Customer Reviews

When Brooklyn Was Heaven: A Memoir From Brooklyn to L.A. and Places In-Between

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Even if you aren't from Brooklyn and didn't grow up during the Great Depression, you can still relate to the many wonderful stories contained in "When Brooklyn Was Heaven." Stan Levenson's memoir takes readers on a delightful romp through his childhood in Brooklyn. From jaunts to Coney Island to summer jobs in the Catskills, Levenson shares classic stories of fun and misadventure. You'll definitely enjoy the ride!

Description:

Stan Levenson is a world-renowned author and fundraiser whose methods of teaching and fundraising are used in schools across the globe, but he hasn't always been such a driven and successful individual. There was a time, back in depression-era Brooklyn, that he was quite the trouble-maker, acting before thinking of the consequences; a time when he had little ambition or thoughts about the future, but that all changed as he journeyed through New York's roughest high school, graduated college, served in the U.S. Navy, found his calling, traveled the world, and transformed his life, as well as the lives of so many others. His memoir chronicles his life from Brooklyn to L.A. and everywhere in-between from his poor childhood in the 1930's to his triumphs and success in the early 1960's and beyond.

Review:

When Brooklyn Was Heaven is definitely a book worth reading - if not for the rich history, then for the genuine and heartily entertaining stories themselves. Stan Levenson has done a wonderful job with his memoir, incorporating the spirited characters and memorable moments of his youth with a writing style all his own. I could tell that the author was passionate about his younger years and his stories, writing them in such a way that the reader can laugh, cry, and sympathize along with him. His journey to who he is today is quite a interesting one, and the book itself was very easy to get into and had a good pace. I enjoyed the different sections of the book, especially the college and career years. The format of short stories instead of traditional chapters was a great set-up, particularly the quick length of most of them. Overall, I really enjoyed Stan Levenson's story and would readily read more. The photos were a nice touch as well, and I liked how he ended the book with both a written and photo epilogue. I recommend this book to anyone interested in a fun and inspiring read about a boy from Brooklyn who made it big all over the world.

Rating: On the Run (4/5)

*** I received this book from the author (Bostick Communications) in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

From memories of Brooklyn and New York City during the richest times in their history to vignettes of college pranks that will have you in stitches, Stan Levenson's "When Brooklyn Was Heaven" will bring you on a wilder ride than Coney Island's Cyclone! A memoir of heart, hilarity, and personal history, I highly recommend this read to anyone looking to get lost in a whirlwind of wonderful description. Join Stan as he recounts his own (very accomplished) story, and even get inspired to tell your own.

When Brooklyn was heaven is a delightful memoir that takes the reader from Stan's childhood and teen years through his life as a "goof-off" to growing up and taking more responsibility to becoming very successful. The book is filled with fun antidotes and is easy and enjoyable to read. It is a fun book for various ages to read, either because of direct connections to peoples' own experiences or for younger people just starting out to see similarities between their own lives and that of a person from another generation.

The book is divided into chapters and can either be read chronologically or in whatever order the reader wants to. Stan has a wonderful sense of humor that draws the reader in and keeps their attention.

Stan Levenson's new memoir, WHEN BROOKLYN WAS HEAVEN: A Memoir From Brooklyn TO L.A. and Places In-Between is an entertaining and brilliant of another era.

WHEN BROOKLYN WAS HEAVEN: A Memoir From Brooklyn TO L.A. and Places In-Between is a fascinating chronicle of those Brooklyn neighborhoods, where the author grew up. A personal journey,experience and history and of the author's rise from being a poor, fatherless kid during the Great Depression to becoming a world renowned fundraiser helping schools and school districts around the world reap millions of dollars in grants and gifts.

This a joyful and celebrated memoir that will make you laugh, cry and it will evoke a sense of nostalgia. It will help to establish a historical perspective of the times. It is a must read for anyone from New York as well as those who are fascinated by this joyful place, and all others who are intrigued by all the places "in-between."

In a recent Interview the author says,"When Brooklyn Was Heaven came about after many people encouraged me to put my stories into writing. The stories come from my early years and span the first 30 years of my life from 1931 through 1961.We were dirt poor. We ate a lot of vegetable plates and government surplus food in those days, but I don't remember ever going to bed hungry. My dad died when I was four years old and my mom had a very strong influence on me. She was a super woman! I did get into trouble mostly in junior and senior high school because of my lack of maturity and good judgment. You'll have to read the book to find out more."

WHEN BROOKLYN WAS HEAVEN: A Memoir From Brooklyn TO L.A. and Places In-Between is a fun a poignant read. A MUST for everyone!

J.W. Books-and-Authors.net

When Brooklyn Was Heaven is an excellent autobiography. Stan Levenson's recollections of growing up and working in Brooklyn in the forties and fifties are fascinating to read. His descriptions of the street vendors in Brooklyn sound exciting. His description of the board walk and carnival like atmosphere in Coney Island sound like a blast. I have no idea what these parts of New York are like now, but I think it must be similar. I love reading about his funny early working experiences as a waiter in the Catskills and selling magazine subscriptions. I also liked reading about his love of playing sports like basketball, stick ball and soccer. He also writes about things I don't know anything about like celebrating his bar mitzvah and drinking egg creams. His passion for sports helped him get a college education and helped him form life long friendships. His ability to maintain friendships with so many people over a long period of time is something I am learning how to do. His dedication to his college studies is an inspiration to me. I have had my academic problems in the past. Levenson's academic achievements is proof enough to me that my academic difficulties can be overcome with time and hard work. The passion Levenson has for teaching is something I admire also. He has worked as a teacher, principal and fund raiser in places like Brooklyn, Los Angeles and on an an Army base called Bad Hersfeld in Germany in the sixties. When Broolyn Was Heaven is a motivational book for me. It reminds me to find the passion in my work. When Brooklyn Was Heaven is an entertaining and inspirational book.

"When Brooklyn was heaven" is storytelling at its best.
This charming, funny and wellwritten memoir takes you on a captivating journey, from Brooklyn, New York to California via New Foundland, postwar Germany and Europe on a five dollar a day budget.
If you are a fan of Woody Allen and his films about Jewish family life in Brooklyn in the forties you will just love this book.
Although Stanley Levenson is not a professional writer he certainly has the ability to transform bygone happenings and stories into life. When reading this book I often found myself laughing out loud.
Growing up in a tough neigbourhood as a fatherless child during the Great Depression and World War II Stanley Levenson could have ended up as a drop out and a nobody.Thanks to a loving and caring mother and sisters and a good amount of luck he instead realizes the American dream and makes an international career as a fundraising guru for public schools all over the world.
The road has not always been smooth but Stanley Levenson is not afraid of sharing both fortunate and not so fortunate moments with his readers.And you can tell he enjoys every minute of it..
Beside offering some very good laughs this book could also be an inspiration for todays youth growing up in poor and less pleasant parts of the world.

A terrific journey of life growing up in Brooklyn and beyond,it mirrored my own life experiences and memories,a great read.

The book, When Brooklyn Was Heaven, is a warm friendly look at the 1930's through the early 60's. Stan's adventures and misadventures are easily identifiable-many of us have had similar experiences, both positive and negative, and lived to tell the tales to our children and sometimes grandchildren. So much of what he did makes this book worth reading. Remaining friends with his childhood buddies, keeping in touch with them, being a part of their lives is an important part of what makes us who we are, as well as and having a loving supportive wife and family.

For someone who lived in the 30s and thereafter , this book is like a walk through memory lane..a charming combination of pathos and humor that reminds us of the time of the great depression, WWII and life in the Big Apple .. and for those who didn't live it , a chance to learn of it from a boy/man who prevailed over it ...