Winter’s Tale
This is my most favorite book ever. Winter’s Tale by Mark Helprin.
Its a love story to the city. I’ve always been in love with New York but this book pushed me into full on true adoration. New York in all its disarray and glorious chaos, its history, its ascent as the center of the cultural universe, its cogs and gears and juicy under belly. Gangs and newspapers, love and hate, and above all, the glory that rises out of the city and pushes each of us city lovers to scrabble up on the white horse of possibility.
New York breaks your heart and makes you fall in love with it all over again every day. Mark Helprin weaves this into a complex tale that captivates and thrills.
There’s a secondary romance, between Peter Lake and Beverly Penn. Its so excruciatingly sweet and full of longing. I read it in grade school and its scarred me with the dream of an ideal love. A fourteen year old version of me became entranced and infected by every thrilling, aching moment of their affair.
Seriously, read this book if you love New York. Its a looping tome, with rich descriptions. Its epic.
Peace,
Melissa
