The Princess of 72nd Street

A Novel

By: Elaine Kraf, Melissa Broder - introduction

Narrated by: Kristen Sieh

“That rare thing: a true underappreciated classic” (The New Yorker), about a smart and sensitive yet deeply troubled young woman fighting to live on her own terms

“Provocative . . . Almost half a century after it was first published, The Princess of 72nd Street sounds like a contemporary cry for freedom from the expectations of others.”—The Atlantic

“Kraf’s groovy, glimmering novel . . . deserves to be read—not for the nitty-gritty New York of it all but for her wry, confiding voice, which is funny, disarming and frequently ruthless.”—The New York Times

I am glad I have the radiance. This time I am wiser. No one will know. . . . The radiance drifts blue circles around my head. If I wanted to I could float up and through them. I am weightless. My brain is cool like rippling waves. Conflict does not exist. For a moment I cannot see—the lights are large orange flowers.

Ellen has two lives. A single artist living alone on New York’s Upper West Side in the 1970s, she periodically descends into episodes of what she calls “radiances.” While under the influence of the radiance, she becomes Princess Esmeralda, and West 72nd Street becomes the kingdom over which she rules. Life as Esmeralda is a colorful, glorious, and liberating experience for Ellen, who, despite the chaos and stigma these episodes can bring, relishes the respite from the confines of the everyday. And yet those around her, particularly the men in her life, are threatened by her incarnation as Esmeralda, and by the freedom that it gives her.

In what would turn out to be her final published work, Elaine Kraf tackles mental health and female agency in this utterly original, witty, and inventive novel. Provocative at the time of its publication in 1979 and thoroughly iconoclastic, The Princess of 72nd Street is a remarkable portrait of an unforgettable woman.

©2024 Elaine Kraf (P)2024 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“If one were to imagine a perfect specimen of a ‘forgotten classic’ by a woman writer from the 1960s and ’70s, you might come up with The Princess of 72nd Street. . . . . it’s a slender, accomplished and frequently funny work told from the perspective of a lively and bruised female consciousness . . . Its first-person narration feels essayistic, full of bold declarations about heterosexual love, gender roles and aesthetics.”—The Washington Post

“Elaine Kraf’s The Princess of 72nd Street lyrically details the seventh ‘radiance’ experienced by a young figure painter named Ellen who, during fits of seeming psychosis, believes herself to be the sovereign ruler of West 72nd between Broadway and Central Park. Ellen/Princess Esmerelda makes witty observations about creativity, femininity, and public life with a voice that feels startlingly modern.”—NYLON

“It’s hard for me to believe I only just read this book for the first time this winter. And I’m happy for everyone else that it’s getting reissued this year. The Princess of 72nd Street is a novel about mania, and how you can make the world beautiful for yourself through psychosis. I love the way Kraf writes, she jams so much into her sentences.”—Sophie Kemp, Document Journal

Endless monologue of the bipolar experience

Nothing really interesting or creative, just a first person account from a young New York woman’s point of view.

The kingdom of radiance vs the realization

Princess of 72nd Street, identified the main character realm kingdom as one of her own fantasy worlds in which she gets control how her world is setup. Although the story, has love and a strong non-judgmental which was the most refreshing thing. Also the book, gives lot of depth of Ellen situation how she needs to deal her life situation. Overall it was a decent book.

changing safety

2024, this story highlights the beginning of crisis on ththe Upper West side..now, there are bikbike deliveries. They ride oon sidewalks, go across traffic delivery for online orders for food and everyone else
Amazon and grub hub are the most obvious example. This has created serious injuries. Yet few reported. large trucks and parking for automobiles create injuries, increase neighborhood pollution.pollution.
Her story highlights case study.. it has become more frequent.