• Gods of New York: Egotists, Idealists, Opportunists, and the Birth of the Modern City: 1986-1990 - Ingram
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Random House

The Gods of New York: Egotists, Idealists, Opportunists, and the Birth of the Modern City: 1986-1990

$25.60 USD
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A sweeping chronicle of four tumultuous years in 1980s New York that changed the city forever--and anticipated the forces that would soon divide the nation--from the bestselling author of Ladies and Gentlemen, the Bronx Is Burning

"A rip-roaring, sweeping, essential work of history . . . a deeply reported and brilliantly observed account of how the modern city was born and why all of us continue to live with the results."--Jonathan Eig, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of King: A Life

New York entered 1986 as a city reborn. Record profits on Wall Street sent waves of money splashing across Manhattan, bringing a battered city roaring back to life.

But it also entered 1986 as a city whose foundation was beginning to crack. Thousands of New Yorkers were sleeping in the streets, addicted to drugs, dying of AIDS, or suffering from mental illnesses. Nearly one-third of the city's Black and Hispanic residents were living below the federal poverty line. Long-simmering racial tensions threatened to boil over.

The events of the next four years would split the city open. Howard Beach. Black Monday. Tawana Brawley. The crack epidemic. The birth of ACT UP. The Central Park jogger. The release of Do the Right Thing. And a cast of outsized characters--Ed Koch, Donald Trump, Al Sharpton, Spike Lee, Rudy Giuliani, Larry Kramer--would compete to shape the city's future while building their own mythologies.

The Gods of New York is a kaleidoscopic and deeply immersive portrait of a city whose identity was suddenly up for grabs: Could it be both the great working-class city that lifted up immigrants from around the world and the money-soaked capital of global finance? Could it retain a civic culture--a common idea of what it meant to be a New Yorker--when the rich were building a city of their own and vast swaths of its citizens were losing faith in the systems meant to protect them? New York City was one thing at the dawn of 1986; it would be something very different as 1989 came to a close. This is the story of how that happened.

Book Details

ISBN: 

9780525510635

EAN: 

9780525510635

Binding: 

Hardcover

Pages: 

464

Authors: 

Jonathan Mahler

Publisher: 

Random House

Published Date: 2025-12-08

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Customer Reviews

Based on 8 reviews
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Bill B
What a tale!

If you've read Mahler's work in the NY Times (or his classic "The Bronx is Burning"), you know he can write the hell out of anything, but this may be his best yet. Love New York, hate New York, wherever you come down, this is an incredibly compelling story. The portraits of Ed Koch and Al Sharpton alone are worth the price! Mahler details how the seismic forces that tore through the city in the 1980s were a harbinger of what was coming for the rest of us: a pandemic, race riots, Donald Trump, the chasm between haves/have-nots... I couldn't put this one down.

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Alora Peplowski
Great and Enjoyable History of a Transitional Era of NYC

This was a wonderful read, and a nice way to see how many of the personalities who shape our culture came up. As a millennial, it was illuminating to see how the decisions made during the transitional period of 1986-1990 have ramifications that continue to today. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves contemporary history, and New York City.

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Carolus
The answers to the "existential questions that New York faced as it entered 1986"

Fantastic read

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RachelSklar
An absolute must read - fascinating, engrossing, and illuminating

A fascinating, engrossing, entertaining (and yes, rollicking) history of the wild years of New York City in the late 80s, with events so bananas you have to remind yourself it's non-fiction. With legendary figures like NYC mayor Ed Koch, who oversaw the revival of 70s NYC into the 80s boom, but left the cracks that widened into the earthquake of the late 80s, and the rising power brokers Al Sharpton, Rudy Giuliani, Larry Kramer and yes, Donald Trump, the book covers the AIDS epidemic, the crack epidemic, homelessness, police brutality, shocking crimes and the screaming tabloid headlines that covered them, and how it all collided in an explosive mix that led straight to the city - and country - we have today. An absolute must read.

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Kelly R. Kopp
A Captivating Journey Back to 1980s New York!

As a New Yorker, I vividly remember so much of what Jonathan captures in this book, which made the experience all the more fascinating. His writing truly transports us back to the turbulent 1980s. The Gods of New York is an absolute must read for anyone fascinated by the history, politics, and personalities that have shaped New York City. Jonathan Mahler’s storytelling is vivid, insightful, and deeply engaging, he brings the city’s past to life while showing how it continues to influence the present. The research is impeccable, the anecdotes are compelling, and the writing sparkles with both humor and heart. Whether you’re a longtime New Yorker, a history buff, or just someone who loves a well-told story, this book will captivate you from start to finish. Mahler’s passion for the city and his ability to humanize its power players make The Gods of New York a fascinating, unforgettable read. Highly recommended!

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