Pete Hamill

Pete Hamill, 73, has seen New York City through its many stages, and he grabbed the attention of an NYU journalism class during an interview about his experiences.

Hamill's a well-known journalist who has written 10 books, most of which are national bestsellers or New York Times bestsellers. In "Downtown" he weaves nostalgia and velocity throughout the words of the book and creates an emotion of awe about the city, highlighting the parts he knows best.

While Hamill doesn't include much of the Garment District in his book, he eloquently described the huge trucks transporting the clothes rolling down the tiny streets, the racks and racks of

clothes passing by and the working women that came together to form a union for the district.

But beyond the Fashion Center, Hamill bursts with knowledge about the city in a way that makes you want to know more. He can grab your attention with one short phrase.

"Don't ever look down at somebody unless you're giving them a hand to get up," Hamill recalls his mother telling him as a boy, a lesson he never forgot. And through his writing, this is what Hamill believes he's doing.

His vast knowledge of New York City history along with the continuous change allows him to create a rhythm in his work.

He sets his writing to a song: maybe jazz, maybe classical, but he always finds the tone of the piece through music. While on the subject of music, he casually mentioned he knew Frank Sinatra too. That would inspire the average person to set a piece to music, but Hamill is no average guy.

He's full of randomly fascinating information that allows his writing to be entertaining and informative. He captures the ebb and flow of New York City that makes Manhattan truly unique.

If you are interested in "Downtown" or any of his other books, check them out Barnes and Noble.