The Red Leather Diary: Reclaiming a Life Through the Pages of a Lost Journal

by Lily Koppel

Book Overview

"A world straight from the pages of an F. Scott Fitzgerald novel. . . . An extraordinary story about coming of age, following your dreams and discovering (or rediscovering) who you are, were and want to be." -- Parade

Rescued from a Dumpster on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, a discarded diary brings to life the glamorous, forgotten world of an extraordinary young woman

Opening the tarnished brass...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0061256781
• ISBN13: 9780061256783
• Release Date: January 2009
• Publisher: Harper Perennial
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 0.62 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.3" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

One man's trash...

is anther man's treasure. And what a treasure to glimpse Depression era, pre-war New York City through the eyes of Florence; a city very different today from the one of days gone by. Ms Koppel weaves the coming of age story penned on the diary's pages into a multi-colored tapestry of a young girl's longing and learning. As I read, I felt as if I walked beside the intelligent, talented, multi-faceted keeper of the diary through the streets of her beloved city and her day-to-day life, be it through the hallways of her school or a dimly lit nightclub with friends for dancing and drinks. You won't regret getting to know Florence or Lilly, and you'll identify with this diarist and author if you've grown through the changes from girlhood to woman.

Fun to read

Fun to read, made more so because it really happened. Wanted to go dumpster diving. Wanted to be that articulate and thoughtful when I was 14 years old!!

An Enchanting and Riveting Story

Bravo Lily Koppel and Florence Wolfson-- you are both inspiring women! The Red Leather Diary is an enchanting and riveting story, beautifully written by Lily Koppel. A magical serendipity immediately emerges as Lily, a young writer for the New York Times, stumbles across this 75-year-old abandoned diary whose destiny would have been the garbage heap had fate not intervened. But the way Lily chose to protect and treasure this fragile, beloved diary is no coincidence. For years, Lily persevered with an admirable dedication to research the diary and finally locate its author, Florence Wolfson. As if in a long lost dream, Florence is found alive and well at age Ninety living in Connecticut. Can you imagine Lily calling Florence to say she has her diary of the past? This is one of the many layers woven into a compelling story of depth and intrigue. "Not a single day was skipped in the diary's five years from 1929 to 1934," thanks to the diligence and moxie of Florence, who was a headstrong, privileged and passionate teenager. Florence gives us a heartfelt and honest glimpse into her rich life of art, theatre, social gatherings and love affairs. Her fascinating world is even further heightened by Lily's exquisite visual narration of New York City in the 1930's. Both Lily and Florence exude an authenticity for creating beauty in life, while carving out their own paths. The journey of Lily and Florence is an inspiring influence to keep engaged in one's own life and to welcome personal reflection. The Red Leather Diary speaks to numerous generations with its spellbinding story, history and message. Once upon a time...

Like stepping back in time

I absolutely adored The Red Leather Diary!! Lily Koppel takes you with her right into the dumpster where she finds the steamer trunks with the flapper dresses, coats, telegrams and photos that surround a small red leather diary from the 1930s. You then follow along on the journey of the young Florence as if you are her favorite pair of glasses that she would never be without as her deepest thoughts and desires are revealed day in and day out for 5 years. Lily's style transcends the written word in a picturesque way that aid as you visualize Florence's journey through the streets of an exciting NYC. And I LOVED the addition of photos throughout the book, which continually validate Lily's words. What a dream to have been Lily -- finding all these items AND finding a teenage Florence as a 90 year-old woman. This is the stuff of the best films come true to life. I hope they make a film together. It would be exquisite; I have no doubt. Pick this up to journey back to a seemingly simpler way of life. And pick up your own diary and start recording your own thoughts and desires!! BRAVO Lily and Florence!!!! Being the curious snoop that I am, I would LOVE to see the full manuscript of the diary exactly as Florence wrote it. Now That would be a fun and different way to read a book!!

Great summer read

For some reason I really love NY in the 20's and 30's. So this book was perfect for me. Plus, I do have to admit I am little nosey, so getting the opportunity to read someone diary sounded fun! Sometimes I have trouble with a book keeping my interest. I had no trouble at all with this one. It had some unexpected parts (PG-13 for sure)and some parts that were really interesting facts. I thought it was a great look back in time. There was only one thing I would change about the book... There were several chapters on the diary and then the next several chapters were in real time. I thought the flow was a little choppy. Other than that it was great!

Best book I've read in a long time

This is an amazing piece of history which reads like a novel and is highly recommended for all readers of all ages. As I read I thought, "In our age of television and video games, it is a shame we no longer have the personalities revealed here, the philosophers, the artists." But then I remembered young Lily Koppel not only rescued this diary from the dumpster, she followed through until she discovered Florence and produced this book. Thank you, Lily, and thank you Florence. I'm going to buy a copy for my grandma, just two years younger than the book's heroine, also named Florence and also still very much alive, alert, and full of fun.