Michael Brandow

What's the Problem Now? Black Grievances and White Guilt is an old white guy's witty and insightful account of his struggle to survive in New York City without becoming a racist. Unlike so many others in these uptight times of stifling seriousness and cartoonish certainty, he hasn't forgotten how to laugh at his race, or at another race. Anecdotes from a lifetime of "culture clashes" with black people are set against playful, non-dogmatic reflections on hot-button issues like black identity, white self-loathing, and racial conflict. This old white guy may not be a racist, but he admits our current infatuation with blackness has made him numb with "racial boredom." A tragicomedy for people of all shades.

What's the Problem Now? Black Grievances and White Guilt is an old white guy's witty and insightful account of his struggle to survive in New York City without becoming a racist. Unlike so many others in these uptight times of stifling seriousness and cartoonish certainty, he hasn't forgotten how to laugh at his race, or at another race. Anecdotes from a lifetime of "culture clashes" with black people are set against playful, non-dogmatic reflections on hot-button issues like black identity, white self-loathing, and racial conflict. This old white guy may not be a racist, but he admits our current infatuation with blackness has made him numb with "racial boredom." A tragicomedy for people of all shades.

Pounding the pavements of downtown Manhattan for twenty years and always on the move, a gnarly, scruffy-faced dog walker took time at the end of each day to keep a journal. Emptying his pockets of notes hastily scrawled on scraps of paper, matchbook covers, napkins, Chinese menus, leaves-whatever he could grab to record fleeting impressions while in transit-slowly he transcribed every detail, compiling this delightful tale about the dogs of average New Yorkers, the rich and famous, or just plain rich. Woven with endearing accounts of the antics of his canine wards, this meandering stroll is as much about their humans. A voyeuristic look into the private lives of clients, an urban navigation manual, a playful social critique-all is exposed from this unique sidewalk perspective. A walk-and-tell story. The Nanny Diaries of a New York dog walker.

Dogs are indeed man's best friend, and most people who've ever shared their home with one agree: Life is simply better-and more fun-with a canine companion. 650 founder and editor Edward McCann collected this diverse group of dog stories from a variety of dog-loving writers who first presented these pieces aloud for a live audience.

It's hard to imagine eight million people trying to avoid dog refuse on the streets of New York City on a daily basis. Likewise, it's harder not to imagine New Yorkers from all walks of life picking up after their canines. Using plastic bags or trendy, mechanized devices, pet owners have become a unified force in cleaning up the sidewalks of the Big Apple. Not long ago, picking up after your Poodle, Puli, or Pekinese was not a basic, civic duty. Initially, many politicians thought the idea was absurd. Animal rights activists were unanimously opposed. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals condemned the proposed legislation because it would impose undue hardship on dog owners. New York's Poop Scoop Law chronicles the integration of dog owners, a much-maligned subculture, into mainstream society by tracing the history of the legislation that the York's City Council shelved twice before then Mayor Ed Koch was forced to go to the state level for support. Brandow shows how a combination of science and politics, fact and fear, altruism and self-interest led to the adoption and enforcement of legislation that became a shining success. Mayors from around the globe were baffled and wanted to know how pushy and arrogant New Yorkers found the new initiative practical and trendy.