cover image Brooklyn: An Illustrated History

Brooklyn: An Illustrated History

Ellen Snyder-Grenier. Temple University Press, $43.5 (357pp) ISBN 978-1-56639-408-6

More than just a history of Brooklyn, this fascinating and comprehensive portrait of one of the most diverse urban areas in the world is a commentary on the growth of America and the immigrant vision. Drawing on the vast resources of the Brooklyn Historical Society, Snyder-Grenier (former chief curator of the Society) has also availed herself of 100 color and 150 b&w photos that neatly compliment the stories told. The book is divided into five parts that prove to be an excellent reflection on the character of Brooklyn: Brooklynites, the Brooklyn Bridge, the Navy Yard, Coney Island and the Dodgers. The first is a peek into the people and personalities that make up the fabric of life in Brooklyn. Each wave of immigrants, from Europeans to Caribbean islanders, has added its own stamp to Brooklyn. How the building of the Brooklyn Bridge and the growth of the subway system contributed to the complex relationship between Brooklyn and Manhattan is explored in the section on the bridge; while ""The Navy Yards"" examines Brooklyn's past economic success and current aspirations to once again be an industrial hub. Reading about Coney Island brings back images of a bygone era, the taste of cotton candy, the feel of the sea air on your skin and the thrill of the Cyclone, as well as Brooklyn's other recreations like the majestic Prospect Park. Finally, what story on Brooklyn would be complete without a chapter devoted to its beloved Dodgers? This is a commendable effort, one of those unusual hybrids that works as a history and as a gift book. (Sept.)