The Edge Becomes the Center: An Oral History of Gentrification in the 21st Century

Having lived and/or worked in every one of the neighborhoods in this work, along with riding the gentrification wave further and further out of manhattan, can verify that these stories are real, raw, and everyday occurrences. Structure of the work is superb (following both the people and money involved in the great circle of life that is NYC real estate). While the occasional insert or aside by the author can swing a bit too editorial (and political) for an oral history, everything is ultimately geared to show what NYC is about- people large and small, good and bad, rich and poor. Gentrification in New York requires context, and if you need a crash course this is the book for you. Mandatory reading for anybody who wants to relocate to the Greatest City on Earth, wants to engage in any sort of 'urban' (city) community-building, or wants to get involved in community activism - whatever and wherever that may be. I hear the rent's still cheap on Rykers....

A primary source on the effects of gentrification on New York City. Gibson brings light to some of the stakeholders involved in the changes, as well as the activist efforts in resisting, and long time residents sentiments on the changes. Fun reading, a page turner, as you get a history from people most effected.

A very poignant well written book. As a West Indian immigrant who has lived in New York since 2001, I have seen many of the changes brought about by gentrification. I lived on Franklin ave and witnessed the transformation. (from the "yo ma would you like some trees to can I have a soy latte from starbucks"). I am now walking around the city looking at the areas the author describes and envisioning the past. Indeed gentrification is difficult to define and New York is such a dynamic city and this book sheds an eloquent light on many aspects. The loss of community is a theme that runs throughout the book. One can only hope at some point that the almighty dollar, the tool of the faceless venture capitalists and investors who in some cases have no passion for the city, will be used to help the people build and improve the many communities in which they live.

There are some interesting anecdotes in this book, but by including oral histories of several different eras, Gibson ultimately obscures rather than illuminates our understanding of gentrification. Having spent time in both, Crown Heights in 2015 is just not that similar to the East Village in the 1980s. It might have been possible to arrange the histories chronologically and demonstrate how the implementation of gentrification in NYC over time has become increasingly systematized, and even institutionalized through government actions undertaken in partnership with the real estate industry. Instead, a reader new to the topic might get the sense that the same thing has been going on for decades, with advocates and residents alike continuing to beat heads against the same brick wall.

It's a great book. I bought it because it was what I was assigned in my English class, I thought it was gonna be really boring but it turned out to be a good book.

Essential reading. If you live or work in American city, read this book. Gibson does what great teachers do. He listens.

A good book overall, basically telling you what has always been known, that rich people can get a better apartment than poor people.

Good as an oral history, but very poor as a source of information on what is actually causing gentrification and what we should do about it. The author's research is shoddy and far from comprehensive.