By Madison Smart Bell
Published by Crown Journeys
231 pages.
Baltimore, Maryland is the adopted hometown of author and teacher Madison Smartt Bell. In Charm City, Bell explains why he loves the city so much while guiding readers through the pulse of the city.
To do this he takes us on a series of trips, mostly by car or by foot, through his adopted hometown. This journey puts us in conversation with many of his friends acquaintances and local characters, each of whom explains why the Charm City is so special.
The moniker 'Charm City' was created by an ad campaign in 1974 with the hopes of transforming the city into a tourist destination. At that time the city's morale was drooping and it needed a solid does of civic pride.
As Bell explains Baltimore is historical city that at times struggles to define itself. At times it is culturally both a Northern and Southern City, historically it's deeply routed in the Revolutionary War, War of 1812 and the Civil War.
All these wars and the ir fallout turned Baltimore into an incubator for a wide range of ethnic groups who settled into the city and brought their distinct cultures with them. As these groups moved into various neighborhoods the city evolved and changed.
After laying a nice historical context, Bell's natural skill as a storyteller takes over. His sojourn leads us through the bars, diners, parks, landmarks and historical neighborhoods of the city. He leads us down York Road and Charles Street, through the Greenmount Cemetery and eventually into Pigtown, Fells Point, Federal Hill, the Inner Harbor and Canton. With each exploration Bell cuts a wide swath across the city, passionately championing it as his not just his home but as one of America's great cities.
Beginning with Lord Baltimore and winding through the legends of Francis Scott Key, Edgar Allen Poe, Spiro Agnew and John Waters readers feel the plus of the city. As his breakneck tour leads us to the the decks of The USS Constellation, the top of The Phoenix Shot Tower, the Row Houses of Federal Hill and the cannons of Fort McHenry the reader feels the enormity of Baltimore legacy.
Despite its reputation for violent crime, cheesy hair extensions and yummy crab cakes, Bell also shows us the Baltimore of its citizens. Whether he takes us into the famous watering holes, famous eateries or popular landmarks it is pretty clear that this New York transplant has developed a fondness for the city.
This is especially true as he chats with his friends, both normal and odd, from all parts of the city. Clearly Bell believes that the diversity of the city is one of its selling points.
Despite it's historical stature Baltimore has developed a significance in America's popular culture. From the campy fun of John Waters' films to the mainstream offerings of films like Diner, Sleepless In Seattle, Twelve Monkeys and Tin Men as well as the gritty dramas of The Wire, House Of Cards and Homicide, Charm City has become more than a backyard for Washington D.C.
In Charm City Baltimore is revealed as a town filled with historical richness, urban struggle and an almost limitless swagger. It's a metropolis of neighborhoods where creativity and eccentricity are embraced, hard work and harder drinking are encouraged.
As Bell consistently notes, Baltimore is a proud place with a surprising allure to it which makes it so endearing and beloved.
-Rob Levy
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