Bed-Stuy Is Burning: A Novel

About this book

"Aaron, a disgraced rabbi turned Wall Street banker, and Amelia, his journalist girlfriend, live with their newborn in Bedford-Stuyvesant, one of the most rapidly gentrifying neighborhoods in New York City. The infusion of upwardly mobile strivers into Bed-Stuy's historic brownstones belies the tension simmering on the streets below. But after a cop shoots a boy in a nearby park, a riot erupts--with Aaron and his family at its center. Over the course of one cataclysmic day, issues of race, policing, faith, and professional ambition will collide. Pulled into the riot's vortex are Antoinette, Aaron and Amelia's devout nanny; Jupiter, the single father who lives on their block with his son, Derek; Daniel, Aaron's unhinged tenant in their basement unit; and Sara, a smart local girl, broiling with confusion and rage. As the day unfolds, these diverse characters are forced to reckon with who they are and what really matters to them. Unexpected truths emerge from the crisis, offering a window into complex lives--and society as a whole. Platzer conjures a sharp-eyed, fast-paced, and compassionate story about a changing neighborhood and its residents, as they struggle to raise children, establish careers, and find love, fulfillment, and meaning. A fearless debut, Bed-Stuy Rising deftly wrestles with the most pressing issues of our time with unflinching focus, wisdom, and hope"--