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Before And After
 
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Before And After [Paperback]

Thomas Beller (Author)
4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)

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Product Description

From Publishers Weekly

Michael Cunningham, Luc Sante and Jeanette Winterson take their place alongside newcomers Ariele Fierman and Said Shirazi in this collection of new reportage from high-watt literary types and up-and-comers. In the first half, completed just before September 11, Beller (The Sleep-Over Artist) gathers pieces that chronicle everything from kissing a cabdriver in the early hours of New Year's Day or joining a Monday night pool league to a group of poems written by people staying up all night for Chekhov tickets. The feel is definitively late '90s, and the city seems full of promise, romance and cash. The second half is devoted to essays about the attacks: a meditation on the eerie prescience of Don DeLillo's Underworld book jacket (and his oeuvre), Phillip Lopate's brief history of the towers and many first-person testimonials. Nifty graphics introduce each piece by zeroing in on the city neighborhood whence the report issues. While this is at least partly an instant book, the quality of the pieces is consistently high, and they feel authentic throughout. (Feb. 15)Forecast: Beller's high literary journalistic profile he edits Open City in addition to frequent writing for glossies and continued New York interest should convert to brisk sales. Look for Beller to begin doing talk shows as the book becomes the best-available-option for those wanting book-length stylized New York reportage, and for correspondingly increased traffic at www.mrbellersneighborhood.com, where many of the pieces originally appeared.

Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Kirkus Reviews

Brief and memorable epitomes of the urban encounter: a transporting collection.
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Customer Reviews

7 Reviews
5 star:
 (3)
4 star:
 (2)
3 star:
 (2)
2 star:    (0)
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Average Customer Review
4.1 out of 5 stars (7 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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3.0 out of 5 stars Vivid and True Tales, Jun 13 2010
By 
Jeffrey Swystun (Ottawa & New York) - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   
This review is from: Before And After (Paperback)
Drawn from the innovative website, Mr. Bellers Neighborhood, the stories capture the small details and the overwhelming environment of New York. Over fifty (very) short non-fiction stories reveal the intricate human relationships and connection with a city that can be highly impersonal or incredibly involving. The 'before' section goes back decades with author's observations and reflections on personal moments in time. New York in the 1970's has always been a fascinating period for me so I absorbed the related stories with relish. The standouts in this half of the book are The Tomkins Square Park Riot, Old Boilers and Old Men, Tom's Restaurant, and The Turtles in Central Park (I remember hearing about the turtle phenomena!). The pivot point is 9-11. The 'after' half captures the impact of the event and each story is gut-wrenching, emotive, and still surreal. This is an interesting compilation and a fine contribution to the history of New York. On a strange side note, I read the book while visiting my hometown of Winnipeg where coincidentally the book was printed.
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4.0 out of 5 stars Bravo Bryan Charles!, Sep 25 2002
By 
"helganpaul" (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Before And After (Paperback)
In this excellent collection of New York stories, Bryan Charles's is the standout by far. He describes how a mundane morning at work turned into a nightmare. If you want to know what it was like to be there, this is the story to read. The account of his escape from the Towers will make your heart pound. As time passes and this event takes on even greater historical importance, accademics and general readers alike will look to this story as the primary account of what happened in New York on 9/11.
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5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful book!!!, Aug 7 2002
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This review is from: Before And After (Paperback)
This is a book that shouldn't be missed. These stories are original, funny, smart, lovely, heartbreaking and real. Way to go, Thomas Beller. It's good to see editors who go out of their way to pay attention to the voices of their generation.
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