Paradise Alley: A Novel

Kevin Baker

HarperCollins, Oct 1, 2003 - Fiction - 688 pages

At the height of the Civil War, word spreads through the poorest quarters of New York City that a military draft is about to be implemented -- a draft from which any rich man's son can buy an exemption. The outrage this inspires escalates into the worst urban conflagration in American history.

Down in the waterfront slum of Paradise Alley, three women -- Deirdre Dolan O'Kane, Ruth Dove, and Maddy Boyle -- struggle with their private fears as they wait for the storm to descend upon them. Deirdre, devastated by the news that her husband, Tom, has been wounded at Gettysburg, must turn for comfort and aid to two women she has always judged as morally depraved -- Ruth, married to an ex-slave, and Maddy, a hard-living prostitute.

Kevin Baker's acclaimed masterpiece is an unforgettable portrait of three women who come together to protect their homes and families from the brutality of a city -- and a nation -- gone mad.

What people are saying

Review: Paradise Alley

User Review  - Anna Engel - Goodreads

I enjoyed "Dreamland," but thought "Paradise Alley" was better. His research into the time period was thorough and fascinating. For those who gave up or are thinking of giving up on "Paradise Alley ...

Review: Paradise Alley

User Review  - Howard - Goodreads

After reading Kevin Baker's Dreamland (which was great) I wanted to read the second in his series, Paradise Alley. If you are a fan of historical fiction, NYC history, or both, these are must reads (I ...

About the author

Kevin Baker was born in August 1958, in Englewood, New Jersey and grew up in Rockport, Massachusetts. He graduated from Columbia University in New York City in 1980. He began his writing career directly after graduation. His first novel, Sometimes You See It Coming, based loosely on the life of Ty Cobb, was published in hardcover in 1993 and in paperback by HarperPaperbacks in the spring of 2003. Dreamland, part of Bakers New York City of Fire trilogy, was published by HarperCollins in 1999, and in paperback the following year. Paradise Alley was published by HarperCollins in 2002. Kevin was the chief historical researcher on Harold Evans' best-selling history, The American Century, published in 1999. He currently writes the monthly "In the News" column for American Heritage magazine, and has also been published in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, The Los Angeles Times, The Frankfurter Rundschau, Harpers magazine, Talk, and The Industry Standard.

Bibliographic information

• Title: Paradise Alley: A Novel
• Author: Kevin Baker
• Edition: reprint, illustrated
• Publisher: HarperCollins, 2003
• ISBN: 006095521X, 9780060955212
• Length: 688 pages
• Subjects: Fiction / Historical; Fiction / Literary; History / United States / Civil War Period (1850-1877)