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Washington Mews Books
Growing Up Bank Street: A Greenwich Village Memoir
A vivid memoir of life in one of New York City’s most dynamic neighborhoods
Growing Up Bank Street is an evocative, tender account of life in Greenwich Village, on a unique street that offered warmth, support, and inspiration to an adventurous and openhearted young girl. Bank Street, a short strip of elegant brownstones and humble tenements in Greenwich Village, can trace its lineage back to the yellow fever epidemics of colonial New York. In the middle of the last century, it became home to a cast of extraordinary characters whose stories intertwine in this spirited narrative.
Growing up, Donna Florio had flamboyant, opera performer parents and even more free-spirited neighbors. As a child, she lived among beatniks, artists, rock musicians, social visionaries, movie stars, and gritty blue-collar workers, who imparted to her their irrepressibly eccentric life rules. The real-life Auntie Mame taught her that she is a divine flame from the universe. John Lennon, who lived down the street, was gracious when she dumped water on his head. Sex Pistol star Sid Vicious lived in the apartment next door, and his heroin overdose death came as a wake-up call during her wild twenties. An elderly Broadway dancer led by brave example as Donna helped him comfort dying Villagers in the terrifying early days of AIDS, and a reclusive writer gave her a path back from the brink when, as a witness to the attacks of 9/11, her world collapsed. These vibrant vignettes weave together a colorful coming of age tale against the backdrop of a historic, iconoclastic street whose residents have been at the heart of the American story.
As Greenwich Village gentrifies and the hallmarks of its colorful past disappear, Growing Up Bank Street gives the reader a captivating glimpse of the thriving culture that once filled its storied streets.
Growing Up Bank Street is an evocative, tender account of life in Greenwich Village, on a unique street that offered warmth, support, and inspiration to an adventurous and openhearted young girl. Bank Street, a short strip of elegant brownstones and humble tenements in Greenwich Village, can trace its lineage back to the yellow fever epidemics of colonial New York. In the middle of the last century, it became home to a cast of extraordinary characters whose stories intertwine in this spirited narrative.
Growing up, Donna Florio had flamboyant, opera performer parents and even more free-spirited neighbors. As a child, she lived among beatniks, artists, rock musicians, social visionaries, movie stars, and gritty blue-collar workers, who imparted to her their irrepressibly eccentric life rules. The real-life Auntie Mame taught her that she is a divine flame from the universe. John Lennon, who lived down the street, was gracious when she dumped water on his head. Sex Pistol star Sid Vicious lived in the apartment next door, and his heroin overdose death came as a wake-up call during her wild twenties. An elderly Broadway dancer led by brave example as Donna helped him comfort dying Villagers in the terrifying early days of AIDS, and a reclusive writer gave her a path back from the brink when, as a witness to the attacks of 9/11, her world collapsed. These vibrant vignettes weave together a colorful coming of age tale against the backdrop of a historic, iconoclastic street whose residents have been at the heart of the American story.
As Greenwich Village gentrifies and the hallmarks of its colorful past disappear, Growing Up Bank Street gives the reader a captivating glimpse of the thriving culture that once filled its storied streets.
240 pages, Hardcover
Published March 9, 2021
34 people are currently reading
2977 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 117 reviews
March 7, 2021
I was drawn to read this book for several reasons. The main one was the fact that when John Lennon and Yoko Ono first moved to New York City, they lived in an apartment at 105 Bank Street. Not only that, the author of this book, Donna Florio, saw them one day and had a humorous story to tell about it. Another thing is that when I was in the later years of high school, some friends of mine encouraged me to play hooky and take a bus and then a PATH Train to the village in NYC. This was scandalous behavior for me, a goody two shoes. But, these were the days when parents didn't get computerized phone calls about their children's absence from school. So, we met at the agreed meeting place, the main public library in town, and went off on our adventure. We purchased white capezio shoes in the village that were the rage at the time. Several decades later I now find NYC loud and chaotic and would endure it for a major concert, but can't wait for the car service to get me back home. One evening driving home from a concert my brother looked out the cab window at some NYC apartment and said, "the rooms are probably so small you have to go outside just to change your mind!" Although I feel very unsettled about being in NYC now, I am fascinated about people who live there and love reading about them.
Donna Florio has lived at 63 Bank Street in the village of NYC for decades. The book chronicles her life in that community which was chock full of various colorful artists and social activists. She delves deeply into some of their stories, which I connected to mostly when she became a part of them. As a child and as an adult, she interacted with this hodge podge of unique people, many of whom became like family. A big mention was the woman who was "Auntie Mame" who lived in an opulent but seriously neglected home on Bank Street. This woman had a big heart and a lot of offbeat hangers on she welcomed into her dilapidated brownstone. Her nephew Patrick Dennis based his wildly successful book on her which became a movie and Broadway musical.
Another brush with fame was washed up punk rock musician Sid Vicious. He lived right across the hall from Donna, shortly after the mess of his girlfriend Nancy Spungen's murder by stabbing. Sid had been let out on bail after being arrested for Nancy's murder. Having struggled with heroin addiction, this is what finally finished Sid off when he died at 63 Bank Street on February 2, 1979. When Donna stepped outside into the cold that morning as a favor to get her friend some cold medicine, she had no idea of the media storm she would face. For news reporters flanked the stairway as she exited the apartment, asking her about the Sid Vicious death. This was the first time she was hearing about it, and she was in total shock. She encourages people to look up the video on YouTube where she exclaims, "Oh my gawd!!!" in her NY accent...and I did!
Another famous neighbor was Charles Kuralt, journalist for "On the Road" segments on CBS. Ironically enough, the personal interaction with John and Yoko- although super cute and special-was probably the most brief biographical one in the book, but my main reason for picking it up!
As for Donna Florio the author, her parents were involved with a local neighborhood theater, and Donna herself was a childhood opera singer, although did not opt for this as a lifelong career. She became a teacher and was working in a school quite close to the World Trade Center at the moment of its attack. This caused her to suffer from extreme post traumatic stress disorder for a time and she did not want to leave the house.
I was particularly intrigued at the beginning of the book when she described the layout of the apartment she was born into, and how it had evolved through renovations over the years. She had lived in various apartments in the building as had other family members. I wasn't prepared to take a deep dive into some of the extended stories about notable people on Bank Street, but skimmed a bit through those pages. Overall this was a delightful read, because she is a wonderful and gifted writer, and also seems like a very nice person.
Thank you to NYU Press for providing an advance reader copy via NetGalley.
Donna Florio has lived at 63 Bank Street in the village of NYC for decades. The book chronicles her life in that community which was chock full of various colorful artists and social activists. She delves deeply into some of their stories, which I connected to mostly when she became a part of them. As a child and as an adult, she interacted with this hodge podge of unique people, many of whom became like family. A big mention was the woman who was "Auntie Mame" who lived in an opulent but seriously neglected home on Bank Street. This woman had a big heart and a lot of offbeat hangers on she welcomed into her dilapidated brownstone. Her nephew Patrick Dennis based his wildly successful book on her which became a movie and Broadway musical.
Another brush with fame was washed up punk rock musician Sid Vicious. He lived right across the hall from Donna, shortly after the mess of his girlfriend Nancy Spungen's murder by stabbing. Sid had been let out on bail after being arrested for Nancy's murder. Having struggled with heroin addiction, this is what finally finished Sid off when he died at 63 Bank Street on February 2, 1979. When Donna stepped outside into the cold that morning as a favor to get her friend some cold medicine, she had no idea of the media storm she would face. For news reporters flanked the stairway as she exited the apartment, asking her about the Sid Vicious death. This was the first time she was hearing about it, and she was in total shock. She encourages people to look up the video on YouTube where she exclaims, "Oh my gawd!!!" in her NY accent...and I did!
Another famous neighbor was Charles Kuralt, journalist for "On the Road" segments on CBS. Ironically enough, the personal interaction with John and Yoko- although super cute and special-was probably the most brief biographical one in the book, but my main reason for picking it up!
As for Donna Florio the author, her parents were involved with a local neighborhood theater, and Donna herself was a childhood opera singer, although did not opt for this as a lifelong career. She became a teacher and was working in a school quite close to the World Trade Center at the moment of its attack. This caused her to suffer from extreme post traumatic stress disorder for a time and she did not want to leave the house.
I was particularly intrigued at the beginning of the book when she described the layout of the apartment she was born into, and how it had evolved through renovations over the years. She had lived in various apartments in the building as had other family members. I wasn't prepared to take a deep dive into some of the extended stories about notable people on Bank Street, but skimmed a bit through those pages. Overall this was a delightful read, because she is a wonderful and gifted writer, and also seems like a very nice person.
Thank you to NYU Press for providing an advance reader copy via NetGalley.
February 15, 2021
Bank Street has a lot of history! Who knew so many famous people and events occurred on this one street?
Bank Street is located in Manhattan‘s Greenwich Village, a six block long strip that ends at the Hudson river. The small apartments hold many memories of the people that have and do live there. This book shares just a few of Bank streets spectacular stories.
Rich with description and detail, this book guides the reader through Bank Street‘s most famous of inhabitants including Sid vicious and John Lennon. It also tells of the “Manhattan famous” people who should be forgotten by no one.
The tenants on Bank street come from all over “a mix of Irish, Italian, Puerto Rican and German.“ They all worked in a variety of jobs and they all called Bank Street home.
I found this book fun to read. The writing style is graceful and informative with just the right amount of details. You’re sure to fall in love with Bank Street.
Bank Street is located in Manhattan‘s Greenwich Village, a six block long strip that ends at the Hudson river. The small apartments hold many memories of the people that have and do live there. This book shares just a few of Bank streets spectacular stories.
Rich with description and detail, this book guides the reader through Bank Street‘s most famous of inhabitants including Sid vicious and John Lennon. It also tells of the “Manhattan famous” people who should be forgotten by no one.
The tenants on Bank street come from all over “a mix of Irish, Italian, Puerto Rican and German.“ They all worked in a variety of jobs and they all called Bank Street home.
I found this book fun to read. The writing style is graceful and informative with just the right amount of details. You’re sure to fall in love with Bank Street.
December 14, 2020
Donna Florio pens a tender love letter to her forever-home, Bank Street, in this rose-tinted memoir.
Memoirs aren't typically my cup of tea, but the synopsis of this one intrigued me! As someone who grew up in the rural American south, and had only ever seen New York City once (two years ago), I really wanted to dive deeper into this particular perspective of NYC. Donna takes a rather common storyteller's approach in this one. It's actually not hard to imagine sitting down with her like you might with an older relative - the beverage of choice in your hands - as they prattle on about days that now exist only in their memories.
Donna doesn't pretend to be some gilded authoress. She tells it like it is. Overall, this was an enjoyable look into the history of Bank Street and the culture of New York.
Big thank you to NYU Press + Netgalley for sending me a copy of this book!
Memoirs aren't typically my cup of tea, but the synopsis of this one intrigued me! As someone who grew up in the rural American south, and had only ever seen New York City once (two years ago), I really wanted to dive deeper into this particular perspective of NYC. Donna takes a rather common storyteller's approach in this one. It's actually not hard to imagine sitting down with her like you might with an older relative - the beverage of choice in your hands - as they prattle on about days that now exist only in their memories.
Donna doesn't pretend to be some gilded authoress. She tells it like it is. Overall, this was an enjoyable look into the history of Bank Street and the culture of New York.
Big thank you to NYU Press + Netgalley for sending me a copy of this book!
December 11, 2020
A fascinating look into the lives of the diverse group of people who live in Greenwich Village on Bank Street, this book is full of delightful memories about the author’s former neighbors and friends. I must commend Ms. Florio for her excellent memory as she was born on Bank Street in 1955 and remembers a lot! She spent most of her life there and recounts numerous tales about her bohemian upbringing and bumping elbow with theater performers, artists, rock stars, actors, television stars, and the everyday man.
As captivating as some of these stories were, I felt some of them dragged a bit. The book would have worked better if it had followed a chronological order instead of hopping back and forth, confusing me. It didn’t flow well, and I found myself skimming some pages.
There were also some very moving storylines, such as many of her friends' deaths in the 1980s due to AIDS. Her stirring epilogue was also touching as she looks forward to all the new life in the neighborhood. I think this book will appeal to many audiences, especially those who have lived there and know it. My thanks to Bookish First and the publisher for the opportunity to read this e-book in exchange for my honest review. I gave it three stars.
As captivating as some of these stories were, I felt some of them dragged a bit. The book would have worked better if it had followed a chronological order instead of hopping back and forth, confusing me. It didn’t flow well, and I found myself skimming some pages.
There were also some very moving storylines, such as many of her friends' deaths in the 1980s due to AIDS. Her stirring epilogue was also touching as she looks forward to all the new life in the neighborhood. I think this book will appeal to many audiences, especially those who have lived there and know it. My thanks to Bookish First and the publisher for the opportunity to read this e-book in exchange for my honest review. I gave it three stars.
March 10, 2021
Donna Florio was born and raised at 63 Bank Street in New York City, a now iconic street consisting of six blocks and a wide range of social classes and people.
Growing Up Bank Street describes Donna’s childhood in the 1960s growing up in a busy apartment building with an array of characters. Though her life would seem anything but normal to outsiders, for her, it was all the norm. Bank Street was well ahead of its time in terms of racial and sexual diversity and this exposed Donna to a beautiful and crazy life.
The novel tells many stories of the tenants at 63 Bank Street as well as some of the more reputable or famous residents who lived elsewhere on the street. I loved the connections the neighbors made with each other in a seemingly anonymous city. It was really special how they looked out for one another and how many of them became family.
I preferred the chapters that went into detail about specific people rather than the parts of the book that highlighted many different people and events. I also think I would have enjoyed this book more had I been more familiar with many of the people she discussed. Even most of the celebrities weren’t overly familiar to me as I don’t have much historical knowledge about famous actors and individuals. For someone knowledgeable about Broadway actors and iconic people living in NYC in the 1960s and 1970s, I’m sure they will adore this book.
Thank you to NetGalley, BookishFirst, and New York University Press for a copy of this novel.
Growing Up Bank Street describes Donna’s childhood in the 1960s growing up in a busy apartment building with an array of characters. Though her life would seem anything but normal to outsiders, for her, it was all the norm. Bank Street was well ahead of its time in terms of racial and sexual diversity and this exposed Donna to a beautiful and crazy life.
The novel tells many stories of the tenants at 63 Bank Street as well as some of the more reputable or famous residents who lived elsewhere on the street. I loved the connections the neighbors made with each other in a seemingly anonymous city. It was really special how they looked out for one another and how many of them became family.
I preferred the chapters that went into detail about specific people rather than the parts of the book that highlighted many different people and events. I also think I would have enjoyed this book more had I been more familiar with many of the people she discussed. Even most of the celebrities weren’t overly familiar to me as I don’t have much historical knowledge about famous actors and individuals. For someone knowledgeable about Broadway actors and iconic people living in NYC in the 1960s and 1970s, I’m sure they will adore this book.
Thank you to NetGalley, BookishFirst, and New York University Press for a copy of this novel.
February 5, 2021
I was born five years later and grew up 35 miles away, but it might as well have been on another planet. Donna Florio's childhood was the childhood that my parents were afraid that I would have. She was mugged several times. Crazy people on the street shouted obscenities at her. People of non-mainstream political and sexual proclivities were her neighbors.
It's easy to second-guess my poor departed parents now, but it seems like Donna Florio had a lot more fun than I had, repeated muggings notwithstanding. She certainly has better stories, which form this book and make for excellent story-telling. She knew Sid Vicious, Frank McCourt, Bella Abzug, Alan Arkin, Theodore Bikel, Charles Kuralt, Jane Jacobs, and a whole load of people who were less famous but often more interesting.
She sang in the children's chorus of the Metropolitan Opera.
She accidentally dumped some water on John Lennon's head. He was surprisingly gracious about it.
In addition to her personal recollections, Florio also did a lot of research on about residents of Bank Street before her own appearance on the scene. The book slides back and forth between history and memoir, often within the space of a single chapter. This was acceptable to me, but it may bother the sort of person who doesn't like their peas to touch their carrots.
Reading non-fiction often sends me down informational rabbit holes. Here's one this book caused me to explore:
Madeline Lee Gilford was an actress, producer, author, and neighbor of Donna Florio on Bank Street. After World War II, she was compelled to testify before the U.S. House Un-American Activities Committee about alleged Communist activity in the entertainment industry. At Kindle location 1879, the book says:
When older, I got to spend a few happy months in residence near Bank Street and enjoyed myself mightily, so I did not totally miss out on the fun myself. However, this neighborhood is now completely out of my tax bracket, just as it would be for most of the eccentrics, radicals, and artists who gave the neighborhood its original character and reputation. It's a shame, but at least this book captures a part of Manhattan which is gone forever.
In the end, I think Florio would agree with my Long-Suffering Wife, who once bought (ironically, at an upscale boutique near Bank Street) a Kindle-sized cloth carrier bag which bore the following message: “I liked New York better before everyone had so much money.”
I received a free advance review copy of this book from NYU Press via Netgalley, who enticed me, damn them, to forsake the pile of other books I have by featuring this book in a mass email about new memoirs.
It's easy to second-guess my poor departed parents now, but it seems like Donna Florio had a lot more fun than I had, repeated muggings notwithstanding. She certainly has better stories, which form this book and make for excellent story-telling. She knew Sid Vicious, Frank McCourt, Bella Abzug, Alan Arkin, Theodore Bikel, Charles Kuralt, Jane Jacobs, and a whole load of people who were less famous but often more interesting.
She sang in the children's chorus of the Metropolitan Opera.
She accidentally dumped some water on John Lennon's head. He was surprisingly gracious about it.
In addition to her personal recollections, Florio also did a lot of research on about residents of Bank Street before her own appearance on the scene. The book slides back and forth between history and memoir, often within the space of a single chapter. This was acceptable to me, but it may bother the sort of person who doesn't like their peas to touch their carrots.
Reading non-fiction often sends me down informational rabbit holes. Here's one this book caused me to explore:
Madeline Lee Gilford was an actress, producer, author, and neighbor of Donna Florio on Bank Street. After World War II, she was compelled to testify before the U.S. House Un-American Activities Committee about alleged Communist activity in the entertainment industry. At Kindle location 1879, the book says:
When the committee members interviewed Madeline, a petite blond beauty, she demurely misheard and stonewalled every question …. She offered respectful but utterly oblique answers to members of the increasingly baffled committee members, staying sweetly but firmly in ditzy, wide-eyed character until her interrogators threw up their hands in despair.Elsewhere, Florio says that a re-enactment of this scene (at Gifford's 2008 funeral) left people in stitches. I'm always in the market for a good laugh, so I searched for this historical moment and found Gilford's daughter and others re-enacting it on the cable news channel C-SPAN here. The exchange did not seem to me as hilarious as Florio claims, but it was an undeniably courageous moment for Gilford to face down a bunch of fat sweaty hypocrites in the manner that she did. Watch it for yourself.
When older, I got to spend a few happy months in residence near Bank Street and enjoyed myself mightily, so I did not totally miss out on the fun myself. However, this neighborhood is now completely out of my tax bracket, just as it would be for most of the eccentrics, radicals, and artists who gave the neighborhood its original character and reputation. It's a shame, but at least this book captures a part of Manhattan which is gone forever.
In the end, I think Florio would agree with my Long-Suffering Wife, who once bought (ironically, at an upscale boutique near Bank Street) a Kindle-sized cloth carrier bag which bore the following message: “I liked New York better before everyone had so much money.”
I received a free advance review copy of this book from NYU Press via Netgalley, who enticed me, damn them, to forsake the pile of other books I have by featuring this book in a mass email about new memoirs.
December 2, 2020
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of
Growing Up Bank Street.
This was a fascinating, lively portrait of a woman who grew up in the heyday of the Village; when artists and rock stars hung out, where you mingled with actors and drag queens, the educated, the artsy, the downtrodden, the neglected, the forgotten and the forsaken.
Ms. Florio describes an unconventional upbringing with actor parents who never fulfilled their creative and artistic potential (and sadly blamed Ms. Florio for her arrival and thwarting their big Broadway dreams), her neighbors, some damaged, some harboring deep secrets, but all she learned from and grew up with.
Ms. Florio honed necessary street smarts as she navigated both safe and dangerous blocks in her neighborhood.
She doesn't mince words when describing the dark side of growing up on Bank Street. There was good, there was bad, and there was definitely ugly.
The author paints a neighborhood and backdrop long gone; a Village that was a true reflection of New York City, filled with artists and vagrants, the elite and ill repute mingling together, the rough and tumble with the educated and downtrodden.
I spent my angst filled teen years in the Village in the 90s, when it was still cool to hang out there, before it became gentrified and Starbucks and trendy boutiques moved in.
I remember my BFF and I back then would watch hustlers con victims out of their hard earned cash at three-card monte, vendors hawking their wares, setting up shop right on the sidewalk, permits be damned.
Once, I saw a man walk down the street in nothing but chaps and cowboy boots.
Only in the Village, I thought.
Those days are long gone.
Now it's ridiculously expensive boutiques, cutesy pastry shops, coffees that cost $7 and upwards.
Ms. Florio's memoir captures a past that has moved on, her stories of her eccentric and no less fascinating neighbors captivated me just as much as her run-ins with celebs like Sid Vicious and John Lennon.
I can't imagine her childhood; heartbreaking and heartwarming, shocking and endearing, sad but hopeful.
The author paints a time some of us are not familiar with or is long gone; a neighborhood where the tenants and neighbors watched out for each other; knew your name and waved from across the street, reminding us that location is not just about prime real estate, its where you grew up, and how it shapes you into the person you will later become.
I highly recommend this to anyone interested in reading about New York City and its artsy, wild, bygone past.
This was a fascinating, lively portrait of a woman who grew up in the heyday of the Village; when artists and rock stars hung out, where you mingled with actors and drag queens, the educated, the artsy, the downtrodden, the neglected, the forgotten and the forsaken.
Ms. Florio describes an unconventional upbringing with actor parents who never fulfilled their creative and artistic potential (and sadly blamed Ms. Florio for her arrival and thwarting their big Broadway dreams), her neighbors, some damaged, some harboring deep secrets, but all she learned from and grew up with.
Ms. Florio honed necessary street smarts as she navigated both safe and dangerous blocks in her neighborhood.
She doesn't mince words when describing the dark side of growing up on Bank Street. There was good, there was bad, and there was definitely ugly.
The author paints a neighborhood and backdrop long gone; a Village that was a true reflection of New York City, filled with artists and vagrants, the elite and ill repute mingling together, the rough and tumble with the educated and downtrodden.
I spent my angst filled teen years in the Village in the 90s, when it was still cool to hang out there, before it became gentrified and Starbucks and trendy boutiques moved in.
I remember my BFF and I back then would watch hustlers con victims out of their hard earned cash at three-card monte, vendors hawking their wares, setting up shop right on the sidewalk, permits be damned.
Once, I saw a man walk down the street in nothing but chaps and cowboy boots.
Only in the Village, I thought.
Those days are long gone.
Now it's ridiculously expensive boutiques, cutesy pastry shops, coffees that cost $7 and upwards.
Ms. Florio's memoir captures a past that has moved on, her stories of her eccentric and no less fascinating neighbors captivated me just as much as her run-ins with celebs like Sid Vicious and John Lennon.
I can't imagine her childhood; heartbreaking and heartwarming, shocking and endearing, sad but hopeful.
The author paints a time some of us are not familiar with or is long gone; a neighborhood where the tenants and neighbors watched out for each other; knew your name and waved from across the street, reminding us that location is not just about prime real estate, its where you grew up, and how it shapes you into the person you will later become.
I highly recommend this to anyone interested in reading about New York City and its artsy, wild, bygone past.
March 9, 2021
I’m not totally sure that memoir is the right category for this book, but I can’t think of a word that would be a better fit. While the author did speak a little about her own experiences it was more the collection of the stories of her friends, neighbors, and chosen family on Bank Street in Greenwich Village. While I enjoyed the vignettes most of them were mere tastes of each person’s life. I liked the glimpses of the lesser known people much better than the more famous vignettes which felt a bit like name dropping as they tended to be less interesting. I also felt like in a few places the author went more biographical than I prefer, but in general this was an enjoyable book. I wavered between 3 and 4 stars and ended up rounding up because the concept was so creative and it was well written. I also really enjoyed the photos in the middle, but it was a little confusing to see pictures of people who had not been introduced yet.
May 14, 2022
I enjoyed this memoir from the daughter of two opera performing parents, who lived the majority of their lives on Bank Street in NYC. As a result she spent so much time with many interesting people, experiencing so many things that many of us would never get to experience, and she tells her story in this book both from her perspective as well as through the stories of others. It was a very interesting read as well as an interesting way to do a memoir.
Thank you to NYU Press and Edelweiss for the digital galley to review.
Thank you to NYU Press and Edelweiss for the digital galley to review.
March 8, 2021
**Growing Up Bank Street generously provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.**
3 "...open my eyes and my heart and listen." Stars
The blurb had really intrigued me on this book as I'm always interested in stories from New York City and the eccentric way of being brought up there so different from my own upbringing. Donna Florio constructed a memoir of her life on Bank Street by telling stories of the motley crew of neighbors that came and went during her life and other interesting folks she met along the way. Woven into her retelling are tidbits of heartbreak from her parents, abounding love from her best friend and her parents, and learned habits and understandings from the community of eclectic people surrounding her. Each chapter is designated to a certain individual she's met or multiple individuals to show us how life was in the 60's and 70's growing up in an artsy, interesting neighborhood such as Greenwich Village. With parents who were both ambitiously centered around the arts and the opera, the way Florio saw and now sees the world gives readers a unique lens into the individuals she tells us about in each chapter. This was an interesting read and Florio's writing was good and kept things moving at a nice pace.
2021 Non Fiction Challenge - March
3 "...open my eyes and my heart and listen." Stars
The blurb had really intrigued me on this book as I'm always interested in stories from New York City and the eccentric way of being brought up there so different from my own upbringing. Donna Florio constructed a memoir of her life on Bank Street by telling stories of the motley crew of neighbors that came and went during her life and other interesting folks she met along the way. Woven into her retelling are tidbits of heartbreak from her parents, abounding love from her best friend and her parents, and learned habits and understandings from the community of eclectic people surrounding her. Each chapter is designated to a certain individual she's met or multiple individuals to show us how life was in the 60's and 70's growing up in an artsy, interesting neighborhood such as Greenwich Village. With parents who were both ambitiously centered around the arts and the opera, the way Florio saw and now sees the world gives readers a unique lens into the individuals she tells us about in each chapter. This was an interesting read and Florio's writing was good and kept things moving at a nice pace.
2021 Non Fiction Challenge - March
March 31, 2021
This was a joy to read, detailed and descriptive in all of the right places, an informative love letter to Bank Street, where author Donna Florio grew up and lived for decades. I thoroughly enjoyed immersing myself within Bank Street and becoming more and more interested as the book went on. I really do love memoirs with a specific focus - of those that are anchored around something - and Bank Street provided such a stunning backdrop to Florio’s words, which were succinct, often humorous and brimming with life.
My favourite section of this book were definitely Florio’s account of John Lennon and Yuko Ono, who on their arrival to New York, stayed themselves on Bank Street. Equally I - wouldn’t say enjoyed - but was very interested in her account of neighbour Sid Vicious and the media storm that occurred in the late seventies on the street.
Overall a fascinating text, rich with sociocultural references and full of snapshots of a history specific to one very special street.
Huge thank you to NetGalley and NYU Press for an advance reader copy of this.
My favourite section of this book were definitely Florio’s account of John Lennon and Yuko Ono, who on their arrival to New York, stayed themselves on Bank Street. Equally I - wouldn’t say enjoyed - but was very interested in her account of neighbour Sid Vicious and the media storm that occurred in the late seventies on the street.
Overall a fascinating text, rich with sociocultural references and full of snapshots of a history specific to one very special street.
Huge thank you to NetGalley and NYU Press for an advance reader copy of this.
December 5, 2020
"How can someone write a compelling book about one street?" is what I asked myself before starting this book. Well, readers, Donna Florino has not only done it, but done it exquisitely. Combining her own memories of living on Bank Street with reminiscences of neighbors and research verifying neighborhood legends, Florino's book covers nearly a century of life and love on a single street in Greenwich Village. Growing Up Bank Street, offers a rich micro-history with everything from little-known thespians with big personalities to dashing Rex Harrison to Soviet spy rings to the death of a punk singer to immigrants searching for the American Dream to neighbors struggling with the then-unknown AIDS crisis. This memoir is a beautiful blend of People and Place, reminiscent of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn or Annie Dillard's An American Childhood. If you are looking for a book that captures 20th century America through the lens of community and love for neighbor (and a colorful cast of characters) this is for you!
*** Thanks to BookishFirst and the publisher for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review***
*** Thanks to BookishFirst and the publisher for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review***
December 14, 2020
Bank Street was a community and growing up there seemed to be an interesting time. This is a nonfiction book exploring the author's life. The book reflects on how things have changed throughout the years and her personal stories. The book starts from her being a young child and goes all the way up through life. It is fascinating learning about Donna starting to perform at the Opera at the age of four! The book contains many stories about the people who lived on her street, in her building and friends throughout her life. A quote I enjoyed was "Every street in America is a Bank Street in its own way. Neighbors have stories to recount and lessons to teach. Their kindness can fill the gaps left by biological family."
I really enjoyed the author's writing. There is a lot of information thrown at the reader and it is done in a easy to read way. One thing I disliked was how the stories keep jumping around. So many stories are happening all at once and it is hard to differentiate some of them when they seem to flow into one another. Overall, an interesting book!
Thank you to Bookish First and Book Funnel for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I really enjoyed the author's writing. There is a lot of information thrown at the reader and it is done in a easy to read way. One thing I disliked was how the stories keep jumping around. So many stories are happening all at once and it is hard to differentiate some of them when they seem to flow into one another. Overall, an interesting book!
Thank you to Bookish First and Book Funnel for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
November 30, 2020
Growing up bank street is a memoir about just that. Living with a vast amount of characters throughout a period of time from actors, prostitutes, legends, and other interesting characters. Unfortunately, I've never been to New York and have no idea where this place exists so the story to me was really all over the place. I felt no connection with anyone in this book.
If you live, lived, or have been to Greenwich village anytime in the past, from the 1920's until the 1990s then you will know exactly what the author is trying to say. I grew up on the south side of Chicago so it would be similar if I wrote a book about where I was from. The readers wouldn't really relate unless they lived there.
I wish the book included pictures of these places, it would have been more entertaining.
Growing up bank street isn't a bad book but if you didn't grow up in New York you will need to look up these places on the internet.
If you live, lived, or have been to Greenwich village anytime in the past, from the 1920's until the 1990s then you will know exactly what the author is trying to say. I grew up on the south side of Chicago so it would be similar if I wrote a book about where I was from. The readers wouldn't really relate unless they lived there.
I wish the book included pictures of these places, it would have been more entertaining.
Growing up bank street isn't a bad book but if you didn't grow up in New York you will need to look up these places on the internet.
July 20, 2023
See the review on my blog:
https://heardandseenaroundtown.com/20...
https://heardandseenaroundtown.com/20...
March 9, 2021
FROM THE INSIDE
JADE ANNA HUGHES
Book Reviews, Personal Writing, and Photography
BOOK REVIEWS BLOG ABOUT COLLECTIONS PHOTOGRAPHY
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Growing Up Bank Street - Donna Florio
MARCH 09, 2021 IN BOOK REVIEWS, NONFICTION, MEMOIRS
I have my own personal NYC living stories, over a decade of people, lives, blocks, and streets: my home. NYC is and always will be the one place in the world where I really felt at home and always will. This is why I always jump on other people’s NYC stories and memoirs, because everyone has their own NYC, this city that changes constantly, and houses the most interesting people and lives (as well as the most everyday people and lives and everything in between). Donna Florio grew up on Bank Street through the middle of the 20th century, and has lived there on and off all of her life. Over the years she has collected the stories of many of her neighbors, some of them huge celebrities, others not, and Growing Up Bank Street is a collection of vignettes detailing the lives of these Bank St occupants.
I personally loved the stories of those who were not hugely famous, I often felt like I was coming back home again when I read about people arriving from here and there and making the street into their home, building friendships that would last beyond life itself. I lived on Sixth Ave between Houston and Bleecker for a while, right next door to the Little Red School House, and it was lovely to revisit that area in earlier times, because that corner, that block, has seen so many changes over the years, even between the 10 plus years when I lived there and now. I was less interested in some of the stories, and more interested in others, and I wish that the author had been able to speak more on how AIDS really devastated the community in the 80’s, and also how 9/11 changed so much, but I am also acutely aware of how traumatic both times were for her, and I’m sure not easy to talk about in detail. I also would have loved to see more pictures of the street itself over time.
In any case this is a great read for anyone interested in the West Village, NYC in general, individual NYC stories, and a good dose of old times nostalgia. Thanks to Donna Florio for giving us a peek into what Bank St in New York used to be!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
JADE ANNA HUGHES
Book Reviews, Personal Writing, and Photography
BOOK REVIEWS BLOG ABOUT COLLECTIONS PHOTOGRAPHY
cover206622-medium.png
Growing Up Bank Street - Donna Florio
MARCH 09, 2021 IN BOOK REVIEWS, NONFICTION, MEMOIRS
I have my own personal NYC living stories, over a decade of people, lives, blocks, and streets: my home. NYC is and always will be the one place in the world where I really felt at home and always will. This is why I always jump on other people’s NYC stories and memoirs, because everyone has their own NYC, this city that changes constantly, and houses the most interesting people and lives (as well as the most everyday people and lives and everything in between). Donna Florio grew up on Bank Street through the middle of the 20th century, and has lived there on and off all of her life. Over the years she has collected the stories of many of her neighbors, some of them huge celebrities, others not, and Growing Up Bank Street is a collection of vignettes detailing the lives of these Bank St occupants.
I personally loved the stories of those who were not hugely famous, I often felt like I was coming back home again when I read about people arriving from here and there and making the street into their home, building friendships that would last beyond life itself. I lived on Sixth Ave between Houston and Bleecker for a while, right next door to the Little Red School House, and it was lovely to revisit that area in earlier times, because that corner, that block, has seen so many changes over the years, even between the 10 plus years when I lived there and now. I was less interested in some of the stories, and more interested in others, and I wish that the author had been able to speak more on how AIDS really devastated the community in the 80’s, and also how 9/11 changed so much, but I am also acutely aware of how traumatic both times were for her, and I’m sure not easy to talk about in detail. I also would have loved to see more pictures of the street itself over time.
In any case this is a great read for anyone interested in the West Village, NYC in general, individual NYC stories, and a good dose of old times nostalgia. Thanks to Donna Florio for giving us a peek into what Bank St in New York used to be!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
March 8, 2021
3.5 stars, rounded up. It was a treat to go back in time from the highly gentrified West Village we know today through the eyes of Donna Florio, who has seen and lived the evolution through the last six decades. I’m not sure how vast an audience this book will capture, for though those interested in exploring a microcosm of 20th century NYC history, this is a fun read. The opening pages provide immediate insight into what an eclectic and diverse neighborhood has been through its residents – just to name a very few, Alan Arkin, Auntie Mame, Langston Hughes, the Lennon/Onos, Edward Hopper, Harvey Weinstein, Bella Abzug, and Sid Vicious, the inspiration for one of the wittiest lines of the book, “Some neighbors are better on your T-shirt.”
Overall, “Growing Up Bank Street” is a charming look at a bygone era of a true neighborhood, while not romanticizing as idyllic – while the level of diversity and tolerance was clearly higher in the West Village than in other parts of the country during the 1950s and beyond, “Mine was a typical Village childhood… No matter what you were – rich, poor, black, white, Hispanic, mixed-race, Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, atheist, left-wing, right-wing – some other kids had it out for you.”
The chapters that focus solely on one household at a time are the most effective; the sections that interlude are a little less so, a jumpy and jumbled laundry list of non sequiturs, while at the same time a bit repetitive, seemingly in the interest of driving the eclectic nature of Bank Street home.
Florio’s brushes with the most prominent of her neighbors are interesting enough, though it’s the more everyday residents of the street who make for the most interesting of stories; poignant first-row seats to some of the most historic of 20th and early 21st century events, McCarthyism, the AIDS epidemic, and 9/11 through the author’s own eyes, just to name a few. Floris says it best herself, “This building of mine… holds the stories of America.”
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Overall, “Growing Up Bank Street” is a charming look at a bygone era of a true neighborhood, while not romanticizing as idyllic – while the level of diversity and tolerance was clearly higher in the West Village than in other parts of the country during the 1950s and beyond, “Mine was a typical Village childhood… No matter what you were – rich, poor, black, white, Hispanic, mixed-race, Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, atheist, left-wing, right-wing – some other kids had it out for you.”
The chapters that focus solely on one household at a time are the most effective; the sections that interlude are a little less so, a jumpy and jumbled laundry list of non sequiturs, while at the same time a bit repetitive, seemingly in the interest of driving the eclectic nature of Bank Street home.
Florio’s brushes with the most prominent of her neighbors are interesting enough, though it’s the more everyday residents of the street who make for the most interesting of stories; poignant first-row seats to some of the most historic of 20th and early 21st century events, McCarthyism, the AIDS epidemic, and 9/11 through the author’s own eyes, just to name a few. Floris says it best herself, “This building of mine… holds the stories of America.”
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
April 8, 2021
*Thank you to NetGalley, Donna Florio, and New York University Press for a copy of this novel*
Growing Up Bank Street details Donna Florio's life growing up in a small apartment building in Greenwich Village during the turbulent 60s and 70s. Having also grown up in NY but on the Upper West Side, I absolutely loved this book. Her memories and vignettes are so colorful that you can see the characters in your head. Normally memoirs are not a preferred genre, but this book is written exceptionally well.
Florio writes about a time long forgotten, where the "weirdos" and "vagrants" were free to roam the streets of the village and were accepted as normal. But also, how closely knit a community of people living in the same building can become. 63 Bank Street is filled with characters and families, and her descriptions of those who live in her building are some of my favorite parts. She also does a brilliant job describing how your childhood shapes who you become. Though her life would not seem "normal" to those who did not grow up in such an environment, to her, it was.
All in all, a fabulous book about a not so recent time, where a little girl grew up among artists, opera singers, vagrants and the mentally ill. I devoured this book because it was just so much fun to read!
Growing Up Bank Street details Donna Florio's life growing up in a small apartment building in Greenwich Village during the turbulent 60s and 70s. Having also grown up in NY but on the Upper West Side, I absolutely loved this book. Her memories and vignettes are so colorful that you can see the characters in your head. Normally memoirs are not a preferred genre, but this book is written exceptionally well.
Florio writes about a time long forgotten, where the "weirdos" and "vagrants" were free to roam the streets of the village and were accepted as normal. But also, how closely knit a community of people living in the same building can become. 63 Bank Street is filled with characters and families, and her descriptions of those who live in her building are some of my favorite parts. She also does a brilliant job describing how your childhood shapes who you become. Though her life would not seem "normal" to those who did not grow up in such an environment, to her, it was.
All in all, a fabulous book about a not so recent time, where a little girl grew up among artists, opera singers, vagrants and the mentally ill. I devoured this book because it was just so much fun to read!
February 18, 2021
A big “thank you” to NetGalley for the free ARC of this book!
As a native New Yorker myself, I knew I would enjoy Donna Florio’s account of growing up in Greenwich Village. I admit I grew up in the less flamboyant borough of Queens, but some events and characters were strikingly similar.
The author recounts events of her life in the Village, from childhood to the present, complete with eccentric neighbors, celebrities, and other colorful characters who lived on her street. People came and went, some native New Yorkers and some who moved to the city to chase their dreams. Initially I wondered if the book might not appeal to those outside the New York Metro area, but the author paints such a vivid, colorful picture, I believe anyone would enjoy it.
The book is long, which is why I rated it four stars. Otherwise, a very interesting read.
As a native New Yorker myself, I knew I would enjoy Donna Florio’s account of growing up in Greenwich Village. I admit I grew up in the less flamboyant borough of Queens, but some events and characters were strikingly similar.
The author recounts events of her life in the Village, from childhood to the present, complete with eccentric neighbors, celebrities, and other colorful characters who lived on her street. People came and went, some native New Yorkers and some who moved to the city to chase their dreams. Initially I wondered if the book might not appeal to those outside the New York Metro area, but the author paints such a vivid, colorful picture, I believe anyone would enjoy it.
The book is long, which is why I rated it four stars. Otherwise, a very interesting read.
February 17, 2021
4.5 stars. This book is an absolute gem. I'm not sure what made me request a digital ARC, but something about the description of a life lived on one New York City street really appealed to me. This is a charming collection of descriptions of Bank Street in Greenwich Village, neighbors, relationships, characters, and everyday life. I loved reading this and it is so hopeful about the state of neighborhoods, even in gentrified Greenwich Village. This is a beautifully written book and I hope it gets the attention it deserves. I received a digital ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 9, 2021
I love books about New York City in the 1950s and '60s, so this memoir by a woman who was born in the city in 1955 is perfect! She lives in the same apartment where her parents lived, so she has decades of friendships and stories. After a career as an opera singer, a teacher, a TV producer, and more, she has plenty of experience to inform her story, but it all boils down to the neighborhood feel of her Bank Street and its wonderful people.
January 30, 2021
This beautiful vignette of Donna Florio’s life on Bank Street was an absolute joy to read. Memoirs are typically my favorite book genre, but this time around I was a bit hesitant. I couldn’t help but wonder how someone could write a whole ~250 pages about a single street, especially in a way that kept the reader captivated. How much could have possibly happened in this little Greenwich Village? The answer is a lot, and I am very happy that I was able to read it. The words that Donna Florio uses to depict her many neighbors and the village itself were amazing and full of description. I have never been to New York, nor do I know what this particular neighborhood looked or even felt like. However, this memoir paints a picture of the author’s life and everything she experienced, while also making me feel like I was there too. This is my favorite kind of memoir. All of the people living on Bank Street at one point or another became not only friends, but also one big family. The sense of community that the author felt and even some of her accounts of beloved neighbors made tears well in my eyes. It was simply beautiful. This memoir solidifies the statement that family isn’t always defined by blood, sometimes it just takes love. The neighbors of Bank Street were linked together by more than the road in front of them. It was the respect and joy that they brought into each other’s lives that connected them and kept it that way until the ends of many of their lives. Every time they reached Greenwich Village from being out in the world, they knew they were home. One day I hope to see Bank Street with my own eyes, and I can only hope that I find a neighborhood that makes me feel as loved as this one. I highly recommend reading this book when it comes out on 3/9/2021 if you are interested in seeing the life of Donna Florio (along with hearing about some of the famous figures she crossed paths with on Bank Street) and her love for the neighborhood she still happily lives in.
March 14, 2021
I just loved this book, a real gem. It’s a vibrant compelling memoir about growing up and living on Bank Street, Greenwich Village, a place peopled by an often eccentric, always interesting, occasionally even tragic collection of vividly drawn characters, from the unknown to the well-known, from Broadway stars to AIDS victims, John Lennon to Sid Vicious, Jane Jacobs to Frank McCourt. All human life is here in all its multiplicity and variety. Honest, warm-hearted, non-judgemental, it’s a delightful and engrossing read.
February 25, 2021
Because of Donna Florio's good fortune to grow up and live much of her life in one of the most iconoclastic neighborhoods in NYC and through her engaging storytelling, we gain a glimpse into what life was like in Greenwich Village during its heyday. Her parents were not the most affectionate or attentive and Donna often made her neighbors her 'found family.' What's remarkable is that as she describes running around the neighborhood as a child with her friends and developing her street smarts in the city in which some of the things she saw and had to overcome were pretty dicey. She provides fascinating historical snapshots through her research and first hand narrative. The artists, academics, actors and the like that appear in the book are noteworthy and bring back memories because they're recognizable: John and Yoko Lennon, Sid Vicious, Auntie Mame, etc.
February 3, 2021
Growing Up Bank Street is a memoir that puts you right back in time to the days when the Village was more than just a NYC neighborhood--it was a close-knit community that provided a lot for its residents. Florio goes through her and her family's personal history living in an apartment on Bank Street, but also spreads out the story to include the neighbors, the social groups within the neighborhood, and even some of the more historical figures that played a part in making the neighborhood what it was.
It was a fascinating read, especially for those who like to learn about NYC history or those who wish that there were more neighborhoods like this around the country that could thrive when people realize they are all in need of a little connection. It's comforting to know that there are still unique places like this, even though the face of it has changed.
*Book provided by BookishFirst
It was a fascinating read, especially for those who like to learn about NYC history or those who wish that there were more neighborhoods like this around the country that could thrive when people realize they are all in need of a little connection. It's comforting to know that there are still unique places like this, even though the face of it has changed.
*Book provided by BookishFirst
May 25, 2021
I loved this gushing love letter to Bank Street in NYC's Greenwich Village and their diverse tenants. This was a fun read learning about the rich history of the famous inhabitants and events that occurred on this iconic street. I can't wait to visit this street next on my next trip to the Big Apple. A must-read for anyone who loves NYC.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 29, 2021
Thank you to bookish first, the author, and the publishing company for a free copy of the E-book in exchange for an honest review.
Growing Up Bank Street is a very written memoir by author Donna Florio.
This book was a truly fascinating memoir of life in Greenwich Village and Bank Street that spans over several decades. The author was able to transport the reader right into the heart of city life. As the raeder, I felt as if I could see the various residents, as if I were there in real life! The reader is brought into the various lives of artists, performers, actors, the social elite! I really enjoyed the theater aspect and Opera mentions in the book. I also enjoyed the heartfelt descriptions of the stories these various people who make up this street and neighborhood. Some of the stories were funny, some emotional, some victorious.
I recommend this book to all!
Growing Up Bank Street is a very written memoir by author Donna Florio.
This book was a truly fascinating memoir of life in Greenwich Village and Bank Street that spans over several decades. The author was able to transport the reader right into the heart of city life. As the raeder, I felt as if I could see the various residents, as if I were there in real life! The reader is brought into the various lives of artists, performers, actors, the social elite! I really enjoyed the theater aspect and Opera mentions in the book. I also enjoyed the heartfelt descriptions of the stories these various people who make up this street and neighborhood. Some of the stories were funny, some emotional, some victorious.
I recommend this book to all!
January 25, 2021
Review is of a free ARC. While memoir's are not my favorite genre, I did find this book interesting and generally well written. It sounds like the author had an diverse upbringing in a less than ordinary environment. I have visited New York twice, and concluded that it was not somewhere I would ever want to live. The authors book reinforced that my conclusion was proper for me. I believe all should adhere to this direction provided in this book from the author's father, "Never let anyone, left or right, take your freedom. Never take it for granted, either. Always stand up for yourself!".
January 20, 2021
Thank you, NetGalley, for an advance copy of this book. A heartfelt biography of Bank Street, but also 63 Bank, the building the author has called home for her entire life. While she knows a number of famous residents, including Bella Abzug and Sid Vicious, this isn't the story of the names we know but rather the collective story of those who called Bank Street home in the second half of the twentieth century. My favorite was probably her neighbors Al and Lena for two very different reasons.
In parallel, this is the story of the Village and NYC during those years. The extension of Stonewall to the piers, the drag community, the AIDS crisis. And in later years, the closure of Amato Opera.
A really good read. My only quibble is that there are a lot of people and it's sometimes hard to keep track of all the names. A glossary of sorts would have been helpful.
In parallel, this is the story of the Village and NYC during those years. The extension of Stonewall to the piers, the drag community, the AIDS crisis. And in later years, the closure of Amato Opera.
A really good read. My only quibble is that there are a lot of people and it's sometimes hard to keep track of all the names. A glossary of sorts would have been helpful.
January 14, 2021
My favorite thing about NYC has always been what an incredible melting pot it has been. Each borough, and each neighborhood, is so diverse yet they are all so undeniably New York. Donna has so perfectly captured the myriad of personalities who were so much a part of Bank Street's history, and her own. I am a native New Englander who has always been in love with NYC. The author gave us all an amazing glimpse inside her Bank Street experience as well as that of the theatre.
All too often we are ignorant of the lives of the others who are living their lives around us. Once they are gone or have relocated we have lost our opportunity to ever learn about their personal histories and experiences, and in an age where the knowledge of the world grows exponentially with every passing moment... each passing of an elder, passing of a life, it is truly a tragedy when we miss out on capturing their pieces of history. Growing Up Bank Street has captured so much neighborhood history as well as detailing that of the author's friends and neighbors' lives. I for one really enjoyed reading through this wonderful memoir, the good, the bad, and the ugly. One thing is for certain: The next time I'm in NYC I will certainly take the time to stroll through Bank Street. Thank you for sharing your story and theirs with us!
All too often we are ignorant of the lives of the others who are living their lives around us. Once they are gone or have relocated we have lost our opportunity to ever learn about their personal histories and experiences, and in an age where the knowledge of the world grows exponentially with every passing moment... each passing of an elder, passing of a life, it is truly a tragedy when we miss out on capturing their pieces of history. Growing Up Bank Street has captured so much neighborhood history as well as detailing that of the author's friends and neighbors' lives. I for one really enjoyed reading through this wonderful memoir, the good, the bad, and the ugly. One thing is for certain: The next time I'm in NYC I will certainly take the time to stroll through Bank Street. Thank you for sharing your story and theirs with us!
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