New York Sawed in Half
Joel Rose
2001
160 pages
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This was a Christmas present from my good friend Rochelle, who knows I like to read books about places I’m going.
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This is a book about a hoax that might have been a hoax.
A retired New York Centre Market butcher once told his nephew that back in the 1820s, he and a friend had convinced a group of people of their plan to saw Manhattan in half, tow it out to sea, turn it around, tow it back and reattach it, thereby solving the problem of the populous bottom portion of the island being too heavy and sinking into the ocean. They were so convincing that hundreds of poor laborers and immigrants showed up to sign on for the project.
Thing is, the retired butcher may have just made up the whole story to entertain his nephew, who was collecting historical stories of New York for a book.
Whatever the case, Rose takes the story and recreates it as if it really did happen (while still acknowledging that it most likely did not), interspersing his tale with all sorts of historical facts about life in New York in the early 1800s. What was interesting was that Rose provided more detail about some things that were mentioned in the other New York book I recently read, Edward Rutherfurd’s New York. For example, Rose goes into detail about the origins of the Five Points area, and how it came to be a giant slum for immigrants. He also talks about how hoaxes were a big deal at this time, using Barnum especially as an example. Even though people knew that many of his shows were fakes, they still paid good money to be fooled.
This book ended up being a great compliment to New York, especially since one is ridiculously long and the other is so short. It also works for my New York Challenge…don’t forget to submit your reviews by the 15th!
Sounds interesting. People are still falling for hoaxes, just different kinds these days.
And then there’s the whole obsession with “reality” tv…I look at a lot of that as a type of hoax.
What a strange story! I’ve never heard that before, and it sounds absolutely impossible. Very strange.
The section where they describe the saws that would be used was hilarious.
Horray! I knew the New York Challenge would surface this book.
Glad it was a fun, well, and kinda weird, read!
Sometimes it takes me awhile, but I eventually get to my books.
What an unusual hoax. I would be interested to read this. It looks like my dream of going to New York might actually come true. Hubby is looking to take me and the girls near Christmas.Yay!
.-= vivienne´s last blog ..Monday Mailbox – last for a while I promise! =-.
Hooray! That’ll be fun to be there before Christmas.
I’ve got two NY books on the go right now that are kinda related to things your book review mentions: Ellen Bryson’s The Transformation of Bartholomew Fortuno which is about Fortuno the thinnest man in the world during his time in Barnum’s show — it’s really good so far, but I’m not sure how historically accurate it is. The other is Gangs of New York, the novel that the movie was based on — loving this one and from what I understand it’s pretty much perfect in retelling the history of the five Burroughs.
.-= Joanne´s last blog ..Review ♦ Would You =-.
Ooh, I feel like this type of book is becoming more popular now- speculating on what may have happened if certain stories were true. Ana just reviewed a Jack the Ripper GN that has a similar “if this really happened” premise.
.-= Aarti´s last blog ..Review: The Sparrow =-.
This is such a unique story, and one that I hadn’t heard of before. It sounds like ti made for some really interesting reading for you! Based on your description, this sounds like a book I would really enjoy. Are you going to be reading Brooklyn by Colm Toibin for this challenge as well??
.-= zibilee´s last blog ..Arcadia Falls by Carol Goodman – 368 pgs =-.
Oh good that you reminded me about The New York Challenge. I coincidentally just finished and reviewed a book set in New York. I wonder if I could submit that review? I think I will!
I say we resurrect this hoax and try to pull it off!
.-= Jenners´s last blog ..Question of the Week: Acquiring Books =-.
This sounds like a really fun book. I’m always amazed by the hoaxes people fall for but I suspect that falling for something like this reveals more about their wants and desires than about their intelligence.
.-= Kristen´s last blog ..Review: Venetia Kelly’s Traveling Show by Frank Delaney =-.
A hoax that may have been a hoax — huh! Definitely sounds interesting. I love reading books about places I’m going, too. (And I’ll be in New York soon! Woo!)
.-= Meg´s last blog ..Book review: ‘On Folly Beach’ by Karen White =-.
Sounds good- I will have to pick this up!
Also, I got my package!! LOVE it. It took Joe (my bf) down memory lane because he lived in NYC for 4 years… it totally makes me want to take a 3 hours drive just to do a little book shopping
~Jenna
.-= Jenna´s last blog ..settled? =-.
ooh, an urban legend wrapped in another urban legend – I like the twists (and the true history, of course!)
.-= Dawn – She is Too Fond of Books´s last blog ..Weekend Cooking: *A Tale of Two Marthas* =-.
The story sounds like something my cousin would make up.
He creates these elaborate stories and people actually believe him. Like the lowering of tourists on donkey’s by pulley in the Grand Canyon.
.-= Literary Feline´s last blog ..Spotlight Series Review: Hard Rain Falling by Don Carpenter =-.