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Strike Up the Band: New York City in the Roaring Twenties
A spirited chronicle of New York’s economic and cultural boom during the outstanding decade of the Roaring Twenties.
This is the story of the zest for life that gripped New York in the postwar years of the 1920s. The decade ushered in an era of almost unprecedented prosperity and economic expansion that made New York the powerhouse of America and fueled a wave of creativity in music, fashion, literature, and architecture. Strike Up the Band explores how the city became a magnet for a host of outstanding personalities, from literary figures to sports stars, musicians, composers, and journalists, and pays a visit to the places they frequented, such as the Cotton Club and Broadway theaters. From the skyline to the sidewalk, the city itself also transformed as it was redeveloped in the 1920s building boom, with Art Deco becoming the style that dominated the new era.
This is the story of the zest for life that gripped New York in the postwar years of the 1920s. The decade ushered in an era of almost unprecedented prosperity and economic expansion that made New York the powerhouse of America and fueled a wave of creativity in music, fashion, literature, and architecture. Strike Up the Band explores how the city became a magnet for a host of outstanding personalities, from literary figures to sports stars, musicians, composers, and journalists, and pays a visit to the places they frequented, such as the Cotton Club and Broadway theaters. From the skyline to the sidewalk, the city itself also transformed as it was redeveloped in the 1920s building boom, with Art Deco becoming the style that dominated the new era.
320 pages, Hardcover
Published June 14, 2024
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October 12, 2024
This non-fiction book is themed with chapter titles named after some of the biggest hit songs of the 1920s. It covers a wide range of topics from music, art, architecture, politics, fashion, economics, immigration, and the Harlem Renaissance.
Everyone in the arts from Duke Ellington to F. Scott Fitzgerald to Emery Roth (architect) makes an appearance, along with the politicians like Jimmy Walker, Al Smith, and Robert Moses. It's a wide-ranging and interesting read, though it is told by authors based in London, and has a decidedly outsider's feel about it (though the second author, Jules Stewart, is New York-born). The British spellings, expressions (chalk and cheese, especially), and usage emphasize that.
I especially enjoyed the sections on architecture, and learned a few new details about the Chrysler Building, the Woolworth Building, and the Chanin Building, landmarks all. It was interesting to read about the origins of the Roseland Ballroom, and other nightspots too.
I would have liked to have seen more on the restaurants of the period – none of the well-known places such as the Horn & Hardart Automat, Child's, Sherry's, Lüchows, or Mary Elizabeth's made it into this book. At least the Café Royal and Ratner's (though more for its association with Meyer Lansky than for its great food) were mentioned.
I'll recommend this for my New York-centric friends, though there are certainly better books on and of the period.
Everyone in the arts from Duke Ellington to F. Scott Fitzgerald to Emery Roth (architect) makes an appearance, along with the politicians like Jimmy Walker, Al Smith, and Robert Moses. It's a wide-ranging and interesting read, though it is told by authors based in London, and has a decidedly outsider's feel about it (though the second author, Jules Stewart, is New York-born). The British spellings, expressions (chalk and cheese, especially), and usage emphasize that.
I especially enjoyed the sections on architecture, and learned a few new details about the Chrysler Building, the Woolworth Building, and the Chanin Building, landmarks all. It was interesting to read about the origins of the Roseland Ballroom, and other nightspots too.
I would have liked to have seen more on the restaurants of the period – none of the well-known places such as the Horn & Hardart Automat, Child's, Sherry's, Lüchows, or Mary Elizabeth's made it into this book. At least the Café Royal and Ratner's (though more for its association with Meyer Lansky than for its great food) were mentioned.
I'll recommend this for my New York-centric friends, though there are certainly better books on and of the period.
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review