This page is devoted exclusively to the works of my literary hero, Pete Hamill. His storied career as an acclaimed journalist, iconic newspaperman, editor of both the New York Post and the New York Daily News, best-selling novelist, superb essayist, and respected educator and lecturer, leaves behind a rich and enduring legacy that the journalism world can only hope to emulate. For many, he was the living embodiment of New York City who chronicled the life of New Yorkers more than anyone of his generation.
Pete Hamill served as my major influence and inspiration in pursuing a writing career. I loved his newspaper columns, novels, nonfiction, memoirs, and countless magazine essays. He never forgot his Brooklyn roots and wrote powerful pieces that identified with working-class men and women, including the suffering and downtrodden in our society. Mr. Hamill's writings are filled with honesty, real nostalgia, not sentimental drivel, and never syrupy sweet. He was proud of the writing craft and served it with great honor. He was immensely proficient as a hard-hitting tabloid columnist reporting on international and national events, local city politics, America's urban riots of the 1960s, murders, strikes, the 1966 civil rights march, the Vietnam war, conflicts in Nicaragua, Lebanon and Ireland, and the September 11, 2001 terrorists attack at the World Trade Center, as much as he was an equally skilled generalist in writing and conversing about the likes of Jackie Robinson and his beloved Brooklyn Dodgers, New York City history, Diego Rivera and painting, jazz, Ernest Hemingway, Jackie Gleason, Madonna and Howard Cosell, a love of newspapers, newsrooms, typewriters and deadlines, Milton Caniff and comic-book heroes, famous women in his life: Jacqueline Onassis, Shirley MacLaine, and Linda Ronstadt, talking boxing while mentoring Jose Torres, the education of Mike Tyson in prison, Greek coffee shops, the Great American Songbook, Paul Sann, editor extraordinaire, the indispensability of public libraries, drinking at the Lion's Head, Billie Holiday and the blues, life on the Brooklyn stoop and playing stickball on streets empty of cars, the artistry of Bob Dylan and John Lennon, living in Mexico, Ireland and Rome, friendship with Robert Kennedy, the Knicks, sobriety, the art and cultural treasures to be found in museums, and the voice and tenacity of Frank Sinatra.
I had the good fortune of knowing Pete Hamill since 2001. Our association resulted in five published interviews and book reviews (provided below): Downtown, My Manhattan, a memoir (2004), a required reading in certain New York City public schools; the best-selling novels, North River (2007) and Tabloid City (2011); the short story compilation, The Christmas Kid and Other Brooklyn Stories (2012); and the national best-selling book essay, Why Sinatra Matters (1998 and re-released 2015). I have also included (below) my unpublished book review of his masterpiece novel, Forever (2003), which has taken its place among the great works of historical fiction, with New York City as the centerpiece. This tome is destined to stand alongside his most famous best-sellers, A Drinking Life (1994) and Snow in August (1997).
At the time of his passing on August 5, 2020, Pete Hamill, age 85, was writing a memoir about growing up in his native Brooklyn, where he had recently returned to live after achieving fame and notoriety in Manhattan and becoming a legendary journalist. It was to be titled, “(Returning to) The Old Country.” Mr. Hamill's affinity for New York City, his proud Irish-American heritage, and proclivity to be the best possible newspaperman one could be, were only surpassed by the love and devotion he had for his wonderful and supportive wife, Fukiko Aoki Hamill, and the large, close-knit family that adored him.
Pete Hamill will be remembered best by those who knew him as a regular guy, a kind-hearted gentleman, who was always patient and giving of his time to young writers. I have never known anyone who disliked the man. His politics differed from mine at times, but that never mattered to me. It was all about the writing, friendship, and respect. Mr. Hamill had a long list of friends and admirers. He was someone with whom you felt an immediate connection, whether meeting him for the first time on the Lower Manhattan streets or from reading his books and columns. In many respects, he personified the everyman, but we all knew he was so much more. When final days came calling for certain celebrated individuals who received high marks in various fields of renown, their greatness was sometimes embellished and exaggerated. That is unquestionably not the case when considering the merits of Pete Hamill. He is truly an American gem, whose contributions as an outstanding journalist and an admirable man will always be cherished.
In tribute to Pete Hamill, the name of my website: "Piecework Journals" [www.PieceworkJournals.com], was borrowed liberally from the book title of his excellent work, Piecework (1996), a collection of brilliant essays. Thank you. Pete.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Pete Hamill served as my major influence and inspiration in pursuing a writing career. I loved his newspaper columns, novels, nonfiction, memoirs, and countless magazine essays. He never forgot his Brooklyn roots and wrote powerful pieces that identified with working-class men and women, including the suffering and downtrodden in our society. Mr. Hamill's writings are filled with honesty, real nostalgia, not sentimental drivel, and never syrupy sweet. He was proud of the writing craft and served it with great honor. He was immensely proficient as a hard-hitting tabloid columnist reporting on international and national events, local city politics, America's urban riots of the 1960s, murders, strikes, the 1966 civil rights march, the Vietnam war, conflicts in Nicaragua, Lebanon and Ireland, and the September 11, 2001 terrorists attack at the World Trade Center, as much as he was an equally skilled generalist in writing and conversing about the likes of Jackie Robinson and his beloved Brooklyn Dodgers, New York City history, Diego Rivera and painting, jazz, Ernest Hemingway, Jackie Gleason, Madonna and Howard Cosell, a love of newspapers, newsrooms, typewriters and deadlines, Milton Caniff and comic-book heroes, famous women in his life: Jacqueline Onassis, Shirley MacLaine, and Linda Ronstadt, talking boxing while mentoring Jose Torres, the education of Mike Tyson in prison, Greek coffee shops, the Great American Songbook, Paul Sann, editor extraordinaire, the indispensability of public libraries, drinking at the Lion's Head, Billie Holiday and the blues, life on the Brooklyn stoop and playing stickball on streets empty of cars, the artistry of Bob Dylan and John Lennon, living in Mexico, Ireland and Rome, friendship with Robert Kennedy, the Knicks, sobriety, the art and cultural treasures to be found in museums, and the voice and tenacity of Frank Sinatra.
I had the good fortune of knowing Pete Hamill since 2001. Our association resulted in five published interviews and book reviews (provided below): Downtown, My Manhattan, a memoir (2004), a required reading in certain New York City public schools; the best-selling novels, North River (2007) and Tabloid City (2011); the short story compilation, The Christmas Kid and Other Brooklyn Stories (2012); and the national best-selling book essay, Why Sinatra Matters (1998 and re-released 2015). I have also included (below) my unpublished book review of his masterpiece novel, Forever (2003), which has taken its place among the great works of historical fiction, with New York City as the centerpiece. This tome is destined to stand alongside his most famous best-sellers, A Drinking Life (1994) and Snow in August (1997).
At the time of his passing on August 5, 2020, Pete Hamill, age 85, was writing a memoir about growing up in his native Brooklyn, where he had recently returned to live after achieving fame and notoriety in Manhattan and becoming a legendary journalist. It was to be titled, “(Returning to) The Old Country.” Mr. Hamill's affinity for New York City, his proud Irish-American heritage, and proclivity to be the best possible newspaperman one could be, were only surpassed by the love and devotion he had for his wonderful and supportive wife, Fukiko Aoki Hamill, and the large, close-knit family that adored him.
Pete Hamill will be remembered best by those who knew him as a regular guy, a kind-hearted gentleman, who was always patient and giving of his time to young writers. I have never known anyone who disliked the man. His politics differed from mine at times, but that never mattered to me. It was all about the writing, friendship, and respect. Mr. Hamill had a long list of friends and admirers. He was someone with whom you felt an immediate connection, whether meeting him for the first time on the Lower Manhattan streets or from reading his books and columns. In many respects, he personified the everyman, but we all knew he was so much more. When final days came calling for certain celebrated individuals who received high marks in various fields of renown, their greatness was sometimes embellished and exaggerated. That is unquestionably not the case when considering the merits of Pete Hamill. He is truly an American gem, whose contributions as an outstanding journalist and an admirable man will always be cherished.
In tribute to Pete Hamill, the name of my website: "Piecework Journals" [www.PieceworkJournals.com], was borrowed liberally from the book title of his excellent work, Piecework (1996), a collection of brilliant essays. Thank you. Pete.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Pete Hamill - The Quintessential Journalist - 1935-2020
[My tribute article in memory of Pete Hamill - Downtown Magazine NYC - published 8-14-2020]
[My tribute article in memory of Pete Hamill - Downtown Magazine NYC - published 8-14-2020]
Pete Hamill Newspaper articles: pdf and online links, twitter tributes, and videos - published on 8-6-2020
[The legendary journalist, Pete Hamill died on August 5, 2020. Below is a collection of pdfs, online links of newspaper obituary articles; twitter tributes; and video interviews and lectures featuring Mr. Hamill.]
[The legendary journalist, Pete Hamill died on August 5, 2020. Below is a collection of pdfs, online links of newspaper obituary articles; twitter tributes; and video interviews and lectures featuring Mr. Hamill.]
"Letter to the Editor" - published in The New York Times online edition: 7-16-2019; published print edition: 7-21-2019
[I cast my vote for "A Drinking Life" (1994) by Pete Hamill. This wonderful book is a richly deserving memoir, which unfortunately, was not chosen by the New York Times staff in their list of the "50 Best Memoirs published since 1969." It was later included with other choices in a subsequent list titled, "More Memoirs!," submitted by The New York Times readers, like myself.]
* The New York Times pdf newspaper print edition is on page 6 of the Book Review. (view the 7th letter listed in the newspaper).
** The New York Times online link (view the 8th letter by scrolling down from the top).
*** The The New York Times pdf link (view the 8th letter by scrolling down from the top).
[I cast my vote for "A Drinking Life" (1994) by Pete Hamill. This wonderful book is a richly deserving memoir, which unfortunately, was not chosen by the New York Times staff in their list of the "50 Best Memoirs published since 1969." It was later included with other choices in a subsequent list titled, "More Memoirs!," submitted by The New York Times readers, like myself.]
* The New York Times pdf newspaper print edition is on page 6 of the Book Review. (view the 7th letter listed in the newspaper).
** The New York Times online link (view the 8th letter by scrolling down from the top).
*** The The New York Times pdf link (view the 8th letter by scrolling down from the top).
Why Sinatra Matters - The Italian Tribune - Book Review - published 12-10-2015
[Why Sinatra Matters - extended book essay and biographical sketch on life and career of Frank Sinatra - originally published in 1998 and revised with a new Introduction by the author in October 2015]
[Why Sinatra Matters - extended book essay and biographical sketch on life and career of Frank Sinatra - originally published in 1998 and revised with a new Introduction by the author in October 2015]
Pete Hamill Interview - Q. and A. The author discusses his bestselling book and friendship with Frank Sinatra, the most famous singer of the twentieth century. - Interview date: 11-11-2015
[Why Sinatra Matters]
[Why Sinatra Matters]
Pete Hamill's Tales from the Old Neighborhood - NewJerseyNewsroom - Book Review and Q. and A.
published: 12-18-2013
[The Christmas Kid and Other Brooklyn Stories - book of short stories culled primarily from the Sunday New York Daily News series that was published weekly in the early 1980s.]
published: 12-18-2013
[The Christmas Kid and Other Brooklyn Stories - book of short stories culled primarily from the Sunday New York Daily News series that was published weekly in the early 1980s.]
Tabloid City - NewJerseyNewsroom - Book Review - published: 5-27-2011
[Tabloid City - novel]
[Tabloid City - novel]
Pete Hamill Interview - NewJerseyNewsroom - Q. and A. - discusses Tabloid City and print journalism in internet age published: 5-27-2011]
[Tabloid City - novel]
[Tabloid City - novel]
North River - Star Ledger - Perspective Section - Book Review - published: 7-15-2007
[North River - novel]
[North River - novel]
Pete Hamill Interview - discusses North River; history of newspapers - Greenwich Time - Q. and A. - published 6-10-2007
[North River - novel]
[North River - novel]
Downtown, My Manhattan - Greenwich Time - Q. and A. - published: 12-5-2004
[Mr. Hamill's memoir discussing his career as a newspaperman in Lower Manhattan, while working for the N.Y. Post and N.Y. Daily News, among other papers, intermingled with a wonderful, nostalgic history of Manhattan.]
[Mr. Hamill's memoir discussing his career as a newspaperman in Lower Manhattan, while working for the N.Y. Post and N.Y. Daily News, among other papers, intermingled with a wonderful, nostalgic history of Manhattan.]
Downtown: My Manhattan - Star Ledger - Perspective Section - Book Review - published: 11-28-2004
[Downtown: My Manhattan - novel]
[Downtown: My Manhattan - novel]
Forever - Unpublished Book Review - 12-26-2002
[Forever - novel]
[Forever - novel]