The title is an obvious retort to caros subtitle, robert moses and the fall of new york, and the book presents itself as a cautious corrective to caros view. But his least contentious achievements are also the most unknown. After working for many years as a reporter, caro wrote the power broker 1974, a biography of new york urban planner robert moses, which was chosen by the modern library as one of the hundred greatest nonfiction books of the twentieth century. Few people have done more to redefine the fate of a city and, by a halo of influence, of cities in general than robert moses december 18, 1888july 29, 1981, master builder of new york during the citys astonishing growth spurt in the middle of the twentieth century. The new york aquarium with the whitehall building in the background, circa 1905. I associated him with new york city and i lived upstate. Jan 08, 2014 robert moses redefined the new york city area in the 20th century creating most of the parkways, bridges, parks, etc in the metro area. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Ingraham, midcity toll road backed by moses, new york times, december 30, 1949, 1, 4. Christin and balez put down the facts with a deceptively fluid ease, combining story and art to create a substantial and objective graphic novel that does not shy away from the darker aspects of one of the defining individuals in. Sep 16, 1974 one of the most acclaimed books of our time, winner of both the pulitzer and the francis parkman prizes, the power broker tells the hidden story behind the shaping and misshaping of twentiethcentury new york city and state and makes public what few have known. Apr 14, 2020 moses state park the power broker robert moses. December 18, 1888 was robert moses birthday, an influential and controversial figure of new york citys growth and decay.
The cross manhattan expressway museum of the city of new. Robert moses december 18, 1888 july 29, 1981 was an american public official who worked mainly in the new york metropolitan area. Robert moses ordered engineers to build the southern state parkways bridges extralow, to prevent poor people in buses from using the highway. Quadrapheme french comics veterans pierre christin and olivier balez s new graphic novel is a cursory look at moses life and accomplishments that is less detailed than caros tome but benefits greatly from the visual nature that the medium affords. From the subway to the skyscraper, from manhattans financial district to the long island suburbs, every inch of new york tells the story of one mans mind. It is, according to david halberstam, surely the greatest book ever written about a city. Jan 16, 2020 robert moses, new yorks master builder, has been in residence as a cadaver at woodlawn cemetery for nearly 30 years. Caro reflects on writing his classic book about robert mosess influence on new york. But it was ultimately the secretary of war harry woodring, who intervened, scuttling mosess bridge because it was seaward of. Robert moses least controversial triumph new york almanack. Caro whose life of moses has not only taken me a month to read there are 1,246 pages but not onceuniquelydid i find myself glumly rifling the pages still to be read at the back. Robert moses literally shaped new york citys 20th and 21st century destiny. Moses began his career in new york politics, shadowing governor al smith in the early 1920s. The mania for purifying history to reflect the present day has now led to revisionist demands that we cancel him, removing his name from parks and public works.
Its hard to imagine one individual being so powerful in one city during one era as robert moses was in the 1950s during new york. I now realize what a lot i have missed, thanks to someone called robert a. He grew up in new haven, connecticut, and then on east 46 th street in manhattan. Without his creation of the parkways and long island expressway on long island, i probably wouldnt live out on the island today. This damning portrait of the planner who most shaped modern new york, aside from being a considerable work of. Apr 28, 2016 robert moses stands in front of the manhattan skyline in 1956. Image courtesy of the museum of the city of new york. Ap moses was an avatar of the early 20thcentury vision that the only salvation of cities was the largescale destruction.
Moses and the fall of new york is robert caros 1974 biography of moses. The book to read to get to know robert moses is the pulitzerprize winning biography the power broker. Robert moses and the fall of new york, everywhere acclaimed as a modern classic, was chosen by the modern library as one of the hundred greatest nonfiction books of the twentieth century. The new yorker offers a signature blend of news, culture, and the arts. Robert moses, new yorks master builder, has been in residence as a cadaver at woodlawn cemetery for nearly 30 years. Robert moses and the fall of new york paperback july 12, 1975. He envisioned and brought to life 658 playgrounds, which increased the citys previous supply of these. Robert moses and the fall of new york, and master of the senate, and more on. Robert moses 18881981 was a public official whose vision played a major role in shaping the physical development of the new york metropolitan area. Dec 18, 20 december 18, 1888 was robert moses birthday, an influential and controversial figure of new york citys growth and decay. He envisioned and brought to life 658 playgrounds, which. The five books of moses a translation with commentary.
Stream and download audiobooks to your computer, tablet or mobile phone. Robert moses bio, age, dead, family, wife, children, projects. Everything you need to know about robert moses, new yorks. Moses, originally a reformer and a true public servant, somehow became tainted by the power entrusted to him. Christin and balez put down the facts with a deceptively fluid ease, combining story and art to create a substantial and objective graphic novel that does not shy away from the darker aspects of one of the defining individuals in the history. Somewhere, in their heart of hearts, all urban planners want to be robert moses, the masterbuilder of new york city. Among the works completed under his supervision were a network of 35 highways, 12 bridges, numerous parks, lincoln center for the performing arts, shea stadium. Robert caro pieces together the story of how and why robert moses did so to weave a universal story of power and how it is acquired and maintained, a personal story of a man of greatness and severe deficiencies, and an essential study of urban planning and government. This massive work is at the same time a biography of robert moses and the metropolitan new york city area. Robert moses and the fall of new york one of the most acclaimed books of our time, winner of both the pulitzer and the francis parkman prizes, the power broker tells the hidden story behind the shaping and misshaping of twentiethcentury new york city and state and makes public what few have known. When robert moses wiped out new yorks little syria. The power broker, 40 years later the new york times. The book focuses on the creation and use of power in local and state politics, as witnessed through moses use of unelected positions to design and implement dozens of highways and bridges, sometimes at great cost to the communities he nominally served. Jackson, robert moses and the rise of the new york.
Jul 01, 2019 the new yorker offers a signature blend of news, culture, and the arts. He has since written four of a planned five volumes of the years of lyndon johnson 1982, 1990, 2002, 2012, a biography of the former president. Oct 17, 2004 the five books of moses a translation with commentary. The book focuses on the creation and use of power in local and state politics, as witnessed by moses use of unselected positions to design and implement dozens of highways and bridges, sometimes at great cost to the communities he served. Oct 23, 2015 t echnically, robert caros book the power broker is a biography of urban planner robert moses, but that description feels laughably inadequate on multiple counts. Robert moses and the fall of new york audiobook by robert a. One of the most acclaimed books of our time, winner of both the pulitzer and the francis parkman prizes, the power broker tells the hidden story behind the shaping and misshaping of twentiethcentury new york city and state and makes public what few have known. Moses was born on december 18, 1888 and raised in new haven, connecticut and on east 46th street in manhattan. Sep 19, 2019 the name robert moses inspires rage among rightthinking new yorkers and bikelane enthusiasts everywhere, who claim the master builder of new york was a racist and segregationist. But it was ultimately the secretary of war harry woodring, who intervened, scuttling mosess bridge because it was seaward of a vital naval establishment, the brooklyn navy yard.
Why robert moses is to blame for losing the brooklyn. Now, in pierre christin and olivier balezs new graphic biography, the rest of roberts story will be told. In new york, this might just be the result of, in part, the titan of the skyline, robert moses. Andrew cuomos latest plan to redevelop pennsylvania station shows he really has become a 21st century robert mosesnot just in. T echnically, robert caros book the power broker is a biography of urban planner robert moses, but that description feels laughably inadequate on multiple counts. Robert moses, race, and reality manhattan institute. Robert moses and the fall of new york is a 1974 biography of robert moses by robert caro. It is a true monument to caro that this book has remained in print in both hc and pb over these years.
Robert moses redefined the new york city area in the 20th century creating most of the parkways, bridges, parks, etc in the metro area. The name robert moses inspires rage among rightthinking new yorkers and bikelane enthusiasts everywhere, who claim the master builder of new york was a racist and segregationist. He was accepted to yale university at the age of 17, and he graduated in 1909. This book just touches on his accomplishments and faults. The power broker in perspective, in hilary ballon and kenneth t. Robert moses played a larger role in shaping the physical environment of new york city than probably any other figure in the 20 th century. Robert moses and the fall of new york 1975, which is a tome, 48 pages, one of the great biographies, and who will bother to read it. Everywhere acknowledged as a modern american classic, winner of the pulitzer prize, and chosen by the modern library as one of the hundred greatest books of the twentieth century, the power broker is a huge and galvanizing biography revealing not only the saga of one mans incredible accumulation of power, but the story of the shaping and misshaping of new york in the. Caro is simply one of the best nonfiction books in english of the last forty years dominic sandbrook, sunday times. Robert moses was born to emanuel moses, a department store owner, and bella silverman moses, on december 18, 1888.
A state and municipal official for almost half a century, moses built several bridges, an underwater tunnel, 416 miles of parkway, 2,567,256 acres of parkland, numerous public housing projects, 17 public swimming pools and 658 playgrounds. Known as the master builder of mid20th century new york city, long island, rockland county, and westchester county, he is sometimes compared to baron haussmann of second empire paris, and was one of the most polarizing figures in the history of urban. The master builder of new york city is a solid introduction to this enigmatic architect. Jan 17, 20 in new york, this might just be the result of, in part, the titan of the skyline, robert moses. The name robert moses inspires rage among rightthinking new yorkers and bikelane enthusiasts everywhere, who claim the master builder of new. The cross manhattan expressway museum of the city of new york. Ap moses was an avatar of the early 20thcentury vision that the only. But its barely removed him from the outsized roles he played in the. The many controversies that surrounded robert moses during his long career as new yorks master builder were sharpened by his long battle with jane jacobs and by robert caros 1974 biography, the power broker. And in telling the moses story, caro both opens up to an unprecedented degree the way in which politics really happensthe way things really get done in americas city. The book focuses on the creation and use of power in local and state politics, as witnessed by moses use of unselected positions to design and implement dozens of highways and bridges, sometimes at great cost to the communities he served nominally. Robert moses stands in front of the manhattan skyline in 1956.