This book tells the stories of selected individuals, both famous and less well known, who have been a part of the cultural life of Greenwich Village. It is well written and full of interesting anecdotes and trivia. It captures trends in Village life over time. Most interesting are Wetzsteon's observations about the nature of Bohemianism, including its successes and often spectacular failures, as exemplified in the lives of his cast of characters. Apparently he planned a separate chapter on this topic but died before he could complete the book. It nonetheless stands on its own as an interesting set of vivid snapshots of artistic, literary and life-as-art culture. ( )