Professor Solomon, an amateur Professor with a degree in English from Harvard, has made his history of Coney Island available for free on the internet.Brief Review: Solomon's book offers a succinct history of Coney Island, touching on the natives, the civil war, and the rise of the amusement parks complete with illustrations. These sections are mostly expositive, but occasionally break into representative narratives.
Professor Solomon's book shines in the first and third sections where he breaks away from history and describes his own experiences at Coney. In these sections, Solomon describes his three trips to Coney Island, two as a young man and once as a knowledgeable reporter. Detailed, Sentimental, and paranoid of danger, these sections jump off the page giving a fun view of a stranger venturing into Coney Island.
Highlights include his gear list including matches, stamps, maps, and a Swiss Army Knife with which "to survive whatever rigors awaited me in Brooklyn."
To read a free pdf of Professor Solomon's Coney island click here.
1 comment:
Professor Solomon has written a wonderful account about this great American vacation spot. The historical perspective made you feel like you were right there when events took place in the mid to late 1800's. My parents and aunts and uncles especially enjoyed it as the spent many afternoons there as kids in the 1930's and 1940's. It's a fine gift for people that spent time in Coney Island when they were young and a fine read for people of all ages.
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