Historical Fiction about New York

[ApK]

Is it weird that the only historical NY fiction that comes to my mind is the musical "Annie?"

ApK

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by ApK

Is it weird that the only historical NY fiction that comes to my mind is the musical "Annie?"

ApK

Yes.

If musicals are in the mix, at least make it West Side Story.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by Catlady

Yes.

If musicals are in the mix, at least make it West Side Story.

But I thought you wanted an NYC historical generational saga?
Surely nothing qualifies better than "Annie," and it's prequel "Hamilton!"

Surely you knew they were the beginning and end of the same saga?

Hamilton's creation of the financial systems that would lead to Warbuck's prosperity, but also to the Great Depression Annie was set in? The Hamilton/Burr-Jefferson political party schism leading to the Warbucks/FDR relationship?
The echoing themes of parents losing a child, then a child losing their parents?
Eliza starting NYC's orphanage system?!

I thought it was obvious even without the as-yet-unproduced middle part, which would have shown Eliza's descendants, with their favorable view of orphanages, choosing to leave Annie there while they tried to make a better life for her on a New Jersey farm (ironically echoing Jefferson's wish for a more agrarian economy), then dying in a fire (echoing Philip's death in firearm duel (or, perhaps "buying the farm" in NJ?)) not knowing the orphanage they chose was under the influence of Burr's descendants, who, rebelling against Burr's wait-for-it nature, married into the take-what-you-want, get-rich-quick Cogburn-Hannigan family!

And if all that wasn't enough to make it obvious, you couldn't have missed that they all shared the inherited genetic trait of breaking into song and dance in the middle of conversations.


ApK

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by ApK

But I thought you wanted an NYC historical generational saga?
Surely nothing qualifies better than "Annie," and it's prequel "Hamilton!"

Surely you knew they were the beginning and end of the same saga?

Hamilton's creation of the financial systems that would lead to Warbuck's prosperity, but also to the Great Depression Annie was set in? The Hamilton/Burr-Jefferson political party schism leading to the Warbucks/FDR relationship?
The echoing themes of parents losing a child, then a child losing their parents?
Eliza starting NYC's orphanage system?!

I thought it was obvious even without the as-yet-unproduced middle part, which would have shown Eliza's descendants, with their favorable view of orphanages, choosing to leave Annie there while they tried to make a better life for her on a New Jersey farm (ironically echoing Jefferson's wish for a more agrarian economy), then dying in a fire (echoing Philip's death in firearm duel (or, perhaps "buying the farm" in NJ?)) not knowing the orphanage they chose was under the influence of Burr's descendants, who, rebelling against Burr's wait-for-it nature, married into the take-what-you-want, get-rich-quick Cogburn-Hannigan family!

And if all that wasn't enough to make it obvious, you couldn't have missed that they all shared the inherited genetic trait of breaking into song and dance in the middle of conversations.


ApK

I think you have too much time on your hands.

[issybird]

I finished last year’s Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead and I greatly enjoyed it. It’s set in Harlem from 1959 to the mid-1960s and not only is it very evocative of a specific time and place in New York, it’s quite funny. I haven’t read his earlier and very popular historical novels which frankly don’t seem quite my thing and I noticed a sense on Goodreads that those who did like his earlier books thought this not as good. Going out on a limb, I suspect it’s because Harlem Shuffle is lighter in execution if not in intent; I’m not terribly fond of historical fiction that’s trying to make a point and quite obviously. Anyway, I thought this was terrific.

[astrangerhere]

The Guardian has a suggested list here:

Top 10 New York novels

From Edith Wharton to Jennifer Egan, the city has inspired countless stories, all of them sharing one major character – the metropolis itself

They aren't all historical, but some are. I actually loved Kavalier and Clay.

Colm Tóibín's Brooklyn also comes to mind.