A WHOLE MESS OF BROOKLYN (94, 96, 97, 98)

BROOKLYN! (#94, #96, #97, and #98)
24 pages, 5.5 x 8.5 $10 for a 4 issue subscription
(PAYMENT IN CASH! Fred adds: US currency please!)
Fred Argoff
Penthouse L
1170 Ocean Parkway
Brooklyn NY 11230

If you're new to BROOKLYN, here's the details:  “The name of this zine is BROOKLYN and that's also what the zine is about, Fred's beloved borough of Brooklyn." Issues generally tend to be more photography based, which gives you a real sense of a lot of hidden or off-the-beaten-path Brooklyn. If you dig history, architecture, urban spaces, etc. you'll absolutely want to check out this series. BROOKLYN is a long-standing series that's an intersting read even if you're never been to Brooklyn and maybe never will. It's all about Brooklyn (no surprise there), but it's always a combination of history, photography, and other Brooklyn related things, including Brooklyn-related zazzle.com stamps. Fred obviously spends a lot of time sweating the details, and the overall effect is very cool.

I've been a longtime reader, and I dig it. The layout -- every issue! -- is clear and crisp, and you're never lost while you're reading. #96 is all about graffiti in Brooklyn, and is very picture-heavy. It's very cool. #97 includes stops on the Brooklyn World Tour (pictures of Brooklyn-related things throughout the world). There's architecture, interesting pictures (especially ones from the Brooklyn of years past), art on the street (including Beriah Wall's ceramic coins made in Red Hook and then left throughout Brooklyn for anyone to find), and the much-loved Brooklyn Lexicon &; Pronunciation Guide #77. I'm not sure how I missed #94 from earlier reviews, but it's great: all about Brooklyn and subways (a reprise of a much-earlier theme, but still pretty grand) and #98 literally arrived just as I was finishing reviews and trying to meet deadlines! #98 is another Brooklyn History special issue and it's "so saturated with history, you wonder how it doesn't burst at the seams." There's a book review of Gay Talise's The Bridge (about the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, lots and lots of pictures, and some really fascinating Brooklyn history.

Brooklyn's fun to read, and always interesting; it's worth your time to check it out! I hope at this point folks get the idea that getting a subscription is really the way to go, since there's special issues, theme issues, photography and so on. I always feel like I've learned something new every time I read an issue!