Fred Siegel is a professor of History
at The Cooper Union for Science and Art in New York City and a Senior
Fellow at the Progressive Policy Institute in Washington. His last
book, The Future Once Happened Here: New York, DC, LA and the Fate of America's Big Cities,
was named by Peter
Jennings as one of the 100 most important books about the United States
in the 20th century. Siegel lives in Brooklyn with his wife Jan
Rosenberg. He was assisted in this book by his son Harry Siegel, the
editor of New Partisan.
The Prince of the City
Giuliani, New York, And The Genius Of American Life
Praise
"Siegel understands
Giuliani as only New York’s best reader of public policy and political
leadership can." —Michael Barone, co-author, The Almanac of American
Politics
"The incomparable analyst of New York politics." —Noam Scheiber, The New Republic
"[A] very insightful and very argumentative book." —James Traub, The New York Times
"The Prince of the City is a remarkable account of the Giuliani years by our best writer on urban affairs." —John Leo, US News & World Report
This is a political drama that takes place on the stage of a once great city. It’s about the rivalry between those who hoped to restore the legendary Gotham to its former glory and those who lived well off its decline.
The leading characters are the Prince (Rudy Giuliani) and his small band of loyal followers on the one hand and a shifting cast of characters representing entrenched institutions on the other.
As in any good drama some of the players switch sides at times. And unexpected twists and turns reveal the flaws of the protagonist as well as his those of his enemies.
It is some times said that history can be philosophy teaching by example. New York in the 1990s was one of those times. It was a period when dramatic differences in worldview were given the opportunity to fight it out on the stage of America’s most theatrical city.
"The incomparable analyst of New York politics." —Noam Scheiber, The New Republic
"[A] very insightful and very argumentative book." —James Traub, The New York Times
"The Prince of the City is a remarkable account of the Giuliani years by our best writer on urban affairs." —John Leo, US News & World Report
This is a political drama that takes place on the stage of a once great city. It’s about the rivalry between those who hoped to restore the legendary Gotham to its former glory and those who lived well off its decline.
The leading characters are the Prince (Rudy Giuliani) and his small band of loyal followers on the one hand and a shifting cast of characters representing entrenched institutions on the other.
As in any good drama some of the players switch sides at times. And unexpected twists and turns reveal the flaws of the protagonist as well as his those of his enemies.
It is some times said that history can be philosophy teaching by example. New York in the 1990s was one of those times. It was a period when dramatic differences in worldview were given the opportunity to fight it out on the stage of America’s most theatrical city.
—Fred Siegel
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