Mark Goldman – författare

In 1901 Buffalo was the national symbol of the country's optimism, pride, and braggadocio. Toward the close of the century, it epitomizes the sense of economic and demographic crisis prevalent in American industrial cities.High Hopes analyzes and interprets the historical forces-external and internal- that have shaped New York's second largest city. It examines the historical shifts that have served as a catalyst in Buffalo's growth, charting the city's evolution from a small frontier community through its development as a major commercial center and its emergence and eventual decline as a significant industrial metropolis. Mark Goldman looks at the detailed patterns of local daily life from the settlement of the village in the early nineteenth century to the tragedy of Love Canal. In the process, he covers a wide range of topics, including work, ethnicity, family and community life, class structure, and values and beliefs. By bringing to bear on the events and developments that have shaped Buffalo a broad range of subjects and ideas, Goldman helps readers to understand the vast array of complex forces at work in the historical development of all American cities.

BUFFALO, NEW YORK IS ENJOYING A RESURGENCE, AND HAS BECOME A RECOMMENDED TRAVEL DESTINATION. THIS BOOK TELLS THE STORY OF HOW IT GOT HERE.In a sweeping narrative that speaks to the serious student of urban studies as well as the general reader, Mark Goldman tells the story of twentieth-century Buffalo, New York. Goldman covers all of the major developments: · The rise and decline of the city's downtown and ethnic neighborhoods · The impact of racial change and suburbanization· The role and function of the arts in the life of the community· Urban politics, urban design, and city planningWhile describing the changes that so drastically altered the form, function, and character of the city, Goldman, through detailed descriptions of special people and special places, gives a sense of intimacy and immediacy to these otherwise impersonal historical forces. City on the Edge unflinchingly documents and describes how Buffalo has been battered by the tides of history. But it also describes the unique characteristics that have encouraged an innovative cultural climate, including Buffalo's dynamic survival instinct that continues to lead to a surprisingly and inspiringly high quality of community life. Finally, it offers a road map, which-if followed-could point the way to a new and exciting future for this long-troubled city.