For more than a century, The New York Public Library’s world-renowned collections have inspired countless works of scholarship. Among them is author Robert A. Caro’s The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York, written during his residency at the Library in the early 1970s. Considered one of the most revealing biographies of the 20th century, The Power Broker tells the story of how urban planner Robert Moses radically transformed New York into the city we know today.
As a resident researcher, Caro delved into the Library's historical collections to create a multidimensional narrative about how Moses became the most powerful man in New York by building landmarks such as the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, Jones Beach, Lincoln Center, the Triborough Bridge, and more.
In this display, the Library recognizes Caro’s work and celebrates his residency. Items on view include the first edition of The Power Broker, Moses’ illustrative brochures, and maps from which Moses drew his inspiration. Each item is interpreted by Caro, himself.
This display is located in the McGraw Rotunda, on the third floor of the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building.
