Notable New Yorkers of Manhattan’s Upper West Side: Bloomingdale–Morningside Heights

Upper West Siders (I grew up there) and fans of New York history will want to spend hours carefully thumbing this thick compendium of notable neighborhood figures. It also would make a great gift. It delights me to know that after he fled the Nazis, the brilliant Austrian economist Ludwig von Mises (a personal hero of mine) lived in the same building as Edward Levy, who helped cure "the bends" afflicting sandhogs, and across the street from comic book legend Stan Lee. Maybe they passed each other in the crosswalk? This book also has extensive detail about "the Old Community," the African-American enclave near West 99th Street, which was home to figures like Billie Holiday, Arturo Schomburg, Butterfly McQueen, James Weldon Johnson, and others. In doing so, it helps to correct the historical record, which barely mentions the existence of this culturally significant community, which was later destroyed by Robert Moses and urban renewal. (Full disclosure: I know the author Jim Mackin, and have long admired his deep knowledge of the area.) Highly recommended!

When I ordered this book, I was expecting a reference work. What a delightful surprise to discover that the prose is clear and supple, with engaging details for each entry. I find myself sitting down to read this book purely for pleasure. If you’re interested in New York history, don’t pass this one up. If you’re not interested in New York history, this book will change your mind.

What content is there is very interesting to a long-time UWSer. HOWEVER all the pages past page 406 are missing in my copy.

If you have ever been on a walk with Jim Mackin, you know how he can tell you just about every fact there is to know about a neighborhood, a street, a building, and that someone famous and not so famous stayed there or lived there, at some time in the past. Well, his book Notable New Yorkers of Manhattan's Upper West Side does just that and more. You can hear Jim's voice so clearly as he describes who has lived where. This is a fun book to pick up again and again and randomly pick a page, pick an address and see who once lived there. it's full of delightful surprises!

I live on the UWS and bought the book to learn more about the area. It was a good buy! I haven't gotten through the book yet but I have checked out my block and I can't believe how many famous people lived there. I would say that this is a must-read for anyone who lives on the UWS or wants to know more about it. Lots of information...and it's fun.