The Hone and Strong Diaries of Old Manhattan

Rating:
Summary: Dynamics of a new nation / seeds of a coming civil war
Review: Louis Auchincloss presents two diaries which help the reader better appreciate the growth of Manhattan during the nascent years of this country.

Both the diarists chronicle the great and the mundane events which guided this nation through the assimilation of new citizens, the growth of a two-party system and the development of a war between the industrial states and the agricultural states.

Hone is expecially descriptive of the social dynamics which followed the overthrow of aristocracy and the rise of a political party whose leaders succeeded by manipulating large numbers of newly immigrated citizens.

This book is especially valuable for those of us who have trouble visualising Manhattan as a town modest by today's standards. To paraphrase Mr. Auchincloss' notes, it is for people who don't remember when The Battery was uptown.