‘Saint Mazie’ by Jami Attenberg

I think of all the misfortunes I’ve had through the years, but none of them landed me on the street—not unless I chose to walk it myself.

What a book! ‘Saint Mazie’ by Jami Attenberg is a moving, voice-driven novel told through Mazie Phillips’s diary entries, interspersed with interviews from people who knew her. This layered storytelling brings Mazie vividly to life—funny, fierce, and flawed.

Mazie was born on November 1, 1897 and starts writing in her diary on her tenth birthday. From that moment, we follow her through the years as she grows into the so-called ‘Queen of the Bowery’—an outspoken, independent woman who defies convention and shows unwavering empathy for the people hit hardest by life, especially during the Great Depression.

There’s also quiet but respectful queer representation—woven in mostly through secondary characters—and a powerful sense of inclusion and compassion that runs through Mazie’s world. She doesn’t judge. She simply sees people.

A heartfelt, gritty, and unforgettable portrait of a woman far ahead of her time.

CW: miscarriage, mental illness, alcoholism, domestic violence, death & grief