The American History Shelf

Heaven on the Hudson
Stephanie Azzarone, author
Robert F. Rodriguez, photographer
Empire State Editions
c/o Fordham University Press
45 Columbus Avenue, Rm 312, New York, NY 10023
www.fordhampress.com
9781531501006, $39.95, HC, 240pp

https://www.amazon.com/Heaven-Hudson-Mansions-Monuments-Riverside/dp/153150= 1001

Synopsis: To New York City outsiders or East Siders, Riverside Park and Riv= erside Drive may not have the star status of Fifth Avenue or Central Park W= est. But at the city's westernmost edge, there is a quiet and beauty like n= owhere else in all of New York. There are miles of mansions and monuments, = acres of flora, and a breadth of wildlife ranging from Peregrine falcons to=
goats. It's where the Gershwins and Babe Ruth once lived, William Randolph=
Hearst ensconced his paramour, and Amy Schumer owns a penthouse.

Told in the uniquely personal voice of longtime resident Stephanie Azzarone=
, "Heaven on the Hudson: Mansions, Monuments, and Marvels of Riverside Park=
" is the only New York City book that features the history, architecture, a=
nd personalities of this often overlooked neighborhood, from the eighteenth=
century through the present day.

Combining an extensively researched history of the area and its people with=
an engaging one-on-one guide to its sights, "Heaven on the Hudson" sheds n=
ew light on the initial development of Riverside Park and Riverside Drive, = the challenges encountered (from massive boulders to "maniacs") and the rea= sons why Riverside Drive never became the "new Fifth Avenue" that promoters=
anticipated.

From grand "country seats" to squatter settlements to multi-million-dollar = residences, "Heaven on the Hudson" follows the neighborhood's roller-coaste=
r highs and lows over time. Readers will discover a trove of architectural = and recreational highlights and hidden gems, including the Drive's only fre= estanding privately owned villa, a tomb that's not a tomb, and a sweet memo= rial to an eighteenth-century child.

Azzarone also tells the stories behind Riverside's notable and forgotten re= sidents, including celebrities, murderers, a nineteenth-century female MD w=
ho launched the country's first anti-noise campaign, and an Irish merchant = who caused a scandal by living with an Indian princess.

While much has been written about Central Park, little has focused exclusiv= ely on Riverside Drive and Riverside Park until now. "Heaven on the Hudson"=
is dedicated to sharing this West Side neighborhood's most special secrets=
, the ones that, without fail, bring both pleasure and peace in a city of m= ore than 8 million.

Critique: An impressively scripted local history embellished with thematica= lly relevant photography, "Heaven on the Hudson: Mansions, Monuments, and M= arvels of Riverside Park" is an extraordinarily informative and inherently = fascinating local history that would well served as a template for similar = histories of other local urban communities. Exceptionally well written, org= anized and presented, "Heaven on the Hudson: Mansions, Monuments, and Marve=
ls of Riverside Park" is unreservedly recommended for community and academi=
c library Architectural & Urban History collections. It should be noted for=
personal reading lists that it is also readily available in a digital book=
format (Kindle, $19.99).

Editorial Note #1: Stephanie Azzarone (https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephani= eazzarone) is a native New Yorker who has lived on Riverside Drive most of = her adult life. A former journalist (freelancer for the New York Times and = New York magazine, among others), she also ran an award-winning Manhattan p= ublic relations agency. Currently, she is studying for her tour guide certi= fication to share her knowledge of Upper West Side life along the Hudson Ri= ver with natives and tourists alike.

Editorial Note #2: Robert F. Rodriguez (https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertf= rodriguez) is a highly experienced visual journalist with extensive knowled=
ge in photo and video editing, web research, social media, creating photo c= omposites, producing video and photo galleries, web management, caption and=
headline writing and special projects.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

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(dot) com

Anyone wanting to submit books for review consideration can send them to:

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129

To submit reviews of any fiction or non-fiction books, email them to Frugal= muse (at) aol (dot) com (Be sure to include the book title, author, publish= er, publisher address, publisher website/phone number, 13-digit ISBN number=
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James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review

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