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As we sweat our way from office to subway, subway to home, front door to the air conditioner's dial, let us remember another hot day in NYC's history: The Blackout of 1977. We're about to start reading Blackout by James Goodman, which reconstructs moments of the blackout, as well as ponders why the riots occured. Con Ed has been saying that we should be okay in terms of power for this summer - Gothamist hopes that Ohio is watching its power system, given what we know from 2003's blackout.
More on the Blackout of 1977: A Wikipedia article, the Blackout History Project and radio coverage from the time. Here's a Christian Science Monitor review of the book. And Gothamist's coverage of the Blackout of 2003.
Image from the cover of Blackout
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Were any of the creators or editors of this site even alive in 1977?
BTW, I was, but barely able to remember it. What I do remember tho, was a bunch of neighbors whom we never spoke to peer out of their homes, then run back in. Ah, suburban brooklyn...
The Bronx Is Burning, by (I forgot who) is also a good recount of Blackout 77.
I was 20 in 1977, so geezers read gothamist too.
www.forgotten-ny.com
It's an excellent book--unusual and extremely engaging. Enjoy!
Ladies and Gentlemen: The Bronx Is Burning is really good. I was 7 in the summer of 77 and all I remember is being terrified that the Son of Sam was going to get me because I had long brown hair.
Jen- It's a good book. Jim Goodman is a also neighbor of mine (lives upstairs) and very nice guy. If you have any questions for him after you finish reading it, let me know and I'll get him in touch with you.
sir - i wonder how many actual book reviewers post when they're only about to _start_ reading a book. let us know when you've actually finished it.
I remember it clear as day. Okay, clear as night. Watching the lights dim a couple of times at 9:37 as we waited for Charlie's Angels to come on at 10. Then everything went black.
Gotta love the Booklist description of the book: "Rushed out by its publisher after the Northeast's most recent major power outage..."
Yeah, rushed out. 23 months later. Sounds like a government kind of rush.
Interestingly enough, there was a minor blackout in North Queens tonight that left only half of the Whitestone Bridge lit. It was quite a site - unfortunately, though, I didn't have my camera.