John Drake's memoir 'Stories From The Big Apple and Beyond' offers more than personal recollections—it serves as a cultural archive of New York City during a pivotal era. The book chronicles life from the 1976 Bicentennial through the September 11 attacks, capturing what Drake describes as the "nitty-gritty feel" of downtown New York that has "disappeared forever." This documentation matters because it preserves firsthand accounts of creative communities and urban landscapes that shaped American culture but no longer exist in their original form.
The memoir provides unique insight into the film industry's evolution during this period. Drake progressed from electrician to gaffer to cinematographer and eventually director, offering readers an insider's perspective on film production changes. His professional journey mirrors broader industry shifts while maintaining what he calls the "freewheeling, fun-loving abandonment" of earlier decades. This historical record helps contextualize current film practices while highlighting how creative industries have transformed.
Drake's approach to memoir writing demonstrates how personal archives can become historical documents. "I already had a book written from diaries and logs," he explained, describing how he assembled writings from decades of travel and work. This method produced what he calls "a history book of my life," suggesting that individual experiences collectively document cultural moments. The inclusion of photographs and poems further enriches this historical record, creating what one reviewer called "an appreciation of life itself."
The book's geographical scope extends beyond New York to India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Bali, reflecting both work assignments and personal wanderlust. This global perspective connects New York's creative scene to international artistic movements and demonstrates how travel influenced American artists during this period. The memoir concludes with Drake witnessing the September 11 attacks while in New York for work, marking both a personal and historical endpoint for the era he documents.
Readers have responded to the memoir's historical value, with one noting it "made me ponder just how hollow our lives have become and what great adventures pass us by." This reaction underscores why such documentation matters—it preserves alternative ways of living that might otherwise be forgotten. The book is available in e-book and print formats at Amazon, while more information can be found at Drake's website. By chronicling this specific time and place, Drake's work contributes to understanding how creative communities function, evolve, and eventually transform beyond recognition.
