Back Then: Two Literary Lives in 1950s New York – A Candid Double Memoir of Publishing, Privilege, and Becoming Writers

by Anne Bernays, Justin Kaplan

Novelist Anne Bernays and biographer Justin Kaplan -- both native New Yorkers -- came of age in the 1950s, when the pent-up energies of the Depression years and World War II were at flood tide. Written in two separate voices, Back Then is thecandid, anecdotal account of these two children of privilege -- one from New York's East Side, the other from the West Side -- pursuing careers in publishing and eventually leaving to write their own books. Infused with intelligence and charm, Back Then is an elegant reflection on the transformative years in the lives of two young people and New York City. Marked by their youthful passions, this double memoir marries the authors' distinct literary styles with a riveting narrative that captures the density and texture of private, social, and working life in the 1950s.

Genres: Biography Memoir, Nonfiction

320 pages, Paperback

First published May 28, 2002

About the author

Anne Bernays is a novelist and writing teacher. Her articles and essays have appeared in numerous major publications, among them The Nation, The New York Times, Town & Country, and Sports Illustrated. She lives in Cambridge and Truro, Massachusetts with her husband, Justin Kaplan.

Reviews

[Mary Jane]

I love these kinds of memoirs, they give such a sense of time and place--and this one was a bit unusual in being co-authored, or alternately authored by both authors--I found Bernays' writing more compelling but Kaplan's story also interesting.

[Florence Buchholz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Anne Bernays and Justin Kaplan, a husband and wife team, both New Yorkers, tell of their literary experiences in "the city". Ironically, the joint memoir ends with their move to Cambridge, Massachusetts, to escape some of the exciting turmoil that entranced them in earlier years. The book is mainly an exercise in name dropping. Since I am not familiar with any of the publishers and many of the authors mentioned, the book was of limited interest to me. Still, it is eloquently written - honest and witty. I wish Anne had included more if her home life. She was the daughter of a well-to-do public relations executive, of German extraction, and nominally Jewish. Justin was from a Eastern-European lineage, more recently arrived on these shores and regarded as inferior by uptown German Jewish brethren. Her family was opposed to the match. That is a part of the story that intrigued me.

[ND · Rating 4 out of 5]

very satisfying...if perhaps a bit privileged and hetero. I guess the facts speak for themselves!

[China · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is how I discovered Anatole Broyard (which, in itself almost earned the book a fifth star) and realized that working in publishing in New York sounds like the best life imaginable. Alas, this is not the first half of the 20th century.

[Doug Pfeffer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice slice of life/biographic details from growing up in NYC in the 1950s. Particularly enjoyed the discussion of the newly burgeoning downtown "bohemian" scene, and the publishing world what both if the writers worked in. Different world.

[EMary · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite books ever. A lovely, honest, enthralling tale of living and loving in NYC in the 1950's.
"Mad Men" eat your heart out.

[Isis Davis]

good source for colorism research essay YAY

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started out well, dipped into boring-land, then ended with some of the right stuff at the right time in my life for me to read. Go figure...