Bringing the past to the present

It is said that a good book can suspend a person’s disbelief, bringing the reader back (or forward) to the story’s time period and allowing them to relate to the characters.

Author Stephanie Lehmann has accomplished that feat in her newest book, “Astor Place Village,” which depicts life in New York City in 1907, specifically as a woman during the emergence of department stores such as Macy’s, Ehrich Brothers and Stern Brothers. The book portrays one woman’s story and experiences.

She discussed her book at the Nautilus Hotel, a senior living residence in Atlantic Beach, to an audience that included her husband Steve Kronovet’s aunt and uncle, Judy and Ben Segan, who lived in Woodmere for 52 years. Steve grew up in Lawrence and is a stockbroker.

Lehmann used a PowerPoint presentation to show photographs that illustrated the era in which her story takes place and read excerpts from the novel. She described how women’s roles changed drastically during the time that department stores were gaining popularity, mostly due to the notion that women should just stay home and care for the household waned as their involvement in running, working and shopping at department stores increased.

“Department stores gave women the chance to get out of the house and be with other women,” Lehmann said. “People of different classes came together for the first time and everyone in these stores were supposed to be treated the same.”

Through this cultural shift, shopping became a more leisurely activity, as women could browse, touch things and enjoy it as a hobby, according to Lehmann.

Karen Marano, activities director at the Nautilus, enjoyed reading the book and has begun casting the movie. “I think Anne Hathaway would be perfect for the role of the main character,” she said.

In comparison to her other four books, Lehmann said she devoted much more time to researching the era. She visited the Library of Congress countless times and became addicted to the “zillion” of photographs she reviewed.

Lehmann has been visiting the Five Towns since she married Steve. Originally from San Francisco, Lehmann now lives on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. “The thing that pulled me into this book was the whole journey into the past, that people tell me they really feel when they read the book,” she said.

Judy and Ben Segan shared their pride and excitement for their “niece-in-law,” smiling with joy throughout her presentation and expressing their delight afterwards. “I think it’s great; a real wonderful achievement,” Judy said. “She truly has an amazing talent and we can’t wait for someone to make it a movie.”