Coney Island : 150 years of rides, fires, floods, the rich, the poor and finally Robert Moses /

Coney Island and the raucous, chaotic, crowded freedom it invokes was once a secluded beach inhabited by rabbits and a small clutch of Dutch farmers. Its rise from restive retreat, where the wealthy sought the benefits of saltwater baths, to its various iterations as playground to the masses, is a fascinating story of morals, class, economic development, and the pursuit of pleasure. Phalen laces his historical narrative throughout with first-person accounts and countless excerpts from the press, strengthening what is already a compelling tale of how a small strip of shoreline in southern Brooklyn became an iconic site, symbolizing the lighthearted and slightly risqué joys of a day at the beach. The book also underscores the temporality of its sights; fires destroyed dozens of hotels and amusements. Economic downturns--the Great Depression, postwar urban renewal--negatively impacted Coney Island. The final chapter is a welcome epilogue, speeding through the last seven decades; it is clear that the hope that Coney Island can be returned to a past glory is well grounded. Sloppy editing (e.g., Washington Heights is in Upper Manhattan, not Brooklyn, p.143; the subway in the photo on p.138 is at the Queens Plaza station, not at Stillwell Avenue) mars an otherwise fine book. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All levels/libraries. --Anne Babette Audant, CUNY Kingsborough Community College