Bronx Accent: A Literary and Pictorial History of the Borough

by Lloyd Ultan, Barbara Unger

For the last three hundred years, and through all its social and economic transformations, The Bronx has been a major literary center that many prominent writers have called home.

Bringing together a variety of past literary figures as well as emerging talents, this comprehensive book captures the Zeitgeist of the neighborhood through the eyes of its writers. Included are selections from the writings of Jack Kerouac, Mark Twain, James Baldwin, James Fenimore Cooper, Tom Wolfe, Herman Wouk, Theodore Dreiser, Washington Irving, Clifford Odets, Cynthia Ozick, Grace Paley, Edgar Allan Poe, Chaim Potok, Kate Simon, Leon Trotsky, and Sholem Aleichem.

Lloyd Ultan and Barbara Unger place the literature of these and other writers in historical context and reproduce one hundred vintage photographs that bring the writings to life. Filtered through the imaginations of authors of different times, ethnic groups, social classes, and literary styles, the borough of The Bronx emerges not only as a shaper of destinies and lives, but as an important literary mecca.

Genres: New York

311 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2000

Reviews

[Justin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The audience for this book is limited to those with a very specific interest obviously, but if you are interested in the Bronx, it's definitely worth checking out. It's got a great collection of photos, and the texts, from various authors from the borough going back to the 17th century all the way though the present day, paint a comprehensive picture of the history of the Bronx. Aside from Bronx natives, I'd also recommend this to anyone who's interested in the history of cities, particularly the rise and fall of America's urban centers in the 20th century. What happened to the Bronx is emblematic of the tragic fall of so many of our cities.

[Bruce · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recently moved to the Bronx; as a way of getting to know my area, I read this book. The author does an outstanding job of letting the various eras of Bronx writing tell the story of the borough.

As a (former) English teacher, I often told my students that literature is our only real method for having a conversation with the past. This book proves the point--as I read through it, I found myself learning the story of the Bronx's development, decline, and re-development. Best of all, I was hearing the story from the people who lived it.

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm from the Bronx, what can I say!

[Brigitte Durnwald · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every page was fascinating and made me want to get out and explore. I really enjoyed how the book was organized, relying heavily on bronx-themed literature.