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I very rarely buy or read short stories, but almost against my will, I bought BROOKLYN NOIR. I bought it because the title was compelling, the cover intriguing, the blurbs (Laura Lippman and Tim Cockey among them) convincing, and the small press (Akashic Books) curious. It is a book of original short stories written by Brooklynites of the first degree, each set in a different neighborhood and featuring the unique demographics, social issues and culture of that neighborhood. There is a map of the borough showing each of the neighborhoods marked with a body. As I read the stories, I thought about the Brooklyn neighborhoods that I knew: where I ate my first egg roll and learned to skate on Avenue A in Flatbush, stayed in a tony Park Slope apartment, and years later necked with my husband at Coney Island. If you love New York City, regional mysteries, short stories, or noir, you'll love this book. The book is organized into three sections, each with five stories. The first section, Old School Brooklyn includes one by Pete Hamill where the character returns to the neighborhood where he grew up -- a successful author slumming a book store for a signing -- and encounters his past. The sense of loss in this section is palpable. You can see it in the decline of the houses, in the eyes of those caught in space and time, in the traditions that make no sense in a modern world. The loss of what was and what might have been and the atonement for past wrongs and violence against self as punishment are reflected in almost every story. The mysteries of New School Brooklyn reflect change and transition -- of neighborhoods and new ethnic groups that have strengthened and diversified the streets. You'll find stories of Brownsville Puerto Ricans, a punk white boy inserting himself into Crown Height's Jamaican culture, stories of drugs, gangs, rappers, the new popularity of Coney Island and Internet stalking in upscale Brooklyn Heights. The pace of these stories is fast, with a strong musical beat, sometimes Latin, sometimes Caribbean and always undeniable. Section three is called Cops and Robbers and these stories seem to echo themes of deceit and betrayal. Unexpected twists and turns in love, political alliance and between partners spill out over Bay Ridge, Bensonhurst, Bed-Stuy and Greenpoint. The final section, Backwater Brooklyn, has stories set in East New York, Ireland, Bushwick and Brighton Beach -- all small jewels of Brooklyn neighborhoods, pockets of invisible people with invisible lives. Hold this book in your hands and enjoy the cover with its perfect leg in a perfect black pump poised over a dirty Brooklyn manhole cover, trash whirling in the wind. Fan the pages and feel the mysteries of this old and unique New York borough leap into your mind. Read the stories and dream.
Reviewed by Maureen Battistella, September 2004
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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)
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