Book Review: Luna Park

from a review of Kevin Baker's and Danijel Zezelj's new book It's locale is mainly Coney Island, but there's a stopover (above) in the fourth ward of the early 1900's.

I am constantly amazed that Kevin Baker is not a household name in historical fiction. His New York City of Fire trilogy (Dreamland, Paradise Alley, and Striver's Row) should be required reading in any course on New York City history. It would certainly liven things up. Being a fan of the Jack Kirby age of comics I'm a little at loss at the popularity at the modern day comic style. And what's with manga, or is it manta? I guess they may be stylistically cutting edge, but my older text-driven brain can't pick up much of narrative. Baker bridges the gap and does so with his extensive knowledge of history, obviously here bearing his Russian chops as well as his American ones. It's also a great marriage of art to text. Fantastic ending, truly a walk off homer. I should have seen it coming, but I didn't. Let's have more of these please.