Get Ephemeral New York’s newest book!

Readers of Ephemeral New York have probably figured out that the Gilded Age is one of my favorite periods in the city’s history.

In the decades after the Civil War, Gotham was on the rise, transforming from a small-scale city lit by gas and powered by horses into a mighty metropolis of skyscrapers, subways, blazing electric light, and rapid social change.

TheGildedAgeinNewYorkcover

The Gilded Age in New York, 1870-1910 (published by Black Dog & Leventhal/Hachette, September 2016) takes a deeper dive into this fascinating era, exploring what day-to-day life was like in an age of posh Fifth Avenue mansions and crowded tenements; of deep political corruption and a widening gap between rich and poor.

The book itself is available on various book sites and of course in stores.

Thank you to everyone who enjoys reading Ephemeral New York as much as I love researching and writing every post. It’s been a complete pleasure to produce the site for all these years, and I’m so grateful to have so many gracious and insightful readers.

77 Responses to “Get Ephemeral New York’s newest book!”

  1. notmsparker Says:

    Congratulations from Berlin – every single post on your blog is a delight to read. The book will be duly pre-ordered:-)

  2. ephemeralnewyork Says:

    Thank you so much! I always look forward to your insightful comments and quips, notmsparker!

  3. Mark Says:

    I second what notmsparker says, from Groningen, the Netherlands.
    Congratulations!

  4. wandbwp Says:

    Thanks for posting this. I’ve loved your posts about New York. This book was an instant preorder. Thanks!

    >

  5. John Lynch Says:

    Congratulations on the second book. I enjoy all of your posts!

  6. Gojira Says:

    Congrats on what looks like a lovely book that I want to own. Yours is one of the best blogs ever, even though reading it so often makes me wish for a time machine so I could go back to an earlier New York.

  7. ephemeralnewyork Says:

    Thank you all!

  8. Arq. Roberth Jordan Says:

    Congratulations, that´s a great achievement for you and for each of us who read your post like eating a dessert

  9. carolynquinn Says:

    Can’t wait to read this! Hope you have a book signing too!

  10. Kevin Draper Says:

    Looking forward to this book. Wanted to reach out to you as I have a tour company in NYC and our Gilded Age Tour is very popular. Wanted to talk to you about some ways to do some cross promotion. If there a number I can reach you at . Sincerely Kevin

  11. wack60585 Says:

    Reblogged this on wack60585 and commented:
    A must read …

  12. HWY101 Says:

    Yeah! I didn’t even know you had a first book, so now I will buy both of them!! I love, love, love your posts!

  13. Roz K Says:

    Born in 1938 in Brooklyn, lived there for 55 years, relocated to AZ in 1995. Ephemeral keeps me connected to my NYC history. Congrats and good luck with the new book. Thanks for your blog. I look forward to the weekly postings.

  14. Audrey Burtrum-Stanley Says:

    Marvelous — a second book about a grand place during a grand era. ! I live in the middle of the country / rarely go to NYC, but that doesn’t mean I don’t find the place of interest. So, if I am ‘typical,’ you have a huge market of readership not only for your blog but the new edition too!

    I am ‘computer toopid’ and don’t know where to find your direct address. I have loooooong wanted to drop you a note suggesting you do a blog on NYC FIRE ESCAPES — affixed to the exterior of buildings. Some of these more vintage ‘safety utility structures’ offer beautiful designs. I hope you will consider looking at them more closely and will gather material for a blog feature.

    Again, super news about your book — hope it is a Sell-Out!

    • ephemeralnewyork Says:

      Thanks AB-S! I always look forward to hearing from you. You can contact me at Ephemeralnewyork @ gmail dot com.

      I have so many fire escape images ready for a post specifically on their utility and design. Coming soon!

  15. ephemeralnewyork Says:

    What a reception–thank you all.

  16. Ricky Says:

    Congratulations! Your new book is already the #1 New Release in Photography History on Amazon. It’s an Amazon “Hot New Release”. I loved your first book and have already pre-ordered this new one. Can’t wait to sit down, relax, and read it cover-to-cover.

  17. A New Book From Ephemeral New York About The Bygone Gilded Age In NYC | Bygone NYC Says:

    […] Ephemeral New York has a new book! […]

  18. channelyoga Says:

    YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAY

    On Mon, Jul 11, 2016 at 3:59 AM, Ephemeral New York wrote:

    > ephemeralnewyork posted: “Readers of Ephemeral New York have probably > figured out that the Gilded Age is one of my favorite periods in the city’s > history. In the decades after the Civil War, Gotham was on the rise, > transforming from a small-scale city lit by gas and powered by ho” >

  19. Joanna Shupe Says:

    Yay! Can’t wait!

  20. John Kissel Says:

    Great news! Your first book is a lot of fun.

    The recent blog posts have been especially interesting! I see Manhattan through different eyes since I started reading your blog. Looking forward to this latest effort.

  21. ephemeralnewyork Says:

    So glad you liked it and that you now see New York from a more Gilded Age perspective!

  22. EGWolf Says:

    I can’t wait to read it!

  23. Exile on Pain Street Says:

    Huzzah.

  24. The mysterious “fire marks” on Washington Place | Ephemeral New York Says:

    […] more about the early days of Gotham’s professional firefighters, check out The Gilded Age in New York, 1870-1910, available for preorder now and in bookstores September […]

  25. A weird, popular sport in 19th century New York | Ephemeral New York Says:

    […] The rise in leisure time in New York after the Civil War spawned a sports craze in the metropolis, which is richly covered in The Gilded Age in New York, 1870-1910. […]

  26. The New Yorker who captured John Wilkes Booth | Ephemeral New York Says:

    […] The Gilded Age in New York, 1870-1910, delves into it the city’s grief as well as Booth’s connections to New York City. […]

  27. Two enchanting views of New York’s High Bridge | Ephemeral New York Says:

    […] Read more about the High Bridge and how the bridge and the riverfront below it became a favorite recreation area in the late 19th century in The Gilded Age in New York, 1870-1910. […]

  28. A robber baron gunned down in a Broadway hotel | Ephemeral New York Says:

    […] greed, lust, corruption—the Gilded Age was one of notorious crimes and murder trials, as The Gilded Age in New York, 1870-1910, available now for preorder, lays […]

  29. Taking a “century ride” with the city’s wheelmen | Ephemeral New York Says:

    […] The cycling craze wasn’t the only sports trend to hit New York in the 1890s. Baseball, tennis, boxing—find out more in Ephemeral New York’s upcoming book, The Gilded Age in New York, 1870-1910. […]

  30. AvistTheArtist Says:

    Reblogged this on Avis the Artist.

  31. Fifth Avenue’s most insane Gilded Age mansion | Ephemeral New York Says:

    […] See the amazing photos in Ephemeral New York’s upcoming book, The Gilded Age in New York, 1870-1910. […]

  32. Join Ephemeral New York for upcoming events! | Ephemeral New York Says:

    […] New York would like to announce a few public events focused around the upcoming release, THE GILDED AGE IN NEW YORK, 1870-1910. Hope to see everyone there! More talks and tours are in the works […]

  33. Where fashionable Gilded Age ladies lunched | Ephemeral New York Says:

    […] Find out more about how women’s roles began to change in The Gilded Age in New York, 1870-1910. […]

  34. Brooklyn’s “most perfect” 1886 apartment house | Ephemeral New York Says:

    […] who set out to improve housing for poor and working class New Yorkers in The Gilded Age in New York, 1870-1910, in stores […]

  35. Where exactly was the city’s Five Points slum? | Ephemeral New York Says:

    […] did Five Points become so awful? Find out more in The Gilded Age in New York, 1870-1910, on sale […]

  36. Electric lights in the rain at Columbus Circle | Ephemeral New York Says:

    […] images of the growing city bathed in electric light can be found in The Gilded Age in New York, 1870-1910, on sale […]

  37. Raul daSilva Says:

    As I related in my personal memoir on the world famous clairvoyant, Ingo Swann, a friend of some eleven years while I lived in Manhattan, we often took long walks in the city below 14th Street and he regaled me with amazing stories of his last incarnation during the period now known as The Gilded Age. The memoir is entitled, Ingo Swann, Man of Miracles and can be read via Amazon Kindle. In my view, the period lasted until the break out of WWI, not 1910. Few historians will or can agree. It’s an arbitrary date.

  38. Haunting emptiness of the city’s lone tenements | Ephemeral New York Says:

    […] out The Gilded Age in New York, 1870-1910, for more on the history of the New York […]

  39. The sauciest society hostess of the Gilded Age | Ephemeral New York Says:

    […] For more on the fun and frivolity of late 19th century society, check out The Gilded Age in New York, 1870-1910. […]

  40. Rock-throwing and gunfire on Election Day 1864 | Ephemeral New York Says:

    […] Read about the Plot to Burn Down New York City in The Gilded Age in New York, 1870-1910. […]

  41. Firefighters racing to a blaze in 1905 New York | Ephemeral New York Says:

    […] Find out more about the rough and tumble early days of the FDNY, when the volunteer companies also served as social and political clubs, in The Gilded Age in New York, 1870-1910. […]

  42. Santa as we know him was invented in New York | Ephemeral New York Says:

    […] lighting in a park—New York pioneered many of the holiday celebrations we take part in today, as The Gilded Age in New York, 1870-1910, […]

  43. Who passed through Ellis Island a century ago | Ephemeral New York Says:

    […] For more about what it was like to arrive in New York City as an immigrant in the 19th and early 20th centuries—first at Castle Garden, then at Ellis Island—check out The Gilded Age in New York, 1870-1910. […]

  44. One girl’s 1899 travel diary of New York City | Ephemeral New York Says:

    […] The Gilded Age in New York includes these excerpts from King’s diary—as well as diary excerpts from other New Yorkers of the era. Many thanks to the NYPL for permission to cite the text in the book. […]

  45. A rich bachelor’s ball ignites a Gilded Age scandal | Ephemeral New York Says:

    […] Hyde’s extravagant, excessive ball and the subsequent scandal make a fitting coda for the end of the Gilded Age . . . which is explored in depth and illustrated lavishly in The Gilded Age in New York, 1870-1910. […]

  46. All the ways to enjoy a tenement fire escape | Ephemeral New York Says:

    […] and the tenements they’re associated with are icons of late 19th century metropolis, and The Gilded Age in New York, 1870-1910 offers a first-person feel for what it was like to live in […]

  47. A March blizzard pummels New York by surprise | Ephemeral New York Says:

    […] Exiled Cuban journalist Jose Marti chronicled the storm from his New York home for an Argentinian newspaper—capturing the mood of the city paralyzed by snow in poetic, descriptive prose, more of which you can read in The Gilded Age in New York, 1870-1910. […]

  48. The lost ritual of the Fifth Avenue Easter Parade | Ephemeral New York Says:

    […] The Gilded Age in New York, 1870-1910, has more on the humble beginnings of New York’s favorite holidays. […]

  49. The many lives of an 1834 wooden Village house | Ephemeral New York Says:

    […] The Gilded Age in New York, 1870-1910, has more on some of the city’s most iconic 19th century residences and commercial buildings. […]

  50. A sugar barrel, a pastry shop, and a body in 1903 | Ephemeral New York Says:

    […] The Gilded Age in New York, 1870-1910, has more on the Gilded Age city’s most notorious murders. […]

  51. How a “Ladies Pavilion” ended up in Central Park | Ephemeral New York Says:

    […] For more about the building of Central Park and the park’s early years, read The Gilded Age in New York, 1870-1910. […]

  52. A brutal murder on 23rd Street rocks Manhattan | Ephemeral New York Says:

    […] For more on the crimes and tragedies that rocked the Gilded Age city, read The Gilded Age in New York, 1870-1910. […]

  53. Central Park’s sensational 1865 balloon wedding | Ephemeral New York Says:

    […] The Gilded Age was an era of excessive money—and crazy-sensational fads. Find out more in New York in the Gilded Age, 1870-1910. […]

  54. Gilded Age extravagance at the Hotel Navarre | Ephemeral New York Says:

    […] For more on legendary Gilded Age mansions and hotels in New York City, check out The Gilded Age in New York, 1870-1910. […]

  55. Stand here and feel the ghosts of Bowery Village | Ephemeral New York Says:

    […] That’s the East Village to this day: a constant push-pull between old timers and newcomers. Find out more about both in The Gilded Age in New York, 1870-1910. […]

  56. The beauty of 10th Street’s English Terrace Row | Ephemeral New York Says:

    […] The photo archive at the GVSHP site has some interior shots as well. For more on the Gilded Age city’s brownstone craze and James Renwick’s architectural gems, take a look through The Gilded Age in New York, 1870-1910. […]

  57. The woman who didn’t want women to vote | Ephemeral New York Says:

    […] Gilded Age in New York 1870-1910 has a lot more on the suffrage movement from a New York City vantage […]

  58. What remains of New York’s first Theatre Alley | Ephemeral New York Says:

    […] The Gilded Age in New York, 1870-1910, has more on the enormous popularity of the city’s theaters. […]

  59. Christmas in the tenements in the Gilded Age | Ephemeral New York Says:

    […] The Gilded Age in New York, 1870-1910, has more photos and stories of what a New York Christmas was like for the poor, rich, and emerging middle classes. […]

  60. Christmas in the tenements in the Gilded Age | Holiday in New York City Says:

    […] The Gilded Age in New York, 1870-1910, has more photos and stories of what a New York Christmas was like for the poor, rich, and emerging middle classes. […]

  61. Christmas in the tenements in the Gilded Age | Real Estate Marketplace Says:

    […] The Gilded Age in New York, 1870-1910, has more photos and stories of what a New York Christmas was like for the poor, rich, and emerging middle classes. […]

  62. Santa’s dashing appearance in an 1868 candy ad | Ephemeral New York Says:

    […] The Gilded Age in New York, 1870-1910 has lots more about how New Yorkers invented the contemporary Christmas: the first public park tree lighting happened in Madison Square Park, electric lights were invented by a New Yorker, and the grand department stores of Ladies Mile claim the first holiday window displays. […]

  63. LARRY RACIOPPO Says:

    Esther,
    Since you posted a piece yesterday about my 1970’s Halloween photos, I’ve received several very pleasant emails.
    Thank you.
    Larry R

    • ephemeralnewyork Says:

      Thank you for your kind note; I’m so glad more people are aware of your wonderful photos and took the time to contact you personally. As you can see, these here have really struck the readers of ENY.

  64. Santa’s dashing appearance in an 1868 candy ad | Real Estate Marketplace Says:

    […] The Gilded Age in New York, 1870-1910 has lots more about how New Yorkers invented the contemporary Christmas: the first public park tree lighting happened in Madison Square Park, electric lights were invented by a New Yorker, and the grand department stores of Ladies Mile claim the first holiday window displays. […]

  65. dianarubino Says:

    Reblogged this on Historicals With A Twist and commented:
    As a historical novelist, I’ve written several books set in NYC through the centuries, and just purchased THE GILDED AGE. Looking forward to it! dianarubinoauthor.blogspot.com

  66. Bill Wolfe Says:

    My wife owns this book. I had the great pleasure of reading it over the past few months and enjoyed it immensely. I didn’t know until I saw this post that you were the author. Thank you so much for creating such a wonderful work!

  67. Catherine Capizzi Says:

    Love reading about The Victorian era. It always fascinated me. Of course it is part of the history of our country. The haves and the have nots..amazed to learn someone from that era died just 10 years ago..thank you for the such details and the true story of how it was.. loving all history, I thoroughly enjoyed it..

  68. Clare Drohan Says:

    I loved all the pictures.Are there any of upper West side.

    • ephemeralnewyork Says:

      Yes, check out the chapters about the rich and how the city came together as a united Greater New York with five boroughs.

Leave a Reply

Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in:

WordPress.com Logo

You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Log Out /  Change )

Facebook photo

You are commenting using your Facebook account. Log Out /  Change )

Connecting to %s

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.


%d bloggers like this: