Manhattan, when I Was Young (Paperback)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

New York Times editor Cantwell recalls the triumphs and tribulations of her early adulthood in Greenwich Village of the '50s and '60s.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

YA?An easy-to-read autobiographical account of a fashion-magazine writer in the 1950s. Fresh out of college, Cantwell arrived in Greenwich Village and shared an apartment with a friend. Despite all the flair of metropolitan life, experiences with high-style department stores, exclusive little shops, theaters, parties, restaurant outings, and even a romance and marriage, she became increasingly depressed. Her close ties to a lovingly encouraging father were broken by his early death. She details the passsage of years by describing the flats, houses, and apartments she lived in and the jobs lost and gained in her career pursuit. Despite Cantwell's lifelong involvement with psychoanalysis, her account is enlivened with the cheerful glamor of little black dresses, Steuben glassware, ethnic neighborhoods, and the whole ambiance of the city, presenting anew the eternal charm of the Big Apple for the young.?Frances Reiher, King's Park Library, Fairfax, VA
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics) (October 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140232230
• ISBN-13: 978-0140232233
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #556,041 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I hope Cantwell writes another book of this period in NYC, August 17, 2000

By	Francoise Latrelle (Portland, formerly L.A. and NYC) - See all my reviews

I read this book a few years ago and LOVED it tremendously, declaring it my new favorite book, which is why I owe it a (belated) 5-star ranking. If it had been written in the '50s and early '60s - the time span she covers - it would have enjoyed as much or more success as the "single women in the city" books of the late '90s (Bridget, Girl's Guide, Sex in the City). However, written as a memoir it is even more mesmerizing in it's evocation of a heady, romantic time in Manhattan - nothing like the coldness of today's Sex in the City. I particularly loved Cantwell's voice/writing style which is full-bodied in a light-handed way - with such great observations of detail and dialogue and the culture of that time, against a great backdrop of fashion and manhattan brownstones. It has the intelligence I wish more of today's books which profile young women would have.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Exemplary Memoir, July 7, 2001

By	Mermil (NJ) - See all my reviews

First of all, this book has the best title in the world, bar none. More importantly, Cantwell writes about hard times without being even remotely self-pitying or tedious, and that's no mean accomplishment. Manhattan, When I Was Young is an absorbing, evocative valentine to being young and confused in New York City. It's also beautifully written and extremely entertaining.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Vibrant and Colorful, January 19, 2003

By	"wolfmagik" (Little Ferry, New Jersey United States) - See all my reviews

Mary Cantwell takes you on a wonderful journey through her life in the 50's and 60's from single girl to a divorced mother working as a magazine editor. With us she shares the good times, as well as her tough times which makes for a fabulous life and all that she has accomplished for herself and her children........