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Inside Greenwich Village: A New York City Neighborhood, 1898-1918

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Any with an affection for New York's famous Greenwich Village will want the lively social history Inside Greenwich Village: A New York City Neighborhood, 1898-1918. The Village has been the center of bohemians, artistry, radical politics and more - yet a century ago it was a mixed-class neighborhood reflecting a changing nation. It's this era which history professor Gerald McFarland focuses on, reconstructing its culture and history with a survey of the major groups who occupied Greenwich Village. The different era focus will make Inside Greenwich Village an invaluable exploration.

My grandfather grew up in the Irish West Village of this period. This book cracks open the experience of
the Village as an immigrant enclave for the generations who grew up thinking of the Village as a Bohemian/Folk Music/Gay mecca. Professor McFarland traces distinct elements that converged in the Village at once--immigrants, affluent Progressives, the wealthy Protestant "old guard" and the emerging artist and bohemian population.

Includes useful maps that illustrate various periods in Village history. This book makes walking those familiar streets a much more informed and historically rich experience. Well done.