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A review of The Epic of New York City

by Edward Robb Ellis

A narrative history of the city for which the word "metropolis" was surely created

Reviewed by: G-Lock
About G-Lock

The Epic of New York City "New York is one of man's greatest achievements. There never has been another city like it. Only superlatives can express its magnitude, power, and renown." So sayeth Edward Robb Ellis in his famous book on what he labels, quite appropriately in my humble opinion, "the center of the universe."

Just like "the City" itself, this almost legendary book is teeming with information. Whether you're a seasoned New York history buff or a curious newbie, within the confines of the five boroughs or in the widest cornfield of the Mid-West, an expatriate in Paris or an aboroginal Australian, Ellis' tome should hold a place on your bookshelf. If nothing else, this book tells an amazing tale, one of industry and resilience, order and disorder, cobblestones and pavement.

Granted, its 600-plus pages may be daunting, but it's well worth the read. EPIC spans the history of New York City, from Giovanni da Verrazano's discovery of Manhattan in 1524 through the mayoral election of John V. Lindsay in the tumultuous 1960s. The book could have been sapped of energy and presented as a dull history text-style timeline of the innumerable events of the city's history. Instead, Ellis delivers a thoughtful, engrossing (non-fiction) story that weaves the important names, places, and dates as New York was founded and settled, developed, and alternately faded and bloomed. Historical figures become accessible characters; the namesakes of thousands of streets, parks, and bridges come to life in bursts of eloquent description (e.g., "To defend the city, Governor Fletcher constructed an emplacement on the rocks along the waterfront from what is now the foot of Greenwich Street to the corner of the present Whitehall and State streets.").

The growth of Manhattan and the subsequent inclusion of Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island into a cohesive New York City are detailed in prose simple enough to convey the facts without boring. Anyone who's ever wondered how New York has rebounded so amazingly from the devastating attacks of September 11, 2001 need not look further. In its relatively brief existence, New York City has been put through the proverbial wringer with riots, wars, plagues, natural disasters, race conflicts, economic failures, terrorism and crime, and infamous political scandals (remember that famous headline "Ford to New York: Drop Dead!"?). Through it all, Ellis brilliantly manages to tame the unwieldly mass of facts and figures into a highly readable account of the ups and downs, making sure to highlight the soaring achievements -- Central Park, the Woolworth skyscraper, and Grand Central Terminal among them -- with grace, and lets the city speak for itself.

An all-too-brief section of New York City-inspired quotes at the end of the book is worth the cover price alone. And, hey, even if you're just curious as to how New York City earned some of its nicknames, from "Gotham" to the cringe-inducing "Big Apple," EPIC should be your first stop. You'll be so engrossed by the fascinating tale of what many deem the world's preeminent city that you may forget your initial query

Click here to buy this book, or read more about it at Amazon.com: The Epic of New York City

Copyright © by G-Lock, 2002

Reviewed by G-Lock :
-- The Corrections - by Jonathan Franzen
-- Naked - by David Sedaris
-- The Epic of New York City - by Edward Robb Ellis
-- The Catcher in the Rye - by J.D. Salinger
-- The Great Gatsby - by F. Scott Fitzgerald









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