com/2020/03...

La cosa migliore di questo romanzo è il nome della protagonista. Eve-Eventual, che ci catapulta subito nel mondo del possibile. E’ possibile mollare tutto, trasferirsi a New York, convivere con un fantasma e un cane e trovare il lavoro dei propri sogni. Non proprio il lavoro di scrittrice da sempre agognato, ma almeno quello di autrice tv, che almeno consente di sopravvivere ai prezzi newyorchesi. E’ una lettura adatta al periodo che sto vivendo: la quarantena e l’attenzione alle informazioni sul coronavirus, che non voglio perdermi, mi obbligano a cercare letture non troppo impegnative, almeno dal punto di vista della riflessione.
Quindi, il romanzo di Lorna Graham ha svolto il suo lavoro. Più riuscita la parte sull'autore televisivo, quella figura semi sommersa senza la quale il conduttore televisivo non sarebbe così preparato come sembra. E che a volte sembra preparato senza esserlo per niente. Meno avvincente la parte sulla ricerca dei segreti di Penelope, la mamma di Eve. Lorna Graham avrebbe potuto calcare di più la mano, farci entrare nell'atmosfera anni ’60 della megalopoli, spingerci a rimpiangere di non essere nati in un’epoca così frizzante. Peccato che della beat generation non riesca che a restituirci un alone.

[Andrew Chidzey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this book at a cute independent bookstore in SoHo on a trip to NYC last year - I was attracted to a story set in the village which is a special part of the city (being where I stayed for two weeks on my first visit and a regular haunt for me each time I am in town). The references to the streets of the West Village added to my reading experience as I could often picture myself walking down these treelined streets and stopping for a coffee on Bleeker Street. That said, this was Graham's first fiction book and it showed - the story was quite simplistic and Hollywood like - in particular the "happy ever after" ending detracted from the overall experience. An easy read but perhaps some work to go for this author in her own craft.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked this up at random from the library and was charmed. I like magic realism, and the "ghost" is handled so matter-of-factly that it's not a distraction from what is, essentially, a coming-of-age story.
If you love vintage clothes, stories of writers and creators, this is for you. If you love New York, ditto. If you ever dreamed of moving to NY, you can - vicariously - here. There's also a fascinating insiders look at how a daily TV talk show comes together.
I'd recommend this for good YA readers, too.

[Geri · Rating 3 out of 5]

What do you do when you move into an apartment with the ghost of a writer from the beat generation?
In this case you never let anyone come home with you for fear they'll hear him and run screaming from the apartment.
You also agree to write down the stories he's dictating to you and tell him you'll find a publisher even though you think the stories are awful and no one will want to read them.
But what about when you find out who he is?

Liked this book.

[KC · Rating 1 out of 5]

I expected this to be a fun book, but I found it very disappointing right from the first page. The intro just dropped you into the middle of a conversation, which wasn't all that interesting... Even considering that it was an introduction to the main character and her ghost. For me, the story did not improve from there at all.

[Marta · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Ghost of Greenwich Village (2011)

Vestiti vintage e beat generation per madri con quattro bambini di Indianapolis. Ma davvero in America non sanno cosa fanno gli autori tv?
Utile perché cita Dawn Powell e Volete sapere cos'è New York? di E.B. White, che non conoscevo e provvederò a recuperare.

[Annika · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nicht schlecht. Eine gemütliche Lektüre für zwischendurch, aber so richtig spannend oder unterhaltsam wird es nicht und die Geschichte hat so ihre Längen.

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Silly.

[Jeanette · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was cute! A nice summer book.

[Tambra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Could not put it down. I wish she wrote more books. Great book and story.

[Sandy Rayn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book . A good read! Only book I have found by this author.

[Jan Morrison]

A very good summer read!

[Nina Toberman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It seems like it would be a good Netflix series , it’s along the same kind of line as Emily in Paris , with a ghost friend!

[Liv · Rating 4 out of 5]

moved very slowly in the beginning and left a major open ending