May 2023: The Big City - Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

Once upon a time, there were no cities. Then people started congregating, the first cities emerged and the rest is history. The definitions had shifted but the main principle of a city remain - a lot of people in a relatively small area.

There are 81 cities in the world with a population exceeding 5 million people, according to 2018 estimates by the United Nations. The U.N. figures include a mixture of city proper, metropolitan area, and urban area. (Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_largest_cities )

But we do not need to read about one of the biggest in May - as long as it is about a big one. How you define a big city depends on where you are - when I was growing up, the big city for my grandparents was my birth town - a town of 50,000 people on a good day (there is a single word for town and city in my language). And then there are the city states (a lot more prevalent in the past, now we are down to one: The Vatican) or

So pick a book about a city - it may be a capital, it may be one of the big non-capital cities, one of the city states or use your own definition. Or a book set in one of the big cities if you cannot think of anything else.

A few examples to get you thinking (from my shelves):

Fiction:
London by Edward Rutherfurd
Mumbai Noir (and any of the other books in this series which are set in a big city)
The Book of Tokyo: A City in Short Fiction (and any of the other books in this series which are set in a big city)
London Centric: Tales of Future London (speculative fiction fits the "tomorrow")

Non-fiction:
City of Dreams: The 400-Year Epic History of Immigrant New York

I'd love to reread London - A Biography by Peter Ackroyd, but I don't think I will have time for such a tome anytime soon. My first tentative plan is to read A June of Ordinary Murders by Conor Brady which is a historic crime novel that is set in Dublin.

Is fantasy ok? I've got the city we became and been wantingto get to it. It's about a future nyc.

I'll be re-reading (listening to) Barnaby Rudge by Charles Dickens (1841). It is historical fiction, set in 1780 London during the Gordon (anti-Catholic) Riots.

>3 cindydavid4: Speculative covers fantasy (and science fiction and all the corner genres and fantastical/speculative horror) so yes.

ok cool thanks (just saw Tales of Future London, missed that)

I'm not sure if it's what I'll go with one or not, but my first thought was an Edward Rutherfurd book (which I see you've mentioned)!

I am planning on reading City of Spies which is about Lisbon during WW II. Although a longtime ally of England, Portugal declared itself neutral in the conflict. England was quite happy with this status as this kept this European port open for the allies (although not for any military purpose). Lisbon became a hotbed of intrigue with spies from both sides rubbing up against each other.

>7 LibraryCin: I wish I liked his books. Ive tried several and I could never get passed the 50 word mark. Not sure if its the grand scope of the books or just the writing itself.

>9 cindydavid4: I think I've rated the ones I've read either 3 stars (ok) or 3.5 (good). I suspect I've listened to them due to the length, but sometimes that's not a good thing, either!

I don't believe I currently have anything by him on the tbr, so I'll check what else I have for options first, but if I don't have anything, I might just pick one of his out, after all.

>7 LibraryCin: I read his New York and really liked it! (4.5*)

>11 Tess_W: I've read New York and Sarum. Can't remember if I've read any of the others or not.

In the nonfiction category there is Amsterdam: A History of the World's Most Liberal City by Russell Shorto. My book discussion group read it and we had a great discussion about this book. For a work of nonfiction history it was very good reading.

I also read How Paris Became Paris by Joan DeJean and was fascinated by this rather unorthodox look at some of the unique features of city planning that started in the Middle Ages and made Paris the city it is today. Things like the earliest shopping centers, and the construction and planning of the islands in the Seine.

I have not decided what I am going to read for this category.

In fiction, I would recommend Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead. In this novel, Harlem and its neighborhoods are very important and the city is almost a character in the book. It is set in the 1970's and the descriptions in it of clothing styles, buildings, cars, the streets, are really amazing. Besides that the sequel is coming out soon, so if you haven't gotten around to reading the first one, then you can do that before the sequel gets published.

Another book about a city, that I would like to recommend is Pink Suit by Nicole Mary Kelby. The book is set in 1960's NYC. On the surface this work of historical fiction is not about New York City, but it is set in the garment district, and a place called Freedomland USA, that was a Disneyland knockoff that operated in NYC during that time. I learned historical facts about NYC that I had never known happened - like the explosion in the NY Telephone offices in 1962. There is lots in this book about NYC.

I also liked The Falls by Joyce Carol Oates. This one is set in the 1960's Buffalo/Niagara area. Another great book where the place, in this case, the city, is a major character.

For those who are interested in speculative historical fiction/fantasy there is the Golem and the Jinni and its follow-up book Hidden Palace. There is so much in these books about the immigrants in NYC around 1900 and the NYC neighborhoods in which they lived.

For those who like historical mysteries there are the Station books by David Downing. Potsdam Station, Zoo Station, etc. I think there are 4 or 5 books in this series, set in WWII in Berlin.

I've read and enjoyed all of Edward Ruthurfurd's books, but I will probably read a history of city for May, not decided which city or which book yet.

>14 benitastrnad: there are six books in the main series by David Downing, plus a prequel.

>13 benitastrnad: Amsterdam sounds interesting--wish it were available through kindle unlimited or the GADD library system.

I think I'm going to read March Violets, which is set in Berlin pre-WWII.

Another book about Amsterdam that I recommend is Amsterdam - A Brief Life of the City by Geert Mak.

Romola by George Eliot is said to give a great picture of life in 15th century Florence. That’s been on the shelf forever and I think now is the time to read it.

At a hundred pages in, I can say that Romola does give a wonderful picture of Florence toward the end of the 15th century. Eliot must have done an incredible amount of research to make this city and this era so real for her readers. I know I’ve started early, but I really do hope to finish it this month, and maybe read something else about Florence as well, possibly The House of Medici by Christopher Hibbert.

>3 cindydavid4: That sounds like a really good book. I've never read any N.K. Jemisin books before.

I'm going to read The Sky Inside by Clare B. Dunkle. It is about the lives of people in a perfect town, in a perfect world, under a dome, on the future earth. So that may or may not be the next generation's tomorrow.

>3 cindydavid4: You made me think of Cities in Flight by James Blish, which I read and loved when I was a teenager. I wonder how it would hold up?

>21 dianelouise100: loved Florence, probably my fav Italian city. That looks like an interesting book

Another Florence book is the sixteen pleasures A book about the flood of Florence in 1963 and one of the 'mud angels' from around the world to help with clean up and restoration.

city of dreamsis my fav book about NYC. Hitorical fiction that covers the history of NYC through the revolution. The author manages to keep an array of characters, places and plots in the air. She has a few sequels to this which I never read that continues the characters and time lines

I will be reading the city we became a fantasy about NY by one of my fav writers

wow that sounds good! If you can do that one I can do mine!

>22 deaflower: I think my fav Jemisin Id recommend to start with is how long 'til black future month a collection of her short stories, many of them were the basis for her later novels Loved her broken sky trilogy

>24 rocketjk: oh why not? another excellent city fantasy is London a darker shade of magic about three different london in parallel universes. Loved this one and her two sequels were excellen

I'm counting Spider City in Annalee Newitz' Terraformers for this one. A climate fiction & science fiction novel. While not the largest city on the planet, this is the city that keeps alive questions of who is a person, a Great Bargain of living things, and alternate government to corporate profiteers.
edited to try & correct links

I’ve finished George Eliot’s novel Romola which is set in the last decade of the 15th century in Florence. I would be surprised not to like an Eliot novel, but this one was particularly appealing with its convincing depiction of Florence in one of the most chaotic times of its history. Lorenzo di Medici (the Magnificent) has just died at the beginning of the story, his heir Piero is soon driven out after a miserable performance dealing with the invasion of the French army under Charles VIII. The power struggles begin, with more factions competing treacherously, even murderously for power than I can remember. The Domenican friar Fra Girolomeno Savonarola is at the peak of his power in his drive to stamp out corruption in the Church and in the people. Religious factions are also part of the chaos. Spectacles and crowd scenes abound—festivals, executions, riots, huge crowds at the Duomo for Fra Savonarola’s sermons—and historical characters are everywhere. According to a biography of George Eliot I read, she spent years researching for this historical novel. It rates 5 Stars from me.

Oh, yes, I admit I did start Romola early thinking I’d need extra time to read. I didn’t—the plot was compelling and the atmosphere tense. I couldn’t call it a page turner, but it moved quickly.. I thinking of reading A Room with a View by E. M. Forster next, also set at least partly in Florence.

>30 dianelouise100: I've been afraid of Romola for years--I love Middlemarch, but know next to nothing about 15th c. Florence. Thanks for that review; maybe it will give me incentive to get to it sooner.

>32 kac522: I bet you will enjoy it if you do read it. It was one of two of her major novels I had not read, so I need to make a move toward Felix Holt soon. I find Eliot’s other novels, set in England within 50 years or so of her writing, much easier to get in to. Romola required some patience from me in the beginning, but soon the strangeness of time and place became fascinating.

>33 dianelouise100: Yes, Felix Holt is the other one I haven't read, either--I think it's historical fiction, too.

>34 kac522: Felix Holt is set at the time of 1832 Reform Act. I quite enjoyed it, it was my first Elliot back in 2011. I loved Romola, a beautiful read, I love novels set in Renaissance Italy.

I have not read any Elliot but perhaps should start with that one

Here is link to my review of Romola: https://www.librarything.com/topic/347545#8137476

I did complete March Violets by Philip Kerr. It is a WWII noir detective story that took place in Berlin. It did create a dark atmosphere, but some of it seemed contrived.

It might be a bit of a stretch, but I am counting Powder and Patch by Georgette Heyer for this. The story is mainly set in Georgian England, but parts of it take place in Paris and distinctly show the fashions and atmosphere of the city during that time. The title refers to the style of the rich gentlemen who wore make up and wigs and were proud of their elegance.

>39 MissBrangwen: As long as it works for you, it counts :)

>40 AnnieMod: Thank you! That is something I really like about this group!

I finished reading Mistress of the Ritz by Melanie Benjamin. This historical fiction novel was set in Paris from 1920 to 1960. This is a fictionalized account of the life of Blanche Auzello and her husband Claude. Claude Auzello was the manager of the Ritz Hotel in Paris from the 1920's until shortly before his death in the 1960's. Blanche lived a few years longer. The Paris Ritz was the headquarters for the German Luftwaffe starting in 1940 and many high ranking German officers were housed there during WWII. Coco Chanel lived there during World War II. The novel told about life in the Ritz during the war. It detailed how the hotel staff managed to continue to work and keep up standards for food and furnishings. Of course, Blanche and Claude were depicted as heroes of the Resistance, one of those things that can't be proven, and makes for a good story. I enjoyed this novel because the tone of it was just right. It made clear that life was hard for all the French from top to bottom of society and that choices had to be made every day just to stay alive in Paris during the war.

I have completed my read of City of Spies by Mara Timon. I really enjoyed this book, although I would define it as "Espionage Light" as the author forcused as much on romance and fashion and she did on politics and danger.

I hesitated over what to read for this month's theme. Ideally I wanted to read a book tracing the history of a major city such as Rome, Paris or Istanbul...but having read one very long novel, I could not face another very long book straight away.

So I ended up reading Black Hearts in Battersea, the second in the author's series of children's alternative historical fiction books beginning with the Wolves of Willoughby Chase. While mostly set in London, there were also parts set elsewhere.

For the big city, it's been 1930s Los Angeles and its environs with Raymond Chandler: Stories and Early Novels: Pulp Stories / The Big Sleep / Farewell, My Lovely / The High Window (Library of America). I've finished the collection's 13 "Pulp Stories" along with The Big Sleep, but I'm hoping to finish the remaining two early novels by month's end, at which time I'll post the entire LoA volume to the Wiki.

The 13 anthologized "Pulp Stories" don't represent the entirety of Chandler's stories. Chandler had a tendency to (as he put it) "cannibalize" his stories for use in his subsequent novels. The LoA collection omits, I would guess mainly for space considerations, stories that have been thus "cannibalized."

Good opportunity to make a small dent in my Mount TBR of the Library of America; and, at just short of 1200 pages, it also qualifies for the Big Fat Book challenge.

As for The Big Sleep itself, I'm inclined to give it 2½**, maybe 3*** at best. A lot of characters, and it gets confusing. It's one of the few major Bogey movies I've never seen.

The next novel in the anthology, Farewell, My Lovely, seems to be more highly regarded than The Big Sleep. I'll have to see.

My big city reads this month:

Brooklyn: My Name is Asher Lev, Chaim Potok (1972)
London: Shakespeare: The World as Stage, Bill Bryson (2007)
Pittsburgh & Philadelphia: American Histories, John Edgar Wideman (2018)

and I'm just finishing up an audiobook re-read of:

London: Barnaby Rudge, Charles Dickens (1841) --historical fiction set during the London Gordon (anti-Catholic) riots of 1780.

this has been a crazy reading month and did not finish the city we became but still working on it;

For this month's challenge, I read Historic Raleigh from the Images of America series. This book provides a history of the city of Raleigh, North Carolina's state capital, in pictures. The earliest pictures are drawings and portraits. I was most interested in the photos from the late 1800's and early 1900's. I found it a fascinating way to learn about the history of a place, by being able to "see" what at least parts of it actually looked like.

Finished Raymond Chandler: Stories and Early Novels (Library of America) on Tuesday, posted it to the Wiki @ 3½***. I don't know when if ever I'll get to the second LoA volume because I'm not at this point absoutely crazy about Chandler to take on an LoA-length omnibus volume. Also, this volume does have a short set of endnotes for unusual words (that kind of 1930s LA-noir slang), but I think it could have done with a bit more.

I forgot to mention Der Tote im Fleet, a historical mystery set in 1847, five years after a devastating fire burned down large sections of Hamburg. The rebuilding plays an important part in the book.

I am just about done my May book. Listening to the audio and it's long. I did end up doing the Edward Rutherfurd book.

Paris / Edward Rutherfurd
2.5 stars

Like many of Rutherfurd’s books, this is historical fiction that takes place over centuries, this one in Paris.

I listened to the audio and it was unfortunate it wasn’t in chronological order, like the others by him I’ve read. It was harder to follow as it jumped around. The storyline I found the most interesting was the building of the Eiffel Tower. Next to that, parts of the WWII storyline were good. Otherwise, I kind of got lost in the rest and wasn’t quite sure what was happening. I don’t know if much time was spent on Napoleon or the French Revolution, though they were both mentioned a few times, but if there was a longer storyline around those, I missed them. Being such a long book over many generations (and the back and forth in time didn’t help), it was hard for me to figure out who was who and how they were related. When I thought I had it, he’d flip to another time period and characters, then by the time we came back, I’d have forgotten.

>52 LibraryCin: I enjoyed the book about 10 years ago, though I thought it was far from his best. But I don't think this kind of narrative structure lends itself well to an audiobook format where you can't easily flip back and forth.

>53 john257hopper: Agreed!

Although the population of Naples isn't 5 million, Elena Ferrante's four Neapolitan Novels will cause even readers who have never been to Naples to appreciate its history and its people.