The Ghost of Greenwich Village: A Novel

Editorial Reviews. Review. Praise for The Ghost of Greenwich Village: “Go out and buy three copies one for yourself, one for your mom, and one for your best .
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I would love to live in her Greenwich Village, both past and present. About The Ghost of Greenwich Village In this charming fiction debut, a young woman moves to Manhattan in search of romance and excitement—only to find that her apartment is haunted by the ghost of a cantankerous Beat Generation writer in need of a rather huge favor. Inspired by Your Browsing History.

The Language of Sycamores. The Best Kind of People. The Guests on South Battery. A Distant View of Everything.

The Ghost of Greenwich Village by Lorna Graham

As the Tide Comes In. Cindy Woodsmall and Erin Woodsmall. Master in Shining Armor. A River of Stars. Where the Crawdads Sing. Let Me Be Like Water. To Be Where You Are. Good Luck with That.

The Ghost of Greenwich Village

The Quiet Side of Passion. The Shortest Way Home. Not even Oprah could do everything that needs to be done. A booker contacts the guest and the writer is given only a few hours to write a cohesive, intelligent introduction, be well read and current on all topics, call the guest and flesh out interesting directions for the interview then write a script for the segment down to the second.

The job of the writer is to provide a script that makes the anchor look brilliant and clever. The interview questions are to be intelligent and provide a platform for the guest to tell the story but above all, the anchor must look good. Donald, the ghost, was an interesting distraction but ultimately did not capture my attention as much as the inner workings of a network.

The back story is that Eve is looking for evidence of her mother's existence in Beatnik New York from the 's. Meanwhile, Eve shares an apartment with a ghost named Donald who lived at the same time in New York with Eve's mother but didn't know her but he is obsessed with publishing his lost works and wants Eve to transcribe for him.

It was an enjoyable book and the writing is solid. The ending lacked a cohesive resolution for me. I would have liked to have the stories for interconnected for my tastes. Still, it's a good read.

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Dec 11, Sandie rated it really liked it. Eve Weldon is living her fantasy life. Growing up in the Midwest, her mother dying early, left Eve lonely and longing for more. Her mother had a mysterious past that centered around the time she lived in Greenwich Village as a young woman before she married and had a family. Gathering her courage, Eve takes off for New York. She is lucky enough to find an apartment she can afford, and soon she worms her way into a writing job. The job is also an issue.

Eve tries several things to shine, but each seems to backfire. Can she make a secure life in this new environment, or will it prove to be too much for her, leaving her to head back home to a more routine existence? Eve is a character it is hard not to love. Her ingenuity, resourcefulness, and determination to make her dreams a reality draw the reader into her world.

This book is recommended for readers ready to be entertained and left cheerful and inspired. Jan 30, Kim rated it liked it.

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This was a satifying read. Nothing bad really happened to anyone and it was a good read. I liked the reference to some of the beat writers. Jun 03, Sofia rated it really liked it. Era un posto senza tempo e Eve voleva assaporarne la magia segreta. La nuova vita di Eve Weldon comincia proprio qui, in un luogo di cui lei avverte una magia segreta. Solo Eve e solo a lei Donald detta il capolavoro che aveva dovuto lasciare incompiuto.

Un luogo che esercita su Eve un fascino magico. Ho letto questo libro tutto d'un fiato. Consiglio di leggere questo libro a tutti coloro che hanno dei sogni e non si tirano indietro al momento di realizzarli e non hanno paura di accettare i cambiamenti. Jul 14, Sara Strand rated it it was ok. I have to be honest. This isn't a book that I would think to recommend to people because I struggled through it. I didn't like Eve. I don't like people like Eve.

People like Eve are people who have a hard time adjusting to the real world. Now, never having lost a parent I can't say how I would feel if I lost my mom. But I will tell you- never would I feel the need to try to re-live my mother's life, which is very much what Eve is trying to do. It seems to me that it would b Ok. It seems to me that it would be obvious that the times and life of an area would be very much different several generations apart I also didn't understand the whole Donald thing.

Yes, he's a ghost. Yes, he wants Eve to write his book and she learns a lot about the generations and her new fashion designer friend because of Donald. I had a hard time even wanting to read sections of the book where he's present because it didn't make sense. Why even have that as a character or part of the story line? The parts of this book that I found fascinating was the hustle and bustle of her working on a morning show.

Not only was it interesting to somewhat learn about that type of job, but it seemed more of a real life scenario that could happen to a single woman coming to the big city from the Midwest. THAT part of the story made absolute sense. Often times I felt myself thinking Eve was kind of a dumb girl who, though she has real world experience and a great education, she is a person you'd pass up and assume she's just another idiot in the big city.

I wouldn't feel sorry for her or her plight if she was one of my friends. Now, if you enjoy a chick lit book, or if you like stories about women trying to empower themselves- this would be a good book for you. Eve Weldon moves to Greenwich Village searching for a connection to her dead mother who was an artist there in the 's. Jobless and alone she is adrift in the big city until she rents an old apartment. She soon discovers that the ghost of a little known, beat generation author haunts her apartment.

With his cranky advice and sometimes unhelpful guidance she soon finds herself with a writing job for a local tv show, a friendship with a famous, avant garde fashion designer, and a budding social Eve Weldon moves to Greenwich Village searching for a connection to her dead mother who was an artist there in the 's. With his cranky advice and sometimes unhelpful guidance she soon finds herself with a writing job for a local tv show, a friendship with a famous, avant garde fashion designer, and a budding social life.

But the ghost has secrets and as Eve spends more and more time with him she begins to have suspisions that he is somehow connected to her mother. The Ghost of Greenwich Village is an immature effort from a possibly promising author. The main storyline, Eve's relationship with the ghost, Donald, and her unraveling of his secrets, is cluttered with unnecesary details and mysterious subplots that aren't interesting.

Why have Donald present himself to Eve in such an unusual, confusing way? It doesn't accomplish anything for the plot and just takes time and patience to wade through the explanation of how exactly he appears in her head. Its also baffling as to why Eve stays in the apartment, paying more rent than she can afford, for the sake of a ghost she most often dislikes and who is very inconvenient for her.

On the other hand, many of the side stories about Eve's life outside the apartment were fun and imaginatively written. The morning talk show world and the dynamic between the stars and the writers was different and intriguing. The fashion designer also added a nice twist and glimpse into that glamorous world. The story has enough interesting parts to merit picking up Lorna Graham's next effort, but I won't be recommending this book to anyone. She does well with the youthful, fanciful tones of Eve, but didn't quite manage the switch to a more serious, grumpy Donald.

Leggero ma concluso male. E' stata una scoperta, per me. Dunque ho letto "La ragazza del Greenwich Village" in base alle seguenti motivazioni: Da lettrice abituale di classici -roba pesante, diciamocelo- ho sventolato bandiera bianca, seppur con qualche amarezza. Mi riservo di leggere qualcos'altro della Graham, prima di sparare a zero. Jan 18, Suspense Magazine rated it really liked it. To Eventual Weldon, Greenwich Village is a place of magic. Eve wonders what her life would have been had she not died young. The only girl of four siblings, Eve has grieved for her mother and feels that retracing her steps will give her new insight.

Eve arrives with no job and little money, and manages to snag a small apartment in Greenwich Village. She finds a job as a writer at the number two morning program on network TV. Oh, and did I mention the ghost? Soon after her arrival, the ghost of a writer in the Beat Generation begins communicating with her telepathically. He used to live in her apartment. After getting over the shock, Eve develops a relationship with Donald Bellows, a man who never fulfilled his potential, and died too young to be recognized for his talent.

As Eve matures, as a writer and a woman, she learns fascinating details about the creative world in the mid-century. She also learns the heartbreaking stories of several of the talents involved. Lorna Graham has an encyclopedic knowledge of the period, mentioning clothing designers, artists, writers, and political movements of the time and I learned what a fascinating period it is. Since I was born in the fifties, I was too little to know much about many of the gifted artists mentioned, but I discovered so much about that period!

I highly recommend this book, not as a mystery, but as a coming-of-age novel with an enormous gift of knowledge about an under-appreciated period in history. I look forward to your next book! Reviewed by Holly Price for Suspense Magazine Jun 29, Michelle rated it liked it Shelves: Fun summer read about a woman living in Greenwich Village with her puppy and a beatnik ghost.

The protagonist, Eve, is a writer for a morning talk show, the writer aspect an interesting revelation. I was fascinated by the inner w Fun summer read about a woman living in Greenwich Village with her puppy and a beatnik ghost. In fact I wish her cohorts were featured in the plot more. The grouchy beatnik ghost is also a nice and unique element.

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I loved his descriptions of being a writer in Greenwich Village back in the day. It was easier to play the part of a starving artist then because the cafes and shops actually catered to creative individuals and wanted them to eat at their establishments, wear their clothes, etc. Lots of freebies like celebrities get now, the difference being the artists really needed them. There is much to like here, but I never really adored Eve.

Also a lot of the things in this book seemed overly coincidental or just flat out unrealistic e.


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In addition, the writing is a little corny at times. Still, though, I enjoyed this book. May 03, Darcia Helle rated it really liked it Shelves: Eve is a young woman who heads out to New York with hopes of connecting with her long dead mother whose past included being part of the sixties Beat Generation. While 'Ghost' is prominent in the title, Donald, the ghost here, is a relatively minor part of the story. This is more about Eve and her quest to find her place in life.

We're taken behind the scenes of a morning news show and shown how things work. There are many references to Beat Generation writers woven in with Donald the ghost and E Eve is a young woman who heads out to New York with hopes of connecting with her long dead mother whose past included being part of the sixties Beat Generation. There are many references to Beat Generation writers woven in with Donald the ghost and Eve's new friendships.

I found some things a little too convenient and at times got restless with the lack of action in the story. That being said, I got a great feel for the characters and enjoyed Graham's writing style. Overall, I found this an easy and fun read. Dec 05, Sarah rated it really liked it.

Picked this up at random from the library and was charmed. I like magic realism, and the "ghost" is handled so matter-of-factly that it's not a distraction from what is, essentially, a coming-of-age story. If you love vintage clothes, stories of writers and creators, this is for you. If you love New York, ditto. If you ever dreamed of moving to NY, you can - vicariously - here. There's also a fascinating insiders look at how a daily TV talk show comes together. I'd recommend this for good YA read Picked this up at random from the library and was charmed.

I'd recommend this for good YA readers, too. Aug 12, Geri rated it liked it Shelves: What do you do when you move into an apartment with the ghost of a writer from the beat generation? In this case you never let anyone come home with you for fear they'll hear him and run screaming from the apartment.

You also agree to write down the stories he's dictating to you and tell him you'll find a publisher even though you think the stories are awful and no one will want to read them. But what about when you find out who he is? Sep 24, Eve rated it liked it. I came upon a porcelain ladder. It was up to me to scale it. The ladder stands at the corner of Waverly and Waverly. The polished rungs glinted in the sun, daring me to try it. You don't need to number the sentences, I can keep track.

I told you I wanted to experiment with structure. People went about their business. They are intimidated by anyone extraordinary. The subject matter was tedious and the numbers were just strange. I'm not sure they work. They sort of break up the narrative, don't you think? You don't know what you're talking about,' he said.

She is haunted by her mother's untimely death and the magical stories of her mother's colorful bohemian existence in s Greenwich Village. All her life she's been the dutiful yet overlooked daughter; though in an uncharacteristic show of independence, she decides to move to New York, seduced by her mother's memories. The only job she lands is as a behind-the-scenes writer at a t. Besides Donald the ghost, she has no real friends in New York - she is as invisible and as voiceless as a disembodied spirit.

How Eve breaks through this cloak of invisibilty and finds her voice is at the heart of this novel. There are so many entertaining elements in The Ghost of Greenwich Village - Donald's high brow ways serve as comic relief. The stories he dictates to Eve are so ridiculous and laden with odd symbolism that I burst out laughing many times. Reminiscences of Greenwich Village of the beatnik days - speakeasies, meaningful conversations about art, writing, poetry - seem so magical.

If you're at all infatuated with the idea of New York as an artist's haven, you would love these parts of the book. The surprising, behind-the-scenes look at the inner workings of a t. I did not know that news shows have writers that create everything the anchors or hosts say; Ellen DeGeneres, Katie Couric, Tom Brokaw - almost everything they say on the air is written by somebody else, who is never called a writer, merely a staffer.

They are the wizards behind the curtain who are never acknowledged. I suspect the author, former t. All these elements were fun to read about - separately. But thrown in together in this novel, they didn't mesh enough for me. The story seemed uneven, lacking something to bind all of these ingredients together seamlessly. I was irritated with Eve's endless patience with Donald's intrusion into her life and primadonna demands. Because of this, it took me awhile to warm up to the book. However, despite having the earmarks of a typical chick lit book diligent attention paid to fashion, obsessing over potential romantic interests, the ability to afford an s apartment in Manhattan with a low-paying job , it has enough unique elements to make this novel charming and atypical.

Ci sono dei libri che sanno incantarti fin dall'inizio, ipnotizzandoti con la loro copertina che ha il sapore del fascino e dell'eleganza, stregandoti con quel titolo che ci riporta New York e il suo splendore, incatenandoti con una trama che una lettrice come me avrebbe voglia di vivere in prima persona La ragazza del Greenwich Village non ha fatto che confermare le mie aspettative, rivelandosi un romanzo delizioso e piacevolissimo. L'ambientazione la fa da padrona: New York e suoi quartieri c Ci sono dei libri che sanno incantarti fin dall'inizio, ipnotizzandoti con la loro copertina che ha il sapore del fascino e dell'eleganza, stregandoti con quel titolo che ci riporta New York e il suo splendore, incatenandoti con una trama che una lettrice come me avrebbe voglia di vivere in prima persona New York e suoi quartieri chic, inaspettatamente pieni di cultura, quei palazzi che all'occhio inesperto sembrerebbero anonimi, ma che si rivelano solo a chi cerca: E' a New York per seguire quella che fu la giovinezza della mamma, Penelope, che solo a New York visse i suoi anni felici.

A volte si lascia trasportare troppo dal suo coraggio, finendo nei guai. E mentre i disastri sembrano rincorrersi, riesce a trovare in quel caos anche lei la sua happy island: Gwendolyn, l'amica del negozio vintage, che le dimostra immediatamente affetto e fiducia; Matthias Klieg, il celebre anziano stilista che la prende immediatamente sotto la sua ala protettrice; e Donald, l'odioso insistente insostituibile fantasma chiacchierone Donald, che le infesta la casa e i pensieri dal momento in cui Eve mette piede nel suo appartamento, e Bourbon, il cagnolino che si ritrova per caso e che diventa immediatamente parte di lei.

Eve deve continuamente ricostruirsi per risucire a stare a galla. Ma non si arrende. Che altro dire di questa storia, se non che l'ho adorata? Una storia in cui ci si sente protagonisti: Ogni lettore porta avanti le scelte della ragazza, condividendole, appoggiandole, sostenendole con lei. Ci sentiamo un po' newyorchesi un po'spaesati come la nostra protagonista, ma sono sensazioni che ci fanno stare bene, che ci rendono sereni. Questo l'effetto di questo romanzo su di me: Jul 04, Andie rated it liked it Shelves: I discovered The Ghost of Greenwich Village by accident and when I read the summary I wanted to give it a try because, as the title suggests, this book is about a ghost and I just love stories about ghosts.

Even though I prefer young adult books, I still wanted to read this because it seemed like a funny book.

The Ghost of Greenwich Village

Now that I have read it I can tell you that this book was not really funny. I thought that Eve would have a great time in New York, meeti http: I thought that Eve would have a great time in New York, meeting new people, making friends, falling in love etc. Well, I was wrong because Eve was not really an outgoing person. She was not very self-confident, was unsure about what she wanted and just couldn't speak her mind.

I don't think that readers will like her therefore, because she isn't really the type of character that you can easily sympathize with. Still, I could understand that she missed her mother and I imagine how hard it was for her to grow up without her. And I can't say that I totally disliked her.