Ladies and Gentlemen, the Bronx Is Burning

I came of age in the seventies, and this book took me through that time, specifically 1977 again, able to view events through the lens of a particularly insightful adult.

This book encompasses more than baseball. There’s the battle to be mayor between Ed Koch and Mario Cuomo, Rupert Murdoch buying the New York Post, disco and dancing at Studio 54, the dawn of punk rock, but at its heart is the story of the Yankees and that crazy love triangle of Reggie Jackson, Billy Martin, and George Steinbrenner. I was delighted to relive all of that craziness.

I love to read (and write) books about cities, especially when those books weave together several different storylines to create a kind of multidimensional urban tapestry.

Jonathan Mahler's book is a classic example of the genre, recounting the tribulations experienced by New York City during one of its most turbulent years – 1977.

Combining the narrative threads of a bitterly fought mayoral race, a notorious feud between the manager and star player of the city's beloved Yankees, and the terrifying reign of the infamous serial killer known as Son of Sam, Mahler recounts the saga of a fascinating city at… show more.