Author: Rosanna Abdilla
Island of Manhattan
New York City Skyline
Brooklyn Bridge
The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the most famous bridges in the world. Authors use it as their muse time and time again. Hart Crane writes a beautiful poem, “To Brooklyn Bridge,” celebrating and revering the miraculous work of engineering.
West End Avenue
Author Christopher Morley describes West End Avenue as a very average, residential, street in his work “West End Avenue.” He explains, “For thirty-five blocks it probably has the most uniform skyline of any avenue in New York” (585).
Coney Island 1900
Coney Island became a popular focus of writers. Sara Teasale references Coney Island in her poetry.
Rooftop Garden NYC
Rooftop gardens provide a sense of solace for the busy urban life of NYC. Rooftop gardens are home to brunch spots, restaurants, and clubs.
Sunsets NYC
Edna St. Vincent Millay’s “Recuerdo” describes the free-spirited lifestyle of gypsies in NYC in 1919. She describes the beautiful imagery of NYC, “And the sky went wan, and the wind came cold, / And the sun rose dripping, a bucketful of gold” (Lines 11-12).
Opium Den NYC
Pictured here is an opium den in 1900. In reality, opium smoking and opium dens were not lavish intellectual circles- many times they were dirty and crowded. Stephen Crane describes the appeal of opium in his work “Opium’s Varied Dreams.” Opium addiction became a reprieve from the aggression of New York. Stephen Crane illustrates …
Roof Top Garden 1900
Rooftop theatre in 1900. Djuna Barnes writes “Come Into the Roof Garden Maude” describing the beautiful and lavish rooftop gardens as an escape to the business of urban life: “Everything on, in and about a roof garden, from the little white and green match-stands to the wide spanning arches of red light, is an appeal. …