It would be difficult to reflect on the New York theater without summoning up the names of Fanny Brice, Irving Berlin, Barbra Streisand, Jerome Kern, Alan Menken, and Tony Kushner, to name a few. Jews on Broadway, by Stewart F. Lane (McFarland), reveals the history of how Jewish performers, directors, composers, lyricists, producers, and choreographers made a fundamental impact on Broadway over the last century. Taking us from their beginnings staging Yiddish productions on New York’s Lower East Side to their monumental rise both behind the scenes and onstage, this informative tome is filled with engaging anecdotes and details on some of the major Jewish legends of the American theater. Bravo!
Summer in the City: A Carrie Diaries Novel, by Candace Bushnell (Balzer & Bray), is the sequel to The Carrie Diaries. Summer can be a somewhat mesmerizing time in New York City. As the temperature rises, so does the materialization of all the eccentric characters, the wild parties, and the men who sweep Carrie off her feet. This sequel brings to light some revelations as Carrie navigates her way around the Big Apple, going from being a country “sparrow,” as Samantha Jones dubs her, to the person she always wanted to be. With her signature wit and sparkling humor, Bushnell reveals the irresistible story of how Carrie met Samantha and Miranda, and how a small-town girl turned into one of New York City’s most unforgettable icons, Carrie Bradshaw.
Jill Kargman firmly believes in Woody Allen’s magical equation: Comedy = Tragedy + Time. Her book Sometimes I Feel Like a Nut (William Morrow) is a wonderful collection of essays and observations based on Kargman’s family, her phobias, and her ability to use humor to get past life’s annoying obstacles, making those obstacles not only bearable but refreshingly funny. Kargman’s sense of humor is both edgy and addictive, even with the myriad breakups, lonely apartments, and illness. The assorted cast of characters is also unforgettable and delightfully absurd, yet everything about these tales is relatable. Kargman tackles issues big and small, all while remaining true to her nutty self and relying on her unique brand of comedy to make the best of everything that gets thrown her way.
The Social Climber’s Handbook, by Molly Jong-Fast (Villard), introduces us to Upper East Side socialite Daisy Greenbaum. Daisy is accustomed to the finer things—designer clothes, summers in the Hamptons, private school education for her daughters, and a staggeringly expensive Park Avenue apartment. But she finds her well-heeled lifestyle on very precarious footing after her husband, master of the universe Dick Greenbaum, learns about some shady dealings that threaten his position at The Bank. Refusing to allow her family to take that painful downhill ride on the social ladder, Daisy devises a madcap plan to eliminate anyone that gets in the way, from Dick’s boss all the way to nosy bloggers. As the Dow Jones begins to fall, the body count continues to rise, but can Daisy actually get away with murder?
