David J. Goodwin
Escape the City (from within the City): The Cloisters
For the majority of my adult life, I’ve worked and lived in major East Coast cities. I enjoy city life. Much like many city dwellers, I occasionally find myself overwhelmed by the crowds and the noise and need to touch a quieter life. More so these days.
August Will: A Lost Glimpse of Jersey City
In several recent posts, I’ve respectively mused upon the urban pastoral and Jersey City’s relationship with nature. During the nineteenth century, especially the decades following the American Civil War, Jersey City industrialized, rapidly shedding its village-like character and more bucolic features.
The Jersey City of Yore
During the past several weeks, I’ve been researching the early history of Jersey City. Mainly, this consists of me pouring over books, prints, and ephemera in the research rooms of the New York Public Library and the Jersey City Free Public Library. Mind you: this is not a chore. The hours fly by.
The Urban Pastoral
After recently enjoying the David Bowie Is exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum, I wandered through the building’s American wing. Whenever I visit this particular museum, I seek out my favorite work in its collection, Winter Scene in Brooklyn by Francis Guy.
Wow! I’m an Award-Winning Author
The past year has been a series of dreams come true. My first book, Left Bank of the Hudson, was published in October 2017. Next, I embarked upon a multi-city book tour. On May 31, 2018, my book earned the J. Owen Grundy History Award from the Jersey City Landmarks Conservancy. Yes, I’m now an…
The J. Owen Grundy History Award: My Book’s First Honor
On Thursday, May 31, 2018, the Jersey City Landmarks Conservancy will be awarding Left Bank of the Hudson: Jersey City and the Artists of 111 1st Street (Fordham University Press) with the 2018 J. Owen Grundy History Award at the organization’s 18th Annual Preservation Awards.
Faded Grandeur Down the Shore
To celebrate our wedding anniversary earlier this month, my wife and I enjoyed a short stay at Asbury Park, New Jersey. The weekend was wet and dreary. Perfect beach weather for us. Seriously.
Murder in Matera: A Short (and Late) Reflection
In early March, I attended a reading by Helene Stapinski at WORD in Jersey City, New Jersey. Due to the (correctly) predicted blizzard, I briefly considered heading straight home after work. I was glad that I didn’t.
In the Shadow of Poor Richard
Earlier this year, I received an invitation from a librarian at the Philadelphia City Institute to speak about my book, Left Bank of the Hudson (Fordham University Press). I didn’t need to consider my calendar or conflicts: I quickly accepted. Philadelphia remains a special city for me. I lived there in the early 2000s. The…