'Paradise Bronx' Up For Gotham Book Prize

Summary

All Of It: 'Paradise Bronx' Up For Gotham Book Prize

Hosted by Alison Stewart, March 12, 2025

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Introduction

In this riveting episode of All Of It, hosted by Alison Stewart on WNYC, the spotlight shines on Sandy Frazier, the acclaimed author of Paradise: The Life and Times of New York's Greatest Borough. As a finalist for the 2025 Gotham Book Prize, Frazier delves deep into the intricate tapestry of the Bronx, exploring its rich history, cultural evolution, and the challenges it faces today. This encore presentation revisits Sandy's insightful conversation from the previous year, enriched with listener interactions that highlight diverse perspectives on the Bronx's past, present, and future.

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Walking the Bronx: A Journey Through Geography and History

Alison Stewart opens the discussion by emphasizing the unique vantage point of experiencing the Bronx on foot. She asks Sandy Frazier, “What can you observe about the Bronx by walking all over it, as opposed to just driving through around it or taking the train?” ([00:39](# transcript)).

Sandy Frazier responds thoughtfully, explaining how traversing the Bronx on foot allows for a deeper appreciation of its varied geography. “You don't know what the geography is like. If you just look at it on your phone, you have no idea. And if you drive through it, you're not aware that your car is going up and down as much as it is” ([01:41](# transcript)).

Frazier elaborates on the Bronx's diverse landscapes, from the hilly terrains along the Harlem River to the oceanfront areas that transition swiftly into coastal geographies. “The Bronx is at the edge of the continent, connected to the mainland... it was a place that you had to pass through and it still is a place that you have to pass through if you're coming from these islands” ([02:58](# transcript)). He underscores the Bronx's natural abundance, highlighting historical observations such as the erstwhile vast oyster populations and the Lenape people's rich sustenance from local marine life.

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Listener Interaction: Ray’s Perspective on Bronx’s Challenges

At [05:38](# transcript), Alison invites a listener, Ray from Fordham Road, to share his thoughts. Ray, a lifelong Bronx resident, offers a heartfelt critique of the borough's ongoing struggles, particularly emphasizing the impact of redlining and neglect on the community’s dignity.

Ray states, “What people need in the Bronx is the dignity brought back to living... Why are the public hallways not clean? Why is garbage not taken care of?” ([05:55](# transcript)). He criticizes the persistent neglect that keeps the Bronx mired in stereotypes of filth and decay, calling for a reevaluation of how the borough is treated and perceived. Ray’s comments poignantly highlight the systemic issues that hinder the Bronx's progress and the residents' quality of life.

Sandy Frazier acknowledges Ray's concerns, noting the importance of maintaining the Bronx's cultural and economic vibrancy amidst challenges.

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Gentrification and Housing: Preserving the Bronx's Identity

Moving forward, Alison addresses the pressing issue of gentrification in the Bronx, referencing luxury apartment developments along the Harlem River and the soaring rents that have surged by 26% over the past decades.

Frazier presents a stark reality: “34% of renters in the Bronx pay more than 50% of their income in rent” ([07:28](# transcript)). He draws parallels to historical forms of economic oppression, questioning the future of affordable living in the borough. Frazier emphasizes the necessity of balancing infrastructural improvements, such as new Metro-North stations, with policies that prevent displacement and maintain affordability.

He critiques urban planning decisions that threaten to erase established communities: “What you look for in the future is this is a place with extremely good infrastructure... It should be a place that is affordable. How one goes about that, I don't know” ([07:28](# transcript)). Frazier advocates for preserving local businesses that define the Bronx’s character, such as auto shops on Jerome Avenue, which support immigrant communities and provide stable employment opportunities.

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Listener Interaction: Michael’s Memories of the Bronx

In an engaging continuation, listener Michael shares nostalgic recollections of growing up in the Bronx. Despite exceeding the one-minute limit, Michael's vibrant memories offer a personal glimpse into the borough’s cultural landmarks and communal spaces.

Michael reminisces about his parents’ three-bedroom apartment on Walton Avenue from the 1950s, playing soccer at Van Cortlandt Park, and beloved local ice cream parlors like Jans and Crumbs ([09:30](# transcript)). He fondly recalls street games and the grandeur of the Loewies Paradise theater on the Grand Concourse, a venue once celebrated as one of the city's premier movie theaters.

Sandy Frazier corrects a common misconception about the theater's fate, clarifying, “It has not been broken down into multiplex. It's now a theater. It's now a church of some kind” ([10:36](# transcript)). Michael’s stories serve as a testament to the Bronx’s enduring legacy and the cherished memories that bind its community.

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The Birth of Hip Hop: A Cultural Response

Alison steers the conversation towards the Bronx’s pivotal role in the genesis of hip hop, prompting Sandy Frazier to explain its cultural significance.

Frazier articulates, “Hip hop is like an answer to... the Bronx being pushed to its limits by planned shrinkage and highway constructions” ([11:14](# transcript)). He describes hip hop as a form of resistance and expression against the socio-economic and environmental challenges imposed on the Bronx. The genre emerged as a powerful voice for the community, utilizing expansive speakers and loud music to assert presence and identity amidst adversity.

This discussion underscores the Bronx's resilience and its contribution to global culture through artistic innovation, highlighting how hip hop encapsulates the borough's struggles and triumphs.

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Conclusion: Celebrating a Literary Achievement

Alison wraps up the conversation by reiterating Sandy Frazier's achievements. She states, “That was New York contributor Sandy Fraser speaking to me last year about his book Paradise: The Life and Times of New York's Greatest Borough. The book is a finalist for the 2025 Gotham Book Prize” ([11:59](# transcript)). This acknowledgment not only celebrates Frazier's literary success but also reinforces the Bronx's enduring influence on culture and society.

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Final Thoughts

This episode of All Of It offers a comprehensive exploration of the Bronx’s multifaceted identity through Sandy Frazier's insightful analysis and the heartfelt contributions of its residents. From its rich geographical diversity and historical significance to the contemporary challenges of gentrification and cultural preservation, the Bronx emerges as a borough of resilience and profound cultural impact. As Paradise garners recognition for its vivid portrayal of the Bronx, listeners gain a deeper appreciation for the borough's past, present, and the collective efforts needed to secure its vibrant future.

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All Of It continues to serve as a vital platform for cultural discourse, inviting listeners to engage with the stories and voices that shape the dynamic landscape of New York City.

Transcript

[Progressive Insurance]

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[WNYC Studios]

Listener Supported WNYC Studios.

[Alison Stewart]

This is all of it on wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart. According to the writer Sandy Frazier, living in the Bronx has often meant surviving in between. In between the American continent and the islands that make up New York City. In between two opposing sides during the Revolutionary War, in between the destructive construction of expressways, and in between times of paradise and times of struggle. Fraser has spent the last 15 years walking the Bronx, mastering its geography, researching its history, and getting to know its culture and people. The result of his walks is a book called paradise the Life and Times of New York's Greatest Borough. It is a finalist for the 2025 Gotham Booker Prize. Sandy joined me to talk about his research last year and we took your calls. But remember, this is an encore presentation of the conversation, so we can't take welcome Today. I started by asking Sandy about what you can observe about the Bronx by walking all over it, as opposed to just driving through around it or taking the train.

[Sandy Frazier]

Well, you don't know what the geography is like. If you just look at it on your phone, you have no idea. And if you drive through it, you're not aware that your car is going up and down as much as it is. But when you're on foot, you see this is a, it's a hilly place and it's also quite, it's also varied. So it's kind of hilly along the Harlem river. And then in, that is east of that and then it gets, it becomes oceanfront. If you keep going, it's only like seven miles across. As you keep going, suddenly there you are, you're on the east river, which is also Long Island Sound, which is also the Atlantic Ocean. So you're kind of going from an upstate geography, a hilly and kind of challenging geography, to a shore geography, to a coastal geography in one place. So that's another kind of in between quality of the Bronx, that it's between the ocean and the upstate woods almost.

[Alison Stewart]

The Bronx, as you write in the book, is at the edge of the continent, connected to the mainland. How do you think this dynamic has driven its cultural and physical development over history?

[Sandy Frazier]

Well, it was a place that you had to pass through and it still is a place that you have to pass through if you're coming from these islands. And the islands are, I would say, kind of propitiously laid out there in the water for people coming from elsewhere. And so to get from these islands up into New England, up and to the continent, you had to go through the Bronx. And I think people, if you live in New York City and you see it as an urban place, you don't realize that. You may not realize that it is as a. Just a work of nature. It's a wonder. It's just. It has so many different environments that it incorporates. It has salt water and it has fresh water or brackish water. It has ocean and it has land. And the combination is just. I mean, I don't even. I think it's one of the most blessed places geographically on the planet. And when you. When you walk it, you see, you can see those different, you know, sides of it. And when people first came here, the description of what they saw is just, you know, what's now New York harbor was just full of fish. I mean, just all different kinds of fish. And, you know, if you see when they did archeological digs of the Lenape village sites, what the Lenape ate. I mean, the Lenape are just having surf and turf every night. You know, they're having. They're eating everything from elk to conchs to thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, countless numbers of oysters. This, before this was settled, there were three. It was estimated there were 350 square miles of oysters in the New York waters. Now, the city itself, the land of the city, is only three square miles. So you're imagining this was Oyster City. And if you go to. To places where. Where there were Lenape villages, you'll see there are middens, oyster middens, where people just kept. You had to eat a lot of oysters to get calories because they're not a high calorie food. And you would create these big mounds of oyster shells. So it was. It was, as I say, a blessed place. And the Bronx is kind of the pivot point of it. That's where you go from the ocean environment to a land environment in really the space of not very many miles.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's talk to Ray from Fordham Road. Hi, Ray, thanks for calling, all of it.

[WNYC Studios]

Hey, Allison.

[Sandy Frazier]

What's up?

[WNYC Studios]

Sandy, Honored to talk to you both. Long time, listen and lover of the Bronx, lived here all my life. Right now, to give you a picture, Sandy and Allison, I'm on the BX17 headed down Katona in The heart of the Bronx.

[Ray]

Bronx.

[WNYC Studios]

Let me see if I can get everybody say what's up? I'm on the radio, wnyc. They doing a piece on the Bronx. Y'all want to say what's up to the Bronx. Tell the people in the world that the Bronx is dope. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. You know, just like the Bronx. Everybody is not gonna participate, but we love the Bronx. What we need in the Bronx, though. What we need in the Bronx, though, especially when you're talking about redlining and stuff like that, that's kind of like the business I work in. But what. What people need in the Bronx is the dignity brought back to living. The way that the situation of living is concerned is that it's being. That the people in the tenants are being, how you can say, they're subjected to live a certain way. Why are the public hallways not clean? Why is garbage not taken care of? It's because there's a decision decided that the Bronx has to stay like those movies and it has to be filthy when people want to live in a clean place. But I'm definitely getting a book. Love y'all and just continue on. I'm at work.

[Alison Stewart]

Thank you, Ray. Thank you so much for the shout out. Love that too.

[Sandy Frazier]

So this was a. He was on a BX17 bus.

[Alison Stewart]

What's coming up? Yeah, he was. Sandy, toward the end of the book, you write about the present and the future of the Bronx, especially luxury apartments rising along the Harlem River. The rents have gone through the roof 26% in the past decades. What do you think the city needs to do or getting right to ensure that the Bronx doesn't fall into further gentrification?

[Sandy Frazier]

Well, a fact that I think everybody should just keep in mind. I keep in mind 34% of renters in the Bronx pay more than 50% of their income in rent. And go back to govern near Morris, if you had said to him, is that the kind of country that you're looking for is something where people are basically back to. I mean, what is that? How does that differ from serfdom? I mean, that's just. That's too much rent. How do you deal with that? And I am not a housing expert. I can't say how it can be done. I have no prescription. But I know that it is important that Somehow that number, 34% paying more than 50%, that has to change. It just can't be how people live. And what you look for in the future is this is a place with extremely good infrastructure in terms of the subways to begin with, railroad access. They're now building Metro north stations on the southeast part of the Bronx. There's a. It is a great place. It's a great place. Easy access to the city and people will want to live there. They will continue to. It should be a place that is affordable. How one goes about that, I don't know. I know that the idea is you're going to gentrify Jerome Avenue and make it so that you can't have auto shops on Jerome Avenue. What else is Jerome Avenue? I mean, Jerome Avenue is a perfect place for auto shops. They've been there forever. They support a lot of people, A lot of people who come in from other countries. You can make a better wage in an auto shop than you can in food service, which is the other kind of entry level job that people get. Why not have auto shops on Troy?

[Alison Stewart]

It's kind of what happened at 10th Avenue.

[Sandy Frazier]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Alison Stewart]

Let's try to get one more call in. Hi, Michael, you've got about a minute.

[Ray]

Okay, I'll go through a list then. My parents had a three bedroom apartment on Walton Avenue in the 50s. Three bedrooms. The rent was $93 a month. My father used to take me to Van Cortlandt park in the Bronx where he played soccer with his adult friends on Sunday mornings. Now I've been back recently. Now soccer has become cricket.

[Sandy Frazier]

Yeah.

[Ray]

Two great ice cream parlors around Fordham Road. Jans and Crumbs, beginning with a K. The library on Bainbridge Avenue. I used to live there every Saturday. You've already mentioned street games, ball games, punch ball, stickball, stuff like that. There's a great theater on the Grand Concourse called the Loewies paradise that used to be considered one of the top three or four movie theaters in the city because of its expanse and its star studded ceiling and its big screen and stuff like that. At some point, I think it was broken down into a multiplex. I don't know what it is now.

[Alison Stewart]

Okay, I'm gonna stop you. Right, because you went a little more than a minute. But there was good stuff.

[Sandy Frazier]

Yeah, I would just say that Loewies or Lo's, it's pronounced as far as I can tell, two different ways, is still there. It has not been broken down into multiplex. It's now a theater. It's now a church of some kind. Some evangelical church has taken it over. But yeah, that was an incredible place. And that was called the Paradise. And across the street was the paradise bowling alley. And there was a lot of paradise naming back up in those days in the Bronx. And so that's why I called one reason I called my book Paradise Bronx. But, but can you give us a.

[Alison Stewart]

Reason why hip hop came out of the Bronx?

[Sandy Frazier]

It was an answer. It was an answer to all the stuff that had been done to the Bronx. It was like, well, you brought massive machines in here to flatten us. And look at the size of these speakers. We have speakers that you, one of the guys said you could live inside of those speakers. And we're going to turn it up so loud that the street light that we're draining power from gets dim. We're going to blast this to the skies. And it's like an answer. Hip hop is like an answer to like, oh, you're going to do planned shrinkage on the place where that was an idea that they had. You're going to push highways through here and not care about who lives here. Well, we have an answer and here it is.

[Alison Stewart]

That was New York contributor Sandy Fraser speaking to me last year about his book paradise the Life and Times of New York's Greatest Borough. The book is a finalist for the 2025 Gotham Book Prize.

[Progressive Insurance]

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