Manhattan Phoenix: The Great Fire of 1835 and the Emergence of Modern New York

Levy (Two-Gun Cohen: A Biography) chronicles the transition of 19th-century New York from a city of thousands into the second-largest city in the world. Levy focuses on how land development, cultural events, community leaders, fires, water resources, racism, bigotry, vice, and politics all played a role in the development of the city. This well-researched and detailed narrative is broken into chunks, requiring listeners to keep track of multiple timelines. Without visuals or a single overarching time line, it is challenging to follow Levy as he moves from one time period or city location to another. Prolific narrator Mike Lenz serves as a reporter of the city’s move to modernization. While most of the content is full of misery, Lenz’s dreary delivery is especially devoid of drama, making this lengthy work a tedious listen. Lack of empathy for those dying from disease caused by poor sanitation and limited energy during juicy scandals were missed opportunities to enliven the text. Additionally, several mispronounced words and place names throw the listener out of the narrative.