West Side Story
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • This novel disregards the play in every way.
  • Jason's Review
  • I give it 5 stars
  • It will blow your mind!
  • I ain't believin' this is still in print!!!
West Side Story
Irving Shulman
Manufacturer: Pocket
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0671725661

Customer Reviews:

1 out of 5 stars This novel disregards the play in every way........2007-01-10

When I first saw that they had made a novelization of West Side Story, I was thrilled. West Side Story is my all-time favorite musical, and possibly my favorite movie. Ever since I did the play I have been completely in love with it.

I just finished this book this afternoon, and I must say I was EXTREMELY dissapointed. The first act of the story was not horrible, but the second act, the MOST IMPORTANT part of the story, was completed in only 30 pages. The death of Riff and Bernardo was one paragraph total. Tony's character was comppletely off, and Anita wasn't much better (Which saddens me, because Anita is my favorite character in the play).
There were key elements of the play and movie that were much different in the book, and even though it is a novelization, they could have EASILY been written. The final scene was terrible as well. Tony's death was lifeless and boring in every possible way, and Maria's monologue was pretty sad as well. Every time I watch this movie it makes me cry. Many books make me cry. This book left me bored and strongly annoyed at how terrible it was.

I strongly considered giving this book 2 stars instead of 1, for the fact that it was still West Side Story in general. But I strongly look at details, and that's what makes the play great; the small things that make it a true tragedy. The good points of the play lacked in this book. To be blunt, it sucked. Obviously you can't novelize the dancing and singing, but you can do a better interpretation than this book.

If you are interested in reading this novel, then by all means, do.
But if you are a die-hard West Side Story fan like I am, I suggest not wasting your time. It's a sad excuse for the play, and disregards it in every way.

4 out of 5 stars Jason's Review.......2006-01-11

I really liked West Side Story because I love books about gangs. Also most books you can tell what's going to happen in the end but this book was a huge surprise for me. Actually when I was in the middle of this book I went out and bought a copy of the movie.
West Side Story is about a gang called the Jets who really hates a gang called the Sharks because they are Puerto Rican. The Jets feel that the PRs invaded America and they don't like it so they try and give the PR's a good kicking whenever they get the chance. But what happens when the ex-leader of the Jets falls in love with a PR? Then they have an all-out rumble to see who's the toughest one and too see whom gets to own the street. Will any one be able to stop the rumble before it goes to far?
I think readers who would like this book is someone who likes books about gangs like The Outsiders.

5 out of 5 stars I give it 5 stars.......2003-05-21

Personally I think that this is proboly the best book I have ever read. This Story tells a tale based on a modern day Romeo and Juliet. Although the story is based on the dramatic story Romeo and Juliet, I find A West Side Story well writen and very touching. The book is set in New York City, and tells how two rival gangs (the Jets, and Sharks). The 2 gangs are fighting over a section of the city. When one member of the Sharks finds love in one of the Jets' sister, the Jet gets very angry. In a street fight the Shark kills his lovers' brother, the shark retreats to a local hide out. later that night the Shark is gunned down by a rival gang member. In the end the 2 gans realize that there is no reason to fight. I love the book.

5 out of 5 stars It will blow your mind!.......2002-06-04

West Side Story by Irving Shulman is an excellent book about two rival street gangs in New York City. The Jets are the white gang; the Sharks are the Puerto Ricans. Barnardo, the leader of the Sharks, has a younger sister named Maria. Problems arise when Maria falls in love with Tony, a member of the Jets. I've seen the movie and read the book. I love them both.

5 out of 5 stars I ain't believin' this is still in print!!!.......2002-04-07

One big difference between a novel that is made into a movie and a novelization of an existing movie is that you can take the thing to work enjoy during lunch. I mean, the actual story you saw onscreen. Also, it's still there in the bookcase years later. The problem is that novelizations normally go out of print almost as soon as the second-run theaters stop running the flick. Maybe there's a new edition if the networks run the film, usually not. If not for the title, it would be too easy to write this book off based on its shortness, but you have to remember that the story itself only covers a few days. Also, in this book, our cast gets last names that aren't in the stage production or the film: Riff Lorton, Tony Wyzek, Bernardo and Maria Nunez, Chino Martin. One adult gets a real name--youth center operator Murray Benowitz--we used to only know him as "Glad Hand". Drugstore owner Doc doesn't get one, though. The cops--Schrank and Krupke--don't get first names either. One other thing this book proves--Jerome Preisler and Jack Gregory didn't invent the reverse process of the bringing of a story from the screen to the page. Like the play and the movie, this one is simple, but it's great.
Asbury Park: A West Side Story - A Pictorial Journey Through the Eyes of Joseph A. Carter, Sr
Average customer rating: Not rated
    Asbury Park: A West Side Story - A Pictorial Journey Through the Eyes of Joseph A. Carter, Sr
    Madonna Carter Jackson
    Manufacturer: Outskirts Press
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Paperback

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    ASIN: 159800963X

    Book Description



    Negatives Expose Positive Images

    A photographer's daughter preserved her father's archive of hundreds of black and white negatives. The Images are of a media neglected population of people living in Asbury Park, New Jersey's West Side. She shares her memories about the people and places captured in the photographs that were taken almost seventy years ago.

    The Author/Photographer Madonna Carter Jackson has selected over 200 photographs that document the varied influences, innumerous contributions of social, civic, and community pride. You will see an amazing visual display of pictures from the 1940's through 1980, some of streets and avenues that no longer exist in the one square mile town on the Jersey coast. Readers of all ages will enjoy and relate to the reminiscing and will without a doubt, have memories of their own sparked by the display of nostalgia regardless of where they live. African American's sought to find a better life during this period, and you will be able to see life being lived lovely through this pictorial journey as seen through the camera lens of Joseph A. Carter, Sr. (1917-1980)
    West Side Story: Vocal Selections
    Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    • West Side Vocal Score
    • For the intermediate
    • Great transcription of the full score
    • West Side Story is Fabulous
    West Side Story: Vocal Selections

    Manufacturer: Leonard Bernstein Music Publishing Co.
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Paperback

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    ASIN: 0634046756

    Book Description

    We are proud to present this songbook featuring 8 piano/vocal selections from this timeless musical by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim. Includes these classic songs: America * Cool * I Feel Pretty * Maria * One Hand, One Heart * Something's Coming * Somewhere * Tonight.

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars West Side Vocal Score.......2007-09-18

    If you want to play/arrange/orchestrate or simply see the genius of Berstein, this is the way to go. As an arranger, I needed reference to orchestrate a West Side Story Medley for a show, and I'm not talking your regular "standard" tunes. This vocal score is also a piano reduction of the orchestrations and was aboslutely what I needed. You can see nearly every instrument line, counter melody, even instrument indications. This was the best $50.00 I may have every spent. Saved me hours and hours of trying to "lift" off the lines. They were all there, even for the dance sections from Cool & The Rumble, which is what I really needed. Don't hestitate if you're looking for the real Berstein stuff!

    4 out of 5 stars For the intermediate.......2006-12-28

    The book is medium-it isn't an easy book you only play once and then you're bored, but it isn't very difficult. Some of the arrangements are needlessly crazy, but some are well done. A piano player of about 3-5 years is about the right level.

    5 out of 5 stars Great transcription of the full score.......2006-04-21

    If you're looking for a faithful translation from the full score, this is the one. This score is based on Bernstein latest revision as reflected in the Carreras Te Kanawa recording (1985).

    But be warned, this score is only for upper-intermediate/advanced pianist, classically trained. It's not a fakebook, it's not a simplified/reduced piano score for casual use. The arrangement gives two alternatives for playing some part of the song, and you can choose to play it the hard way or the easier way (which is still rather difficult). The hard way is of course the most faithful to the orchestral score.

    For example, the dance part in "America" can be played by using single notes of the left hands rather than using full chord, which is great if you're trying to cope with the tempo. The arrangement for the slow pieces such as "one hand one heart", "maria", "tonight", and "somewhere" is really beautiful.

    Tip: Listen to the "west side story" conducted by Bernstein himself to get a grasp of the tempo, dynamics and phrasing.

    5 out of 5 stars West Side Story is Fabulous.......2000-04-12

    The music from West Side Story is captivating, and I love being able to relive it again and again. Hearing the music from the show takes you back to the story of a modern-day Romeo and Juliet.
    Romeo and Juliet and West Side Story
    Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    • Dancin and Singin in the streets
    • A logical pairing of 2 great theatrical works
    • Jeany's review
    • romeo and juliet
    • romeo and juliet
    Romeo and Juliet and West Side Story

    Manufacturer: Laurel Leaf
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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    ASIN: 0440974836
    Release Date: 1965-08-15

    Book Description

    The tragedy of love thwarted by fate has always intrigued writers.  In the sixteenth century, William Shakespeare took this theme and fashioned one of the world's great plays: Romeo And Juliet.  In our own time, Shakespeare's drama has been used as a basis for the overwhelmingly successful musical play West Side Story.  Though one of these works is set among the nobility of Verona, and the other among immigrant families of New York's West Side, both tell the story of the plight of young star-crossed" lovers.



    As Norris Houghton writes in his introduction: "What we see is that all four young people strive to consummate the happiness at the threshold on which they stand and which they have tasted so briefly.  All four are deprived of the opportunity to do so, the Renaissance couple by the caprice of fate, today's youngsters by the prejudice and hatred engendered around them....



    "Poets and playwrights will continue to write of youthful lovers whom fate drives into and out of each other's lives.  The spectacle will always trouble and move us, even as the two dramas in this volume do today."

    Customer Reviews:

    4 out of 5 stars Dancin and Singin in the streets.......2004-04-22

    I liked the movie. I admit, yes this teen, has a soundtrack of west side story. I found the movie very funny when the guys where singing and dancing but admittedly I cried at the end. This story was very good.

    5 out of 5 stars A logical pairing of 2 great theatrical works.......2002-12-06

    This is two books in one: the text of William Shakespeare's tragedy "Romeo and Juliet" and the text of "West Side Story," the 20th century musical with a book by Arthur Laurents and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. The book also includes an introduction by Norris Houghton, who notes, among other things, that WSS is based on R&J. Each text tells the story of a love affair between a young woman and a young man who are caught between warring factions.

    I find it stimulating and useful to have these two pieces, linked in theme but separated by centuries, together in one volume. Each is a great text on its own, but having them together may help the reader to see each piece in a different light. One of the things I find most striking as one moves from R&J to WSS is how the latter text adds the element of ethnic tension to the fundamental story of "star-crossed lovers."

    R&J is more than just a classic piece of literature; it's also a touchstone of pop culture (hey, it's even been incorporated into a "Brady Bunch" episode!). Despite the passage of centuries, I find Shakespeare's portrayal of the joy and pain of forbidden love to remain relevant and compelling. And R&J holds up as a reader's text, even with the availability of filmed versions. I think that WSS, being a musical play, naturally loses some impact as a text strictly on the page, but nevertheless I found it a rewarding reader's text also. One might try listening to a CD of WSS's songs as an accompaniment to reading the text.

    To supplement WSS's portrayal of urban Puerto Ricans, I recommend that interested readers seek out some writings by "Nuyorican" authors; to start with, try Roberto Santiago's illuminating anthology "Boricuas: Influential Puerto Rican Writings."

    4 out of 5 stars Jeany's review.......2002-08-10

    Romeo & Juliet

    Romeo and Juliet is written by William Shakespeare, it contains lots of old English(reason why I find it difficult to read it). It is a very tragic story that took place in Old Verona, Italy. As all tragic stories, it has a tragic heroe (person who suffers a big problem as a result of his deffects), in this case there are two tragic heroes, Romeo and Juliet. They died because they didn't know how to control their inapproppriated love, by inapproppriated I mean that their love couldn't be permited because their familes hated each other more than death . The story has been adapted into many stories, plays, Etc. The best character is the Nurse. The only one who expresses her feellings without hidding them.

    3 out of 5 stars romeo and juliet.......2002-08-03

    This book was written by William Shakespeare and it has the old language. Romeo and Juliet is a tragic story, interesting, full of problems and the story is attractive. The story is about 2 families that are in a feud. The families are Capulet and Montague. Romeo Montague is a boy who is very romantic. He falls in love with Juliet Capulet. Romeo tries to be with Juliet and Juliet too but because of the feud they can't be together. The pair have friends who help them. Many deaths are involved in the story. After the problems they plan to be together. In the end the pair dies because of love.

    3 out of 5 stars romeo and juliet.......2002-08-03

    This book was written by William Shakespeare and it has the old language. Romeo and Juliet is a tragic story, interesting, full of problems and the story is attractive. The story is about 2 families that are in a feud. The families are Capulet and Montague. Romeo Montague is a boy who is very romantic. He falls in love with Juliet Capulet. Romeo tries to be with Juliet and Juliet too but because of the feud they can't be together. The pair have friends who help them. Many deaths are involved in the story. After the problems they plan to be together. In the end the pair dies because of love.
    Blood and Thunder: The Epic Story of Kit Carson and the Conquest of the American West
    Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    • Blood and Thunder
    • An entertaining and rewarding read.
    • Bury My Soul With the Navajo
    • Blood and Thunder
    • Sometimes One-Sided and Misleading
    Blood and Thunder: The Epic Story of Kit Carson and the Conquest of the American West
    Hampton Sides
    Manufacturer: Anchor
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Paperback

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    ASIN: 1400031109
    Release Date: 2007-10-09

    Book Description

    In the summer of 1846, the Army of the West marched through Santa Fe, en route to invade and occupy the Western territories claimed by Mexico. Fueled by the new ideology of “Manifest Destiny,” this land grab would lead to a decades-long battle between the United States and the Navajos, the fiercely resistant rulers of a huge swath of mountainous desert wilderness.

    In Blood and Thunder, Hampton Sides gives us a magnificent history of the American conquest of the West. At the center of this sweeping tale is Kit Carson, the trapper, scout, and soldier whose adventures made him a legend. Sides shows us how this illiterate mountain man understood and respected the Western tribes better than any other American, yet willingly followed orders that would ultimately devastate the Navajo nation. Rich in detail and spanning more than three decades, this is an essential addition to our understanding of how the West was really won.

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars Blood and Thunder.......2007-10-09

    This is a highly readable and comprehensive account of the adult life and times of Kit Carson and the people/places he touched. It's not a biography, but a series of vignettes documenting his involvement in a variety of professions -- from mountain man to military man -- as the needs of the West evolved. There's a great deal of information about Carson's contemporaries as well. I read the book with a map of New Mexico at hand to more closely identify the places mentioned. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in Western history, including the several battles of the Civil War fought in New Mexico.

    4 out of 5 stars An entertaining and rewarding read........2007-10-03

    I came upon this book in searching for an understanding of the historical period in which Cormac McCarthy's masterpiece Blood Meridian is set - the SW of North America in the early to mid-19th century. The book's central theme is the life and times of Kit Carson coupled with the demise of the Navajos in the face of the onslaught of American expansion. Nonetheless, in setting these themes in context, the book addresses all the forces that bore upon them - from the relationship of the early trappers with indigenous society to the seizure of New Mexico and California - in fascinating and enlightening detail. The book is scholarly and authoritative - although there was a complete absence of reference numbers in the text itself to tie in with notes at the back of the book. Even had these been inserted, more detailed references would have better exploited the enormous amount of original research clearly conducted by the author.

    The style is informal with a turn of phrase that occasionally touches on the cliche. Still, for all this it is a highly readable, entertaining and vivid account. Perhaps a little hagiographic at times, but then Carson was an extraordinarily self-contained and capable man of principle and character.

    In all, this is a highly rewarding book that vividly portrays the broad vistas, horrors, tragedies, heroics and sheer physical hardships that marked the clash of civilisation in America's South West. A great read.

    5 out of 5 stars Bury My Soul With the Navajo.......2007-09-26

    If you want to dare look into a horror that can haunt you, read this heart stabbing book. It sheds light on the history of the American west and the US government's heartless to destory a people. The details of Kit Carson are as perplexing as mankind is troubling. I also recommend two other books along the same lines: On the Trail of the Pony Express and especially Walking the Trail, One Man's Journey Along the Cherokee Trail of Tears, both by Cherokee author Jerry Ellis. Ellis was the first person in modern history to walk the 900 mile route of the Trail of Tears and the book is a Native American classic, nominated for a Pulitzer and National Book Award.

    5 out of 5 stars Blood and Thunder.......2007-09-20

    A really exceptional book. It covers one of the most interesting series of events in the history of America with complexity and insight.

    3 out of 5 stars Sometimes One-Sided and Misleading.......2007-09-10

    As I read through this book, I was amazed that very detailed research had been done and that both sides of the many stories/events had been told. I was severely disappointed when I read chapter 40 - The Children of the Mist when the description and events leading to, during, and after the Mountain Meadows Massacre. The author would like the casual reader to think that the whole event was endorsed by the then President of the LDS Church, Brigham Young. In my personal research, this is far from the case - the presidency of the church at that time would have never approved an act such as that. I would like to note that Mr. Sides did not give any references for quotes by Brigham Young or notes to what happened to the actual ringleaders of the massacre. This was a horrible event and the story needs to be told in the right context. These missing references make me question the quality of the real research that went into the book on a whole.
    Dance on the Wild Side: A True Story of Love Between Man and Woman and Wilderness
    Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    • Great Read!
    • had to put down Hemingway's last for Cheek's latest
    Dance on the Wild Side: A True Story of Love Between Man and Woman and Wilderness
    Roland Cheek , and Jane Cheek
    Manufacturer: Skyline Publishing (MT)
    ProductGroup: Book
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    ASIN: 0918981050

    Book Description

    I'm distressed by the idea of Jane wanting to compete in a man's world. That's the way my wife refers to her growing enchantment in outdoors adventure. The idea infuriates me. I understand that anyone who really is anyone must struggle with everday problems and relationships. I realize love must be learned and earned, and that it can be lost through mistakes or choices made or not made during life. Some might applaud the thought of a lady determined to become her "own woman" in a man's world. Not me. What bothers me is not that my petite wife of more than four decades wants to compete in outdoors proficiency, but where in in hell does anyone get the idea that all in nature belongs to men? This book, then, is about two people in love, sharing a life of exciting adventure--and growing in the process. In reality, it's about any couple over forty who lived and loved and shared and struggled to live the kind of life they wanted. What makes this story especially remarkable is how many times this couple fell on their butts while doing it.

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars Great Read!.......2007-03-02

    Roland Cheek is the ultimate story teller! I have just reread this book.... it is that good! This well-written autobiography gets you from the first hello, and you can't put it down! Roland tells the stories of their lives, the valley and mountain-top experiences, how they went from making a living to building a beautiful life together...... showing others how to get the most out of life.

    5 out of 5 stars had to put down Hemingway's last for Cheek's latest.......1999-09-07

    Very well written. Lots of humor. An outdoorsman's dream come true, and a product of alot of hard work.
    The Near Northwest Side Story: Migration, Displacement, and Puerto Rican Families
    Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    • Great Book
    The Near Northwest Side Story: Migration, Displacement, and Puerto Rican Families
    Gina Perez
    Manufacturer: University of California Press
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Paperback

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    ASIN: 0520233689

    Book Description

    In The Near Northwest Side Story, Gina M. Pérez offers an intimate and unvarnished portrait of Puerto Rican life in Chicago and San Sebastian, Puerto Rico--two places connected by a long history of circulating people, ideas, goods, and information. Pérez's masterful blend of history and ethnography explores the multiple and gendered reasons for migration, why people maintain transnational connections with distant communities, and how poor and working-class Puerto Ricans work to build meaningful communities.
    Pérez traces the changing ways that Puerto Ricans have experienced poverty, displacement, and discrimination and illustrates how they imagine and build extended families and dense social networks that link San Sebastian to barrios in Chicago. She includes an incisive analysis of the role of the state in shaping migration through such projects as the Chardon Plan, Operation Bootstrap, and the Chicago Experiment. The Near Northwest Side Story provides a unique window on the many strategies people use to resist the negative consequences of globalization, economic development, and gentrification.

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars Great Book.......2007-07-05

    This is a wonderful book, with a focus on Puerto Ricans in Chicago. Content includes various experiences, histories, and analysis of current situations (housing, jobs, culture) in the Chicago area.
    Upper West Side Story: A History and Guide
    Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
    • Excellent
    • Eye-opening and Insightful
    Upper West Side Story: A History and Guide
    Peter Salwen
    Manufacturer: Abbeville Press
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Hardcover

    GeneralGeneral | State & Local | United States | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
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    ASIN: 0896598942

    Book Description

    NEWLY AVAILABLE BY POPULAR DEMAND. First published in 1989, this beloved book is the definitive account of one of New York City's most fascinating and diverse neighborhoods, Manhattan's Upper West Side, from the Colonial era and the Revolution -- when George Washington fought the British in the Battle of Harlem Heights -- through the 19th century, when small villages dotted the rustic landscape, to the ups and downs of boom and bust, development and decline, and ultimate rebirth as New York's favorite place to dine and dwell.

    In "Upper West Side Story" you'll meet a host of America's most fascinating characters: authors (F. Scott Fitzgerald, Theodore Dreiser, Jack Kerouac, J.D. Salinger), actors (Lillian Russell, Marie Dressler, Humphrey Bogart, James Dean), composers (George M. Cohan, Irving Berlin, Richard Rodgers), and criminals (Dutch Schultz, Frank Costello, and Willie Sutton, who would recall the heist at an Upper West Side bank as "one of the robberies I most enjoyed"), and one-of-a-kind characters (such as Diamond Jim Brady, Polly Adler, and Edward "Daddy" Browning and his child-bride "Peaches").

    Above all, this book evokes a special place, where the gracious architecture of a bygone era forms the backdrop to today's ever-shifting social and intellectual scene. "Upper West Side Story" fills in the missing pieces, enriching the physical streetscape with three centuries' worth of intriguing and unexpected incidents and personalities.

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars Excellent.......2002-04-30

    This is an excellent book with many interesting photographs. It is well-written, and a joy to read. If you love New York, this book will make you love it more!

    4 out of 5 stars Eye-opening and Insightful.......1999-01-30

    History that reads like good fiction. For any native New Yorker, this book is more like seeing your family tree for the first time than studying history. Incredible historical photographs of the area and the era gone by.
    Near West Side Stories: Struggles for Community in Chicago's Maxwell Street Neighborhood (Illinois)
    Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    • Lost Relations and Memories Found
    • not read it yet but will
    • Humanizes the long struggle to save this great neighborhood.
    • A Gem!
    Near West Side Stories: Struggles for Community in Chicago's Maxwell Street Neighborhood (Illinois)
    Carolyn Eastwood
    Manufacturer: Lake Claremont Press
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Paperback

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    Similar Items:
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    2. A Place of My Own: The Education of an Amateur Builder A Place of My Own: The Education of an Amateur Builder

    ASIN: 1893121097

    Book Description

    Harold, Florence, Nate, and Hilda Dragon Slayers at Halsted and Roosevelt

    "You could be St. George and you couldn't slay that dragon," said Florence Scala. She was referring to her epic fight to preserve the Italian Taylor Street community from Mayor Richard J. Daley's plan to redevelop it for the University of Illinois. Yet, Scala and other ordinary citizens in Chicago's port-of-entry Near West Side neighborhood persisted in their extraordinary battles against some of the biggest power players in a city of clout.

    "Near West Side Stories: Struggles For Community in Chicago's Maxwell Street Neighborhood" is an ongoing story of unequal power in Chicago. Four representatives of immigrant and migrant groups that have had a distinct territorial presence in the area--one Jewish, one Italian, one African-American, and one Mexican--reminisce fondly on life in the old neighborhood and tell of their struggles to save it and the 120-year-old Maxwell Street Market that was at its core.

    "Near West Side Stories" brings this saga of community strife up to date, while giving a voice to the everyday people who were routinely discounted or ignored in the big decisions that affected their world. Though "slaying that dragon"--fending off the encroachments of those wielding great power--was nearly impossible, we see in the details of their lives the love for a place that compelled Harold, Florence, Nate, and Hilda to make the quest.

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars Lost Relations and Memories Found.......2007-04-20

    This book was great, My sister found her aunt Yvonne Kyler in this book and it reminded me of so many places and things I had forgotten,, my family lived on 14th st. and my uncle and aunt owned a junk business on Obrien and later on Union after the Dan Ryan forced us to leave. What a trip down Memory lane

    5 out of 5 stars not read it yet but will.......2004-07-15

    Mrs Eastwood was my Cultural Anthropology professor a few years ago and she is an amazing woman. I intend on reading the book soon when I get back to the States. I am sure this book is facinating!

    5 out of 5 stars Humanizes the long struggle to save this great neighborhood........2003-06-18

    This book is billed as an "oral history," which it is, but it is much more than that. First, the author provides extensive background about each of the four urban ethnic enclaves her interview subjects then go on to describe from their personal perspectives. Second, she has selected four truly remarkable people, activists in every sense of the word. Third, she has created a narrative based on multiple interviews and letters that manages to present a clear, readable and appealing story while retaining the authentic voices of her four subjects. Though intended to be representative of the four key ethnic groups that occupied Chicago's Maxwell Street neighborhood for its last 100 years (Eastern European Jews, Italians, southern African-Americans and Mexicans), the four interview subjects are each fascinating individuals in their own right. Taking nothing away from them, Eastwood doesn't give herself enough credit for producing such compelling tales.

    5 out of 5 stars A Gem!.......2002-06-26

    Maxwell Street, known to many in films like "The Blues Brothers" was a unique Chicago gathering place. Carolyn Eastwood captures the spirit and energy of this rich tapestry of Chicago life, that has slipped into history. Thankfully, her book preserves the voices and stories of that era.
    The Making of West Side Story (The Great Broadway Musicals)
    Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    • Very helpful backstage story
    • Very helpful backstage story
    • inquiry into creative collaboration
    • An interesting view of the Best Broadway Musical
    The Making of West Side Story (The Great Broadway Musicals)
    Keith Garebian
    Manufacturer: Mosaic Press (NY)
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Paperback

    Broadway & MusicalsBroadway & Musicals | Theater | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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    ASIN: 0889626529

    Customer Reviews:

    4 out of 5 stars Very helpful backstage story.......2002-07-09

    As I was writing a term paper about Broadway musicals a few years ago, I found The Making of West Side Story very helpful to my research. The book tells about the creation of the idea by Jerome Robbins and the subsequent collaboration with Leonard Bernstein, Arthur Laurents, and Stephen Sondheim. It tells of deep research into gang warfare, of grueling rehearsals with the oft-cold Robbins (in constrast to the gentler Bernstein), and of startled reactions to this unusual musical. It gives great insights into the motivations of the characters, the construction of the plot, and the choices of the lyrics and tunes.

    My only complaint is that this book gives no proper respect to the excellent movie version; it refuses to allow for the differences between the stage and the screen. (Note: I did see the 1979 Broadway revival, as well as high school productions, and have enjoyed the movie umpteen times.) Otherwise, The Making of West Side Story is highly recommended.

    4 out of 5 stars Very helpful backstage story.......2002-07-09

    As I was writing a term paper about Broadway musicals a few years ago, I found The Making of West Side Story very helpful to my research. The book tells about the creation of the idea by Jerome Robbins and the subsequent collaboration with Leonard Bernstein, Arthur Laurents, and Stephen Sondheim. It tells of deep research into gang warfare, of grueling rehearsals with the oft-cold Robbins (in constrast to the gentler Bernstein), and of startled reactions to this unusual musical. My only complaint about this book is that it gives no proper respect to the movie version; it refuses to allow for the differences between the stage and the screen. Otherwise, highly recommended.

    3 out of 5 stars inquiry into creative collaboration.......2002-02-21

    This is an interesting account of how a team put together a provocative and innovative musical tragedy, bucking the trend of syrupy and simpler musicals for 1950s Broadway. Leonard Bernstein (for music), Stephen Sondheim (for lyrics) and Jerome Robbins (dance and direction) formed the nucleus, but there were also a playwrite, and other specialists and actors who all collaborated. The principals took a substantial risk in their budding careers and forged ahead confident of their inventiveness. The result is Broadway history, which opened the way to treating a myriad of other socially relevant subjects in later years. Though the music is what is remembered best now, it is truly a multi-media event that was pioneering in its time.

    I read this because I am writing teaching materials for business execs to study, as a case of effective, if unorthodox, management. That is only one of the many many levels n which it can be read. The author offers a wonderful panorama of the dance, music, and acting that was current - and changed by this musical tradegy - at the time.

    It appears that Garebian used only written sources to write this. As many of the participants were alive at least during the lat decade, this limits the account in unfortunate ways. But is it well written and a spur to read more elsewhere.

    If you are interested, I would recommend this. If not, go to the biographies of the participants. Nonetheless, it is a solid view into a unique collaboration.

    4 out of 5 stars An interesting view of the Best Broadway Musical.......2000-06-15

    Maybe this title is the latest and best modern view of "West Side Story". Amazing and surprise you'll have spending your time reading it.

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