A Beautiful Reflection of Place and People

"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!