Buffalo, NY City Guide

Books about Buffalo, NY

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The books are listed by subject category and then by title.  Click on book titles to read more about the books.  Purchasing books through these links helps to support this site.

Guides

Lonely Planet New York State (Lonely Planet New York State) Becca Blond.  A New York state guide that includes Buffalo, NY.

History

The Artificial River : The Erie Canal and the Paradox of Progress, 1817-1862.  Carol Sheriff.

Boots of Leather, Slippers of Gold: The History of a Lesbian Community.  Elizabeth Lapovsky Kennedy.  "Boots of Leather, Slippers of Gold traces the evolution of the lesbian community in Buffalo, NY from the mid-1930s up to the early 1960s. Drawing upon the oral histories of 45 women, it is the first comprehensive history of a working-class lesbian community. These poignant and complex stories show how black and white working-class lesbians, although living under oppressive circumstances, nevertheless became powerful agents of historical change. Based on 13 years of research, Boots of Leather, Slippers of Gold ranges over such topics as sex, relationships, coming out, butch-fem roles, motherhood, aging, racism, work, oppression and pride. Kennedy and Davis provide a unique insider's perspective on butch-fem culture and argue that the roots of gay and lesbian liberation are found specifically in the determined resistance of working-class lesbians."

City on the Lake: The Challenge of Change in Buffalo, NY , Mark Goldman.

Coming of Age in Buffalo: Youth and Authority in the Postwar Era.  William Graebner.  "Pegged pants poodle skirts, record hops, rock ‘n’ roll, soda shops: in the interval between the bombing of Hiroshima and the assassination of John F. Kennedy, these were distinguishing marks of the "typical" postwar teenager-if there was a "typical" teenager. In this richly illustrated account of Youth in postwar Buffalo, William Graebner argues that the so-called Youth culture was really a variety of "disparate subcultures, united by age but in conflict over class, race, ethnicity, and gender." Using scrap books, oral histories, school Yearbooks, and material culture, he shows how Buffalo teenagers were products of diverse and often antagonistic subcultures. The innocuous strains of "Rock Around the Clock" muffled the seething gang loyalties and countercultural influence of James Dean, Marlon Brando, and Buffalo’s own "Hound Dog" Lorenz. Racial antipathies once held in check spilled out on Memorial Day, 1956, when white and black Youth clashed on board a take Erie pleasure boat in a "riot" that recast the city’s race relations for decades to come.

While exploring the diversity within Youth subcultures, Graebner examines the ways in which adults—educators, clergy, representatives of the media, and other authorities—sought to contain this generation. The Hi-Teen Club, Buffalo Plan dress code, record hops, graduation ceremonies, film censorship, and restrictions on secret societies and on corner lounging were all forms of social engineering that reinforced social and economic boundaries that were at the heart of the dominant culture. The prevailing adult influence on activities, attitudes, and style served to redirect the "misguided Youth" of the fifties and to obliterate their image from public memory. Although the media still portrays this decade as the golden age of cultural homogeneity, the diversity in musical preferences, hair and clothing styles, and allegiances to disc jockeys suggest the wide diversity of Youth experiences and challenges to adult authority that were part of coming of age in postwar America."

Don't Bother Knockin'... This Town's A Rockin' : A History of Traditional Rhythm and Blues & Early Rock'n' Roll In Buffalo, NY .  Patti Meyer Lee.

The Erie Canal Reader, 1790-1950.  Roger W. Hecht.

Frank Lloyd Wright's Larkin Building.  Jack Quinan. "An examination and history of the Larkin building from its inception to its demolition."

High Hopes: The Rise and Decline of Buffalo, NY , Mark Goldman.

Hooded Knights on the Niagara: The Ku Klux Klan in Buffalo, NY .  Shawn Lay.  "A notable case study of the second Ku Klux Klan in a northern industrial city. Shawn Lay illuminates the origins and activities of the Buffalo Klan, the social and political context in which it operated, and the character of its membership. The book contributes to the current reevaluation of the KKK and to the scholarly literature of the 1920s."

The Last Fine Time.  Verlyn Klinkenborg.  "By turns, an elegy, a celebration, and a social history, The Last Fine Time is a tour de force of lyrical style. Verlyn Klinkenborg chronicles the life of a family-owned restaurant in Buffalo, NY , from its days as a prewar Polish tavern to its reincarnation as George & Eddie's, a swank nightspot serving highballs and French-fried shrimp to a generation of optimistic and prosperous Americans. In the inevitable dimming of the neon sign outside the restaurant, we see both the passing of an old world way of life and the end to the postwar exuberance that was Eddie Wenzek's 'last fine time.'"

Making of an American Pluralism: Buffalo, NY , 1825-60 (Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Centennial Series) David A. Gerber.

Race, Neighborhoods, and Community Power: Buffalo Politics, 1934-1997.  Neil Kraus.  "In this provocative and in-depth history of several decades of recent Buffalo city politics, Neil Kraus examines the local political causes behind geographic concentrations of poverty. Race, Neighborhoods, and Community Power makes the compelling case that policy adopted at the local level has had a significant impact on the development of low-income, segregated urban neighborhoods. By examining the policy areas of urban housing, urban renewal, education, fair housing, as well as several major development decisions, Kraus offers a detailed, step-by-step investigation of how each policy decision affected the segregation of the city's east side, and thus provides a new perspective on the debate over concentrated urban policy."

Strangers in the Land of Paradise: The Creation of an African American Community in Buffalo, NY , 1900-1940 (Blacks in the Diaspora)  Lillian Serece Williams.  "This text examines the creation of an African American community as a distinct cultural entity. It delineates values and institutions that the black migrant population brought with it from the south, as well as those that evolved as a result of their interactions with blacks native to the city and the city itself. Through and examination of work, family, community organizations, and political actions, the author explores the process by which the migrants adapted to their new environment. The lives of African Americans in Buffalo from 1900-1940 reveal much about race, class, and gender in the development of urban communities. Black migrant workers transformed the landscape by their mere presence, but for the most part they could no rise beyond the lowest entry level positions. For African American women the occupational structure was even more restricted, however eventually both men and women increased their earning power and that over time improved their lives and that of their loved ones. Migration also made more visible the class differences in the African American community. With the movement of the black southerners to Buffalo, African Americans experienced greater restrictions on their freedom. This became a source of friction because "old" black Buffalo families often perceived the newcomers and their "country ways" to be the cause of these indignities. Nevertheless, racial solidarity and common needs soon smoothed over these differences. Despite upheavals arising from migration, and an increase in both racial prejudice and social problems, the black migrant population brought with it from the south the strength and vitality with which to establish viable communities in the north.

Maps

Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY Atlas. Map Works Inc.

Rand McNally Buffalo, NY : City Map (Rand McNally) Rand McNally. 

Politics

Political Class Dismissed: Essays Against Politics, Including "What's Wrong With Buffalo".  James Ostrowski.  "Political Class Dismissed is an unrelenting assault on America's (and Buffalo's) political class: the people who have seized political power and used it to advance their own private interests--domestic and foreign--at our expense.

The author is uniquely qualified to expose the political class, growing up in a political family, being a former liberal Democratic activist and candidate, and practicing law in state and federal courts for twenty years. His trenchant and unprecedented critique of today's courts is alone worth the price of the book. He has been fighting the political machine for over twenty-five years, culminating with this broadside.

The centerpiece of the book is a 25,000-word essay detailing the decline of Buffalo, the quintessential rust belt city, from 1960-2000, explaining its causes and identifying its villains. Weaving together economic analysis, political theory, historical research and extensive personal experience, the author offers a panoramic view of the decline of one of America's great industrial cities.

That's just one of fifty incisive essays on politics, history, law, economics, war and peace. There are "personality profiles" of Thoreau, Roosevelt, Chomsky, Clinton and Lincoln. Throughout the book, the reader gets the straight dope about politics from a writer who is pulling his own strings."  

Sports

Afc East: The Buffalo Bills, the Miami Dolphins, the New England Patriots, and the New York Jets (The Child's World of Sports-NFL).  Bob Woods.  "Describes the origins and basic statistics of the four teams—the Buffalo Bills, the Miami Dolphins, the New England Patriots, and the New York Jets—which make up the National Football League's AFC East grouping."

Buffalo Bills (NFL Today).  John Nichols.

Buffalo Bills and the Almost-Dream Season.  Vic Carucci. 

The Buffalo Bills Official All-New Trivia Book II.  Scott Pitoniak. 

Contesting the Super Bowl
Dona Schwartz

Flutie.  Doug Flutie.  "The famous Boston College quarterback, winner of the Heisman Trophy, the owner of the record book for quarterbacks in the Canadian Football League and current National Football League All-Pro, recounts his life on and off the field. Doug reveals how he has demonstrated community spirit, charm and the relentless drive that has been essential for his success as a smaller athlete in a big man's sport. Includes information about how Doug led the Buffalo Bills to the playoffs and captured the hearts of fans not only in Buffalo but across America."

Legends of the Buffalo Bills.  Randy Schultz.  "Legends from the Buffalo Bills is not only a story about a National Football League team. It is also the story of the city it occupies and its fans. As the Bills enter the 2003 NFL season, the team will enter into its 44th season of existence, and what a 44-year ride it has been. Original members of "The Foolish Club," a group of owners who bought into the idea of forming the American Football League to go up against the mighty NFL in 1960, the Bills have had their fair share of losing seasons, but they've also been winners. During the team's 10 years in the now defunct AFL, Buffalo captured three Eastern Division titles, along with two AFL championships. Meanwhile the team strung together an unprecedented four straight Super Bowl appearances from 1990-93. There has been many memorable moments and characters along the way as well. Legendary running back Cookie Gilchrist and QB Jack Kemp, led the Bills to their first glory years, including back-to-back AFL titles! in 1964-65. And who could forget O.J. Simpson, who set a new individual rushing title with 2003 yards in 1973? Or the Bills' victory over the Dolphins on September 7, 1980 that ended the teams 20-game losing streak to Miami? The rest, as they say, is history."

RELENTLESS: The Hard-Hitting History of Buffalo Bills Football - Volume II.  Sal Maiorana.  "2000 marks the 40th anniversary of the Buffalo Bills. To celebrate this historic milestone, the Buffalo Bills in cooperation with Quality Sports Publications, are proud to announce the publishing of RELENTLESS, Volume II. RELENTLESS II is not a repeat of the spectacular 35th anniversary book, RELENTLESS. It is a companion to that best-selling book.
Written by Sal Maiorana, RELENTLESS II continues the game-by-game coverage complementing the original book. It also features a large section profiling the Bills' 40 all-time greatest players with their biographies, photos and achievements. Top this off with a recap of the 40 most memorable plays and a complete stats and records section, and you have a terrific and timeless record of the Bills' first 40 years.

This hard-bound collectible measures 9" x 12" with 304 pages and over 200 photographs, in both black and white and color. No other professional sports team has a more complete set of history books than the Bills. Football fans just love this companion set."

The Unofficial Buffalo Bills Book of Lists, Lary Bump.  "In Shout! Newspaper's Unofficial Buffalo Bills Book of Lists veteran beat reporters Lary Bump and Mike Doser rank everything Bills - from the standards of excellence to the eposides of infamy. The best Jim Kelly comebacks, the most magic Miami moments, the finest Marv Levy literary quotes, and dozens and dozens more. See how they stack up with your all-time favorites!"