What would you do if a beloved child was accidentally responsible for the death of another? What if issues of race, a corrupt judge, and
Read moreDetailsWhat would you do if a beloved child was accidentally responsible for the death of another? What if issues of race, a corrupt judge, and
Read moreDetailsBy Nancy Novick You don’t have to be Jewish to enjoy Judith Felsenfeld’s collection of short stories about mainly Jewish characters—but you might relate to the stories better if you're in the right age demographic.
Read moreDetailsBy Nancy Novick Not all of Joanna Clapps Herman’s fiction is set on the Upper West Side—as in the author’s real-life journey, there have been detours to other parts of the city and
Read moreDetailsBy Nancy Novick Upper West Siders and a growing number of visitors from all over the world can enjoy two new exhibits at the New-York Historical Society this
Read moreDetailsFor months, West Side Rag's events page ("This Week's Events" on the right hand side of the page) was put together in slapdash fashion, with events posted the day before they occurred or even that very morning. We heard from some of you that you'd like to hear about events ...
Read moreDetailsBy Nancy Novick Looking for something different to do as summer draws to a close? The New-York Historical Society at 77th and Central Park West is home to two noteworthy exhibits for just a short time longer. Swing Time: Reginald Marsh and Thirties New York Reginald Marsh’s paintings of “regular ...
Read moreDetailsBy Nancy Novick Letty Cottin Pogrebin advocates telling the truth, which is why I’d like to share my first impression of her new book “How to be a Friend to a Friend Who’s Sick”: What a good idea for a magazine article. How, I wondered, could even this accomplished author, ...
Read moreDetailsBy Nancy Novick Unless you’ve been living in a media-free zone, stories of celebrities spinning out of control have become part of our daily conversation—a phenomenon that may lead to a serious case of compassion fatigue. But imagine a scenario in which a star’s glamorous life is derailed not by ...
Read moreDetailsBy Nancy Novick So you’ve just finished watching Puppy Bowl IX on Animal Planet and you’re looking for something else to do on the UWS while everyone you know is watching the Super Bowl. Forget finding a place to have a quiet drink; that kind of bar has gone the ...
Read moreDetailsBy Nancy Novick The Art of Spiegelman Early in the documentary about his work, artist Art Spiegelman lets us know that he isn’t very productive when he’s feeling good, for example, when he’s just had sex. Disaster is his self- proclaimed muse and sadly there is much in his personal ...
Read moreDetailsBy Nancy Novick From Romeo and Juliet to the Twilight saga, themes of first love--and the forces that thwart it--have attracted scores of filmmakers from around the world. But far fewer have depicted the non-sexual, yet no less passionate attachments many young women experience with one another. In her new ...
Read moreDetailsEditor's Note: Nancy Novick reviewed "The Outdoor Museum", by Margery and Sheldon Harnick, and also got a chance to meet and interview them. Both the review and the Q&A are below.
Read moreDetailsEditor's Note: Nancy Novick reviewed Michael Tucker's new book "After Annie", and also got a chance to meet and interview him at the Fairway Cafe. Both the review and the Q&A are below. By Nancy Novick Life in any New York City neighborhood has its share of aggravations, but for ...
Read moreDetailsEditor's Note: The New-York Historical Society was kind enough to give two of our writers a preview of its new Smallpox exhibit. We thus have two reviews. They both happen to be excellent, and I learned something different from each of them. Enjoy! Review #1 By Clare Smith Marash This ...
Read moreDetailsNancy Novick, an Upper West Side writer, plans to write an occasional column for us on books, particularly those with relevance to the neighborhood. This first column is about Alexandra Styron (above), a one-time Upper West Sider who wrote a memoir about her father, the writer William Styron. By Nancy ...
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