Book Discussion

Alfred Kazin’s A Walker in The City was one of the first books in recent years that I bought spontaneously. I was intrigued by the title and summary as I love New York City, and wanted to read something I chose myself. What I ended up choosing was one of the most beautifully written book ever!

The way Kazin writes created such vivid and fruitful pictures and thoughts in my head, is truly spectacular. He squeezes color and life out of even the most basic of things within his experiences of walking down a city street. The way he can recall how all of his senses were provoked produced the same experience for me just by reading his recollections. His use of language and imagery is beyond any writer I have read, and it flows so smooth. It creates lyrics rather than sentences. He really shows how he feels rather than tell it, and this alone arouses sensations from my sense that have not arisen from reading before.

While Kazin’s use of language and imagery is more than enough to read this book, I found this autobiography fascinating. I find Kazin to be relatable, but his experience as a Jew in Brownsville opened up my eyes to life there. His take and views on this life aren’t held back, and he delivers raw emotion which really evoked similar feelings he faces. Through his journey of finding himself, he helps the reader to do the same. But because of his beautiful storytelling he helps us bloom more naturally.