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| Photo by Suzanne Levine. |
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Lary Bloom's I'll Take New Haven, subtitled Tales
of Discovery and Rejuvenation, is a sprightly collection of essays
depicting the author's transition from a suburban community to total immersion
in New Haven, CT. It is written with the author's inimitable wit and sharp
eye for telling details. The book is a total delight! Early readers have
been enthusiastic, including one of its heroes, the author’s Italian
water dog, Lucca. Here is a sampling of their commentary on the book:
“Lary Bloom’s I’ll Take New Haven is to New Haven what James Heriot’s All Things Wise and Wonderful is to the Yorkshire Dales and veterinary life post World War II. These are delightful, much-needed tales that will warm your heart and reaffirm your faith in humanity—and with an adorable scene-stealing puppy to boot.” –Molly Gaudry, author of We Take Me Apart
“For decades, Lary Bloom was one of the foremost chroniclers of Connecticut life, which too often meant Hartford life, or Connecticut River Valley life. But a few years ago he had the wisdom to move to New Haven, and we Elm City denizens had the good sense to welcome him. Now, as if to thank us, or pay down a debt, he has produced this beautiful, winning collection of essays about re-urbanizing oneself, and one’s spouse, in life’s third act. It’s a terrific read by my terrific neighbor.” –Mark Oppenheimer, author of Squirrel Hill: TheTree of Life Synagogue Shooting and the Soul of a Neighborhood
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Cover design by Erica Udoff. |
“In a world where the sun burns cold and cyborg overlords rule
the land, humanity prays for a hero. That hero is Lary Bloom, bringing
warmth, whimsy and wisdom to life in New Haven and reminding his reader
that every day contains a good story, if you see it and tell it right.
I wish some of the cyborgs would read this book, especially YW-1183 who
just doesn’t get us. –Colin McEnroe,
WNPR host, columnist, author of My Father’s Footprints
“Amble down the path of New Haven’s city streets with Lary
Bloom and you’ll want to pack up and move to the Elm City with Bloom
as your guide. The book is packed with tidbits of wisdom and is not just
a great read but a wake-up call, inviting us into our own innate humanity.
–Nancy Slonim Aronie, author of Writing From the Heart
and Memoir as Medicine, founder of the Chilmark Writing
Workshop
“With his characteristic curiosity, humor, and insight, Lary Bloom’s essays help us make sense of these challenging times, and to find compassion for those we disagree with—and ourselves.” –Sarah Darer Littman, author of Deepfake, Anything But Okay, Backlash, etc.
“Chronologically challenged columnists don’t fade away; they
simply get better. Lary Bloom’s recent portfolio brings fresh eyes
to New Haven’s land- and people-scape. A recent immigrant from the
provinces, he writes with wonder and affection about his brave new urban
habitat.” –David Holahan, essayist
“In I’ll Take New Haven, Bloom reminds us to listen, observe, engage and care as he unfolds tales from the streets of New Haven and his own layered life as a young widower, Vietnam veteran, IRIS family sponsor and new dog owner. This book feels like a private visit with the droll, sharp grandmaster of Connecticut’s writing scene.” –Mary Collins, author of At the Broken Places: A Mother and Trans Son Pick up the Pieces
“I spent several hours with Lary Bloom’s haimishe voice in my head and found it a very pleasurable experience. I was familiar with some of the essays that I read in the Independent but many of them were new to me. The effect of reading them this way, in a collection, lends the work a gravitas that sometimes gets lost in the blur of the daily news cycle. It reminded me of Alfred Kazin’s A Walker in the City, that writer’s midlife musings on his coming of age as a young man in Brooklyn. In I’ll Take New Haven the flaneur is Lary Bloom, a writer musing on his coming-of-old-age in the city he adopted late in life. Bloom’s love of his city, of his wife, and of his dog (not necessarily in that order) permeates every well-observed snapshot.” –Donald Margulies, Pulitzer-winning playwright (Dinner with Friends, Time Stands Still, Brooklyn Boy, Sight Unseen, etc.
“Lary Bloom has been a voice for sanity, humanity, and the appreciation of quiet beauty in Connecticut for a lifetime. How lucky New Haven is that he chose to train his eye and his craft on our society in his golden years! Whether you live in New Haven, think about living in New Haven, or simply have an interest in how colorful, striving communities work, this collection of essays will open your eyes and your heart.” –Paul Bass, editor, New Haven Independent
“Woof.” –Lucca, resident Lagotto Romagnolo
Lary Bloom. who moved from Chester, CT to New Haven in 2015, is a prolific
author. His books, some of them co-authored, include Sol LeWitt: A
Life of Ideas; The Writer Within; Letters From Nuremberg;
The Ignorant Maestro; The Test of Our Times; and Lary
Bloom’s Connecticut Notebook. His plays include Worth Avenue,
Wild Black Yonder, and the musical A Woman of a Certain Age
(lyricist). He has taught writing at Yale, Wesleyan, Trinity College,
and in Fairfield University’s MFA in Creative Writing program. His
columns and essays have appeared in the New York Times, the
Miami Herald, the Hartford Courant, Connecticut Magazine
and the New Haven Independent. He can be reached at larybloom@gmail.com.
Scroll down for ordering information and a sample essay.
Click here for upcoming events and breaking
news about the author.
Click here for the seminar section (reviews,
etc.).
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