Saint Mazie A Novel
Saint Mazie, a novel by Jami Attenberg, published by Grand Central Publishing on June 2, 2015, spans 336 pages in English. The story centers on Mazie Phillips, the lively proprietress of The Venice, a renowned movie theater in New York City during the Jazz Age. While she enjoys the vibrant nightlife and the allure of romance, her exuberance conceals a challenging childhood marked by poverty. As the Great Depression unfolds, Mazie’s life takes a pivotal turn, prompting her to open her theater’s doors to those in need, transforming her into a vital figure in the Lower East Side community.
Readers will discover Mazie’s journey through her diary, which reveals her innermost secrets and the complexities of her character. The narrative intertwines historical elements with themes of compassion and resilience, as Mazie navigates the struggles of her time and the impact of her actions on her neighborhood. The novel also explores the discovery of her diary by a modern documentarian, adding layers to Mazie’s story through a blend of past and present voices. This first edition offers a rich exploration of historical fiction, with a focus on Jewish themes and the human spirit.
Official synopsis Publisher
Meet Mazie Phillips: big-hearted and bawdy, she’s the truth-telling proprietress of The Venice, the famed New York City movie theater. It’s the Jazz Age, with romance and booze aplenty–even when Prohibition kicks in–and Mazie never turns down a night on the town. But her high spirits mask a childhood rooted in poverty, and her diary, always close at hand, holds her dearest secrets.
When the Great Depression hits, Mazie’s life is on the brink of transformation. Addicts and bums roam the Bowery; homelessness is rampant. If Mazie won’t help them, then who? When she opens the doors of The Venice to those in need, this ticket taking, fun-time girl becomes the beating heart of the Lower East Side, and in defining one neighborhood helps define the city.
Then, more than ninety years after Mazie began her diary, it’s discovered by a documentarian in search of a good story. Who was Mazie Phillips, really? A chorus of voices from the past and present fill in some of the mysterious blanks of her adventurous life.
Inspired by the life of a woman who was profiled in Joseph Mitchell’s classic Up in the Old Hotel, SAINT MAZIE is infused with Jami Attenberg’s signature wit, bravery, and heart. Mazie’s rise to “sainthood”–and her irrepressible spirit–is unforgettable.
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