United for Libraries Dedicates Literary Landmarks For Erich Maria Remarque and E. L. Doctorow
PHILADELPHIA, PA — United for Libraries, in partnership with the Empire State Center for the Book, recently dedicated two Literary Landmarks on the same New York City block. The dedications, for Erich Maria Remarque and E.L. Doctorow, occurred on June 18 on the 300 block of East 57th Street, and recognized two apartment buildings.
320 and 333 East 57th Street were selected by the Empire State Center for the Book and were supported by City Councilman Ben Kallos. The buildings were the homes of Remarque and Doctorow. They become the 18th and 19th landmarks in New York State.
320 East 57th Street, the 1926 Art Deco building, was Erich Maria Remarque’s New York City home from 1951 until his death in 1970. The author of “All Quiet on the Western Front” lived there with his wife, the actress Paulette Goddard. His last novel, “Shadows in Paradise,” was set in the building.
E.L. Doctorow, author of “Ragtime,” “World’s Fair” and “Homer and Langley,” in addition to several other works, lived at 333 East 57th Street from 2000 until his death in 2015.
Members of the Doctorow family attended the dedication and two childhood friends spoke about Doctorow’s early years. One of the friends was the actor Dominic Chianese, best known for his role as Uncle Junior in “The Sopranos.”
The Empire State Center for the Book, the New York State affiliate for the Library of Congress Center for the Book, has been very proactive in declaring Literary Landmarks. In recent years the center has been the lead in the designation of the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine in honor of Madeleine L’Engle, the author of “A Wrinkle in Time,” and the windmill at the Southampton campus of SUNY Stony Brook, where Tennessee Williams resided for a summer. In 2014 a public school on East 88th Street in New York City was landmarked in honor of Bernard Waber, the creator of the picture book character Lyle the Crocodile. Lyle first appeared in a book titled “The House on East 88th Street,:
The Literary Landmark program is administered by United for Libraries. More than 150 Literary Landmarks across the United States have been dedicated since the program began in 1986. Any library or group may apply for a Literary Landmark through United for Libraries. More information is available on the United for Libraries website.
United for Libraries: The Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations, is a division of the American Library Association that supports those who govern, promote, advocate, and fundraise for libraries. United for Libraries brings together library Trustees, advocates, friends, and foundations into a partnership that creates a powerful force for libraries in the 21st century. For more information or to join United for Libraries, visit the United for Libraries website or contact Jillian Wentworth at (312) 280-2161 or jwentworth@ala.org.
