It Happened in Brooklyn: An Oral History of Growing Up in the Borough in the 1940S, 1950S, and 1960s [Hardcover]

Myrna Frommer (Author), Harvey Frommer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1993

Drawing on the reminiscences of a rich variety of Brooklynites, an oral history of growing up in New York's legendary borough covers stickball, stoopball, Coney Island, and the Dodgers, among other topics specific to Brooklyn. Tour.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This paean to a bygone place by the authors of It Happened in the Catskills throbs with life and affection. In the middle years of this century, Brooklyn was heavily populated by Jewish and Italian families, with Irish, black and Scandinavian enclaves. Ethnicity, however, was overshadowed by the aim of the mostly immigrant parents and children to become Americans. Education was regarded as vital to this goal and those interviewed in this oral history recall the schools as being very good and demanding. In the neighborhoods, all the parents regarded themselves as responsible for all of the children. That more innocent world is remembered as being preferable to the Brooklyn of today, with its influx of drugs and racial strife. The contributors to this engaging recollection include Robert Merrill, Pat Cooper and many lesser-known natives. Photos.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

In this century, perhaps only Southern California rivals Brooklyn in attracting the imagination of so many Americans living elsewhere. But Brooklyn, unlike L.A., which after all had to steal the Dodgers, was definitely a place whence people "came." The Frommers ( New York City Baseball , LJ 4/15/80) have interviewed an array of their fellow Brooklyn born-and-bred who grew up in the era between Pearl Harbor and the birth of urban civil rights activism 25 years later. A prosperous lot, many are notable, and most no longer live there. They are also mostly Jewish, but Catholics, and African and Scandinavian Americans are present and similarly upbeat in their recollections. (The inclusion of maps would have been helpful.) Despite the emphasis on good-time memories--Jackie Robinson, stickball, Coney Island amusements--accounts of red-lining and block-busting close this absorbing evocation. Recommended for public and academic libraries.
- Scott H. Silverman, Bryn Mawr Coll. Lib., Pa.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 250 pages
• Publisher: Harcourt Brace & Company; 1st edition (October 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0151143668
• ISBN-13: 978-0151143665
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 8.1 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,366,975 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Anecdotal history of growing up in Brooklyn., April 3, 2005

By 

Arthur K. Yellin "dinosaurus13" (Olney, MD United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: It Happened in Brooklyn: An Oral History of Growing Up in the Borough in the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s (Paperback)

This book is actually a compilation of anecdotal memories from many people who grew up in Brooklyn, some of whom are world famous for various reasons! While I was disapointed by the lack of coverage of the 50s and 60s when I grew up in East Flatbush, the book brings back wonderful memories of Coney Island and many other institutions. I particularly found the stories from the family that started Nathan's to be fascinating. I ALSO recommend the book "The Neighborhoods of Brooklyn." The two bookds are very different! While it is also light on the 50s and 60s it is fascinating to learn of the full history of each neighborhood. How and when the original Dutch settlers bought the various sections from the Canarsee and Rockaway Native Americans. It is also interesting to learn of the fates of the various neighborhoods and their changing ethnic faces.

I must add that it is at least a bit disingenuous and self-serving for one of the authors to write SEVERAL reviews of his own work!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Gift for any Brooklyn Baby-Boomer, August 7, 2008

By 

H. Bennett (Fort Collins, CO USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: It Happened in Brooklyn: An Oral History of Growing Up in the Borough in the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s (Paperback)

We bought this for my husband's mom who was transplanted to Colorado as a teenager from Brooklyn. It brought back many happy childhood memories for her. She loved reading about places that she thought she'd forgotten and this spurred her memory to share childhood stories with us about a place very different from the 'wild west.'

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A TREASURE OF A BOOK ON BROOKLYN, October 28, 2002

By 

Marv Rothenstein (, Harrison,NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: It Happened in Brooklyn: An Oral History of Growing Up in the Borough in the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s (Paperback)

I just finished the book and I enjoyed it so much. Its easy to see why
Brooklyn has been the inspriation for so many novels and movies.

It was so interesting to see how so many different ethnic groups had such
similar stories of growing up. A real shared memory .

Well this book is a treasure and I am so glad to have it.