Starting with just five feet of counter space on Coney Island’s undeveloped boardwalk, Nathan Handwerker opened Nathan’s Famous, a business that quickly spanned the globe, launching the hotdog as an American food staple and Nathan himself to national fame.
Born in 1892 to a poor Jewish family of 13 in Eastern Europe, Nathan become an apprentice at a bakery in a village near his family. Living in the store, he learned the value of hard work and developed an appreciation for good food and how it can bring people together. When it came time to emigrate to America, Nathan brought only the shoes on his feet, $28.00 in his pocket, and a determination to succeed. His journey was one of constant struggle, incredible hardship, and sheer force of will. His story provides a window into the immigrant experience, detailing the inner workings of a successful business and portraying the riotous landscape of Coney Island during the glory years of the last century.
Famous Nathan chronicles the extraordinary life of an immigrant looking for a better life for himself and his family.
Nonfiction
Famous Nathan
- From the Publisher
May 3, 2016
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