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Life at the Dakota
Life at the Dakota: New York's Most Unusual Address | Stephen Birmingham
8 posts | 9 read | 1 reading | 8 to read
A history of the Manhattan building and its famous tenants, from Lauren Bacall to John Lennon, by the New York Times–bestselling author of “Our Crowd”. When Singer sewing machine tycoon Edward Clark built a luxury apartment building on Manhattan’s Upper West Side in the late 1800s, it was derisively dubbed “the Dakota” for being as far from the center of the downtown action as its namesake territory on the nation’s western frontier. Despite its remote location, the quirky German Renaissance–style castle, with its intricate façade, peculiar interior design, and gargoyle guardians peering down on Central Park, was an immediate hit, particularly among the city’s well-heeled intellectuals and artists. Over the next century it would become home to an eclectic cast of celebrity residents—including Boris Karloff, Lauren Bacall, Leonard Bernstein, singer Roberta Flack (the Dakota’s first African-American resident), and John Lennon and Yoko Ono—who were charmed by its labyrinthine interior and secret passageways, its mysterious past, and its ghosts. Stephen Birmingham, author of the New York society classic “Our Crowd”, has written an engrossing history of the first hundred years of one of the most storied residential addresses in Manhattan and the legendary lives lived within its walls.
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princesspeanutsmommy
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Current read...this year I'm trying to read more non-fiction and autobiographies. Very well researched.

4 likes1 stack add
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kuhkuhbird
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Mehso-so

Verbose historical read about The Dakota. Can't see this be appealing to many but history buffs. The author is in incredibly long winded and gets off on tangents that make the story less fun.

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overtheedge
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Interesting and fun history of one of NYs renowned buildings. I never realized so many unexplainable and haunted history it had. Good time reading!

58 likes2 stack adds
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Eggs
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I was drawn to this book due to my having recently read 3 Fiona Davis HF novels. Some of the historical chapters were long-winded but the most glaring thing is its outdatedness. C. 1979!! which was just before Lennon's murder outside the Dakota's entrance; already 38 years ago

71 likes1 stack add
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Librarybelle
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Today‘s Kindle deals, at least in the US, feature nonfiction titles. I grabbed this one!

Bostonmomx2 There‘s a historical fiction book called The Address which I believe tales place at the same building. I did part of it on audio but never finished it even though it was pretty good. I‘m terrible with audio books 😊 6y
Librarybelle @Bostonmomx2 Good to know! I‘ve wanted to read Fiona Davis but haven‘t added her books to my rotation yet. I love listening to audiobooks in the car but can‘t quite get into them in the house! 6y
79 likes2 comments
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Well-ReadNeck
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Mehso-so

My family and I go to NYC at the end of every summer and I enjoy reading books in or about the city during the lead up. This one was pretty good. Interesting tidbits about a great old building which I pass often when I‘m in town. But, some chapters were more engaging than others to me, therefore I‘m giving this one a so-so

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OriginalCyn620
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Pickpick

#nonfiction2018 This was an interesting read, full of fun little tidbits and historical facts. I wanted to read it because on my trips to NYC, I love to take a taxi to the Dakota, stare in awe at its beauty, then cross the street into Central Park and directly to Strawberry Fields. Now, I know more about the history and inner workings of this landmark building that somehow always seems to persevere.

30 likes1 stack add
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OriginalCyn620
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Starting a new book, my first #nonfiction book of the year. I‘m going to NYC next month, do I thought this one was a good pick. #nonfiction2018