West Village Originals: An Oral History of New York City’s Most Unique Neighborhood

In this charming love letter to a historic New York neighborhood, reporter Minichiello collects over a decade of his “West Village Originals” columns from the WestView News. In these 90 short interviews, he asks West Village residents for their thoughts on the neighborhood’s roots, its sense of identity, and recent changes wrought by big money and big business. As Minichiello points out, “since 1916, when it first became known as ‘Little Bohemia,’ the West Village has nurtured generations of artists and activists.”; through the turn of the 21st century, the neighborhood was still known for its low rent, gay diaspora, and struggling artists. Many of the long-term Village residents interviewed by Minichiello mourn the loss of this uniqueness, and identify gentrification as the culprit. “Businesses... can no longer afford to be here,” explains naturalist Keith Michael. “The very thing that attracts people... is disappearing because of the influx of money.” Filled with nostalgia, each interview also brings a unique take on what continues to make the Village special. For jazz guitarist Peter Leitch, it’s the surprisingly small-town feel of a still star-studded community: “You never know who you’re going to meet, particularly among the older residents.... There are still some very interesting people here.” It’s an alluring mosaic of voices paying tribute to one of America’s famous neighborhoods. (Self-published)