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City of Dreams: A Novel of Nieuw Amsterdam and Early Manhattan

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burlgirl
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City of Dreams: A Novel of Nieuw Amsterdam and Early Manhattan

Post by burlgirl » Fri February 26th, 2010, 11:26 pm

I've just started this and it looks very promising. Granted, I live in upstate New York, near Saratoga, so this could be pretty interesting just because it's sorta my back yard.

Has anyone else read this? No spoilers yet, please.

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Divia
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Post by Divia » Fri February 26th, 2010, 11:54 pm

I havent read it. But I am also an upstate girl, eh more like Central New York gal. :D
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Misfit
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Post by Misfit » Sat February 27th, 2010, 12:29 am

This is the Beverly Swirling one right? I'm very much in the minority on this one, it was a DNF. I didn't like the fast jumps into the future just when I was getting involved with some characters. Then I began to like the newer ones less and less and I bailed.
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Ash
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Post by Ash » Sat February 27th, 2010, 12:46 am

Oh I loved it! I read it soon after my first trip to Manhattan, and having never known the history, was fascinated by the scope of what I read. Even aside from the history, the story itself, the characters, the writing are all superb. That being said I haven't been able to get into her other books, but this one for me was a definite winner.

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lindymc
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Post by lindymc » Sat February 27th, 2010, 1:51 pm

Burlgirl - I have read all three "City of....." books by Swerling, and really enjoyed them all.
She is too fond of books, and it has turned her brain. (1873) -- Louisa May Alcott

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diamondlil
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Post by diamondlil » Sun February 28th, 2010, 10:44 am

Another fan here. Didn't like Shadowbrook, which is part of the series too, but I still haven't managed to read City of God. Will do one day.

I think there is a review in the review section, and there is a Beverly Swerling thread as well.
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burlgirl
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Post by burlgirl » Sun February 28th, 2010, 5:59 pm

Thanks everyone. I just started section 2, about the next generation, and I have to agree that I was sad to leave the 2 main characters that I grew fond of. I think the book jumped like 50 years into the future. Rats!

I started reading this after finding it my TBR pile, and after I had read the September 2009 issue of National Geographic which had a a really, really neat article about what Manhattan looked like when Henry Hudson first discovered it, then maps from the Revolutionary war, and reconstructions of famous sites (like Times Square) in thier natural state. There's an interesting web site on it here: http://themannahattaproject.org/

I'm finding that this magazine is often beside me as I'm reading the book. It's really pretty cool. I hope the book doesn't fizzle on me, as it did for some.

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