This is the story of the zest for life that gripped New York in the post-war years of the 1920s. The decade ushered in an era of almost unprecedented prosperity and economic expansion that made New York the powerhouse of America and fuelled a wave of creativity in music, fashion, literature and architecture. Strike Up the Band explores how the city became a magnet for a host of outstanding personalities, from literary figures to sports stars, musicians, composers and journalists, and pays a visit to the places they frequented, such as the Cotton Club and Broadway theatres. From skyline to sidewalk, the city was redeveloped in the building boom of the 1920s, with Art Deco becoming the style that dominated the new era. This book is a spirited chronicle of an outstanding decade.