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The Man Nobody Killed: Life, Death, and Art in Michael Stewart's New York
The first comprehensive book about Michael Stewart, the young Black artist and model who died after an altercation with the police in 1983, from Elon Green, the Edgar Award-winning author of Last Call.
At twenty-five years old, Michael Stewart was a young Black aspiring artist, deejay, and model, looking to make a name for himself in the vibrant downtown art scene of the early 1980’s New York City. On September 15, 1983, he was brutally beaten by New York City Transit Authority police for allegedly tagging a 14th Street subway station wall.
Witnesses reported officers beating him with billy clubs and choking him with a nightstick. Stewart arrived at Bellevue Hospital hog-tied with no heartbeat and died after thirteen days in a coma. This was, at that point, the most widely noticed act of police brutality in the city's history. The Man Nobody Killed recounts the cultural impact of Michael Stewart’s life and death.
The Stewart case quickly catalyzed movements across multiple communities. It became a rallying cry, taken up by artists and singers including Madonna, Keith Haring, Spike Lee, and Jean-Michel Basquiat, tabloid legends such as Jimmy Breslin and Murray Kempton, and the pioneering local news reporter, Gabe Pressman. The Stewart family and the downtown arts community of 1980s New York demanded justice for Michael, leading to multiple investigations into the circumstances of his wrongful death.
Elon Green, the Edgar Award–winning author of Last Call, presents the first comprehensive narrative account of Michael Stewart's life and killing, the subsequent court proceedings, and the artistic aftermath. In the vein of The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace and His Name is George Floyd, Green brings us the story of a promising life cut short and a vivid snapshot of the world surrounding this loss. A tragedy set in stark contrast against the hope, activism, and creativity of the 1980’s New York City art scene, The Man Nobody Killed serves as a poignant reminder of recurring horrors in American history and explores how, and for whom, the justice system fails.
At twenty-five years old, Michael Stewart was a young Black aspiring artist, deejay, and model, looking to make a name for himself in the vibrant downtown art scene of the early 1980’s New York City. On September 15, 1983, he was brutally beaten by New York City Transit Authority police for allegedly tagging a 14th Street subway station wall.
Witnesses reported officers beating him with billy clubs and choking him with a nightstick. Stewart arrived at Bellevue Hospital hog-tied with no heartbeat and died after thirteen days in a coma. This was, at that point, the most widely noticed act of police brutality in the city's history. The Man Nobody Killed recounts the cultural impact of Michael Stewart’s life and death.
The Stewart case quickly catalyzed movements across multiple communities. It became a rallying cry, taken up by artists and singers including Madonna, Keith Haring, Spike Lee, and Jean-Michel Basquiat, tabloid legends such as Jimmy Breslin and Murray Kempton, and the pioneering local news reporter, Gabe Pressman. The Stewart family and the downtown arts community of 1980s New York demanded justice for Michael, leading to multiple investigations into the circumstances of his wrongful death.
Elon Green, the Edgar Award–winning author of Last Call, presents the first comprehensive narrative account of Michael Stewart's life and killing, the subsequent court proceedings, and the artistic aftermath. In the vein of The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace and His Name is George Floyd, Green brings us the story of a promising life cut short and a vivid snapshot of the world surrounding this loss. A tragedy set in stark contrast against the hope, activism, and creativity of the 1980’s New York City art scene, The Man Nobody Killed serves as a poignant reminder of recurring horrors in American history and explores how, and for whom, the justice system fails.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published March 11, 2025
34 people are currently reading
9,078 people want to read
About the author
Elon Green
4 books199 followersElon Green has written for The New York Times Magazine, The Atlantic, and The New Yorker, and appears in Unspeakable Acts, Sarah Weinman’s anthology of true crime. "Last Call: A True Story of Love, Lust, and Murder in Queer New York" was his first book and won the Edgar Award for Best Fact Crime. Green was an executive producer on the HBO series adapted from Last Call.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
April 10, 2025
Michael Stewart and I were of an age -- twenty-five -- in the spring of 1983, when "nobody," in the form of several NYC police, killed him. He was a graffiti artist; I was about to graduate from law school. He was Black; I'm white. He would, like me, be going on sixty-seven now-- if, as I said, the police hadn't killed him. The thought is breathtaking. What art might he have made, if, if, if?
I danced at some of the same clubs Michael and his friends danced at, I saw Keith Haring's graffiti in every subway station I habitually used, but I wasn't part of the music-and-art scene and though I had some queer-appropriate wariness of the police my politics were merely liberal in, retrospectively, a not very well informed way. So although I was uneasy about what happened to Michael Stewart, I didn't understand the events as being enmeshed in the history of systemic racism or of police violence against Black people; my general image of the police had been formed by my experiences growing up in the NJ suburbs, where -- at least, if you were white -- the Policeman Really Was Your Friend. When my father had a heart attack, which back then was something almost guaranteed to be fatal, it was police who took him to the hospital, for example. When my pals and I were caught partying on the beach, the cops who showed up noticed that we were diligently collecting our trash, said, "Aw, you're good kids," and let us go.
I've learned a lot of US history in the years since 1983; my politics and my views of the police have changed, to put it mildly. To revisit Michael's murder through Elon Green's account is also to revisit my own well-meaning obliviousness. (As well as, startlingly, my envy of his glamorous friends and acquaintances; and, what I didn't fully feel yet in that year, the horror-movie terror of the AIDS epidemic about to burst onto them and onto my friends too.)
Elon Green's account here is meticulous, perhaps to a fault: I found it hard to keep track of all the people involved in all the legal proceedings and all the news coverage, this even though I was already familiar with many names likely to be new to anyone who didn't live in NYC at the time. (Elliot Gross, anyone? Murray Kempton? How about Eleanor Bumpurs, another victim of police readiness to inflict violence on the poor, the Black, the mentally ill?) So I can't exactly recommend "The Man Nobody Killed" as a propulsive narrative. But, that having been said, it's an immensely valuable work of historical detail and archaeology; if you feel the need to skim some of the legal detail, fine, but read the rest of the book attentively, note that Michael's killers got away with it, and then consider whether anything much has changed. Apart, of course, from the novel possibility that one might be sent to a gulag in El Salvador.
Thanks to Celadon Books and NetGalley for the ARC; this is, of course, my honest opinion.
I danced at some of the same clubs Michael and his friends danced at, I saw Keith Haring's graffiti in every subway station I habitually used, but I wasn't part of the music-and-art scene and though I had some queer-appropriate wariness of the police my politics were merely liberal in, retrospectively, a not very well informed way. So although I was uneasy about what happened to Michael Stewart, I didn't understand the events as being enmeshed in the history of systemic racism or of police violence against Black people; my general image of the police had been formed by my experiences growing up in the NJ suburbs, where -- at least, if you were white -- the Policeman Really Was Your Friend. When my father had a heart attack, which back then was something almost guaranteed to be fatal, it was police who took him to the hospital, for example. When my pals and I were caught partying on the beach, the cops who showed up noticed that we were diligently collecting our trash, said, "Aw, you're good kids," and let us go.
I've learned a lot of US history in the years since 1983; my politics and my views of the police have changed, to put it mildly. To revisit Michael's murder through Elon Green's account is also to revisit my own well-meaning obliviousness. (As well as, startlingly, my envy of his glamorous friends and acquaintances; and, what I didn't fully feel yet in that year, the horror-movie terror of the AIDS epidemic about to burst onto them and onto my friends too.)
Elon Green's account here is meticulous, perhaps to a fault: I found it hard to keep track of all the people involved in all the legal proceedings and all the news coverage, this even though I was already familiar with many names likely to be new to anyone who didn't live in NYC at the time. (Elliot Gross, anyone? Murray Kempton? How about Eleanor Bumpurs, another victim of police readiness to inflict violence on the poor, the Black, the mentally ill?) So I can't exactly recommend "The Man Nobody Killed" as a propulsive narrative. But, that having been said, it's an immensely valuable work of historical detail and archaeology; if you feel the need to skim some of the legal detail, fine, but read the rest of the book attentively, note that Michael's killers got away with it, and then consider whether anything much has changed. Apart, of course, from the novel possibility that one might be sent to a gulag in El Salvador.
Thanks to Celadon Books and NetGalley for the ARC; this is, of course, my honest opinion.
March 18, 2025
Another astounding true crime book from Elon Green that goes beyond the crime itself and explores the circumstances of the time. Yes, Green unflinchingly presents the facts of what happened to Michael Stewart, but he also brings to life the art world Michael was a part of both before and after his murder, the realities of 1980s New York, and contextualizes it all.
I really liked Green's Last Call and the HBO documentary based on it. But there's something more urgent about The Man Nobody Killed in 2025. In a time in the U.S. when human rights are being infringed upon, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policies are under attack, Jan 6th terrorists have been pardoned, and the president is saying police will have no repercussions for their actions, this book is vital reading.
I repeat, this book is vital reading. Green illustrates that history repeats itself. What happened to Michael Stewart was another version of what happened to Emmett Till 40 years earlier, and then happened again 40 years later to George Floyd. These tragedies and names should not be forgotten, but we also need to educate ourselves and be aware of implicit bias, to make a change and stop these atrocities from happening.
I was unaware of Michael Stewart until listening to this book. Granted, I wasn't yet born, but the similarities between his death and the violence and death of black people at the hands of police in my lifetime were unsettling. How had I never heard this story before? Especially as Green highlights how influential his death was to the artists, musicians, writers, and influencers of the time. Art I've seen and had no idea what precipitated it.
I'm aware that the world is dark right now, but I can't emphasize enough how good this book is and how much it should be read right now in 2025.
The audiobook production was great. Narrator Dion Graham fully engrossed me in the story. And there's a bonus conversation between the author and one of Michael's friends whom he interviewed for the book at the end that was fantastic. It made me tear up all over again.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for access to this audiobook ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I really liked Green's Last Call and the HBO documentary based on it. But there's something more urgent about The Man Nobody Killed in 2025. In a time in the U.S. when human rights are being infringed upon, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policies are under attack, Jan 6th terrorists have been pardoned, and the president is saying police will have no repercussions for their actions, this book is vital reading.
I repeat, this book is vital reading. Green illustrates that history repeats itself. What happened to Michael Stewart was another version of what happened to Emmett Till 40 years earlier, and then happened again 40 years later to George Floyd. These tragedies and names should not be forgotten, but we also need to educate ourselves and be aware of implicit bias, to make a change and stop these atrocities from happening.
I was unaware of Michael Stewart until listening to this book. Granted, I wasn't yet born, but the similarities between his death and the violence and death of black people at the hands of police in my lifetime were unsettling. How had I never heard this story before? Especially as Green highlights how influential his death was to the artists, musicians, writers, and influencers of the time. Art I've seen and had no idea what precipitated it.
I'm aware that the world is dark right now, but I can't emphasize enough how good this book is and how much it should be read right now in 2025.
The audiobook production was great. Narrator Dion Graham fully engrossed me in the story. And there's a bonus conversation between the author and one of Michael's friends whom he interviewed for the book at the end that was fantastic. It made me tear up all over again.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for access to this audiobook ARC in exchange for my honest review.
December 3, 2024
Michael Stewart was an up and coming young artist in the 1980's in New York City. Where Keith Haring and Warhol were all the rage, graffiti was criminalized, and Madonna was getting her start. Unfortunately a common occurrence happened. Michael was detained by the transit police, brutally held down, choked with a baton and made to wait for medical attention until it was too late.
Before the BLM movement, black men were still dying at the hands of police. There were many people who had heard his cries for help, his peas for them to stop for someone, anyone to help him. Unfortunately there were no cell phones back then to film the attack. No proof that could be given to show the brutality.
The men and women who murdered Michael were never convicted but Michael was more than his death and this book taps into the people whose lives he touched in his short life. Spike Lee's move Do The Right Thing used some of Michaels case in the movie. His paintings are still being shown and his name should be remembered alongside of those of Till, George Floyd and all the others who were victims of the systemic racism in the US.
Fantastic book that sheds light on a life as well as a death.
Before the BLM movement, black men were still dying at the hands of police. There were many people who had heard his cries for help, his peas for them to stop for someone, anyone to help him. Unfortunately there were no cell phones back then to film the attack. No proof that could be given to show the brutality.
The men and women who murdered Michael were never convicted but Michael was more than his death and this book taps into the people whose lives he touched in his short life. Spike Lee's move Do The Right Thing used some of Michaels case in the movie. His paintings are still being shown and his name should be remembered alongside of those of Till, George Floyd and all the others who were victims of the systemic racism in the US.
Fantastic book that sheds light on a life as well as a death.
March 11, 2025
The Man Nobody Killed: Life, Death, and Art in Michael Stewart’s New York by Elon Green is the enthralling, haunting biography of Michael Stewart. A highly affecting story that examines systematic racism, bigotry, biases, and the awful brutality at the hands of those who are supposed to protect and serve the people.
Michael Stewart was an aspiring artist, model and deejay living in the hustle and bustle of the busy streets of New York City in 1983. He was well liked, and admired by his fellow artists in the East Village art community. But unfortunately his life was tragically ended when he was mercilessly beaten by the New York City Transit Authority police, who allegedly claimed that Michael had tagged a subway station wall.
Elon Green gives a blistering account of the aftermath of Michael’s death, how it became a tipping point, a call to arms, and a demand for justice by his family, girlfriend, and the East Village art community, which lead to protests and investigations into his undeserved death. However, just as in many case involving the killing of Black men at the hands of the police (Oscar Grant, Freddie Gray, Philando Castile, Eric Garner and George Floyd) justice is always hard fought, and yet many times often denied. To be a Black man in America is to be persecuted, punished and killed unjustly.
The Man Nobody Killed is a gripping, unforgettable book that will evoke all of your emotions. This biography will challenge you to take an in-depth look at the cost and consequences of the racism, bigotry, bias, and brutality that has been inflicted upon countless Black men in this country time and time again at the hands of law enforcement, and the justice system. This book is a must read that should be on everyone’s reading lists. A huge thank you to Celadon Books and the author for the advanced copy of the book.
Michael Stewart was an aspiring artist, model and deejay living in the hustle and bustle of the busy streets of New York City in 1983. He was well liked, and admired by his fellow artists in the East Village art community. But unfortunately his life was tragically ended when he was mercilessly beaten by the New York City Transit Authority police, who allegedly claimed that Michael had tagged a subway station wall.
Elon Green gives a blistering account of the aftermath of Michael’s death, how it became a tipping point, a call to arms, and a demand for justice by his family, girlfriend, and the East Village art community, which lead to protests and investigations into his undeserved death. However, just as in many case involving the killing of Black men at the hands of the police (Oscar Grant, Freddie Gray, Philando Castile, Eric Garner and George Floyd) justice is always hard fought, and yet many times often denied. To be a Black man in America is to be persecuted, punished and killed unjustly.
The Man Nobody Killed is a gripping, unforgettable book that will evoke all of your emotions. This biography will challenge you to take an in-depth look at the cost and consequences of the racism, bigotry, bias, and brutality that has been inflicted upon countless Black men in this country time and time again at the hands of law enforcement, and the justice system. This book is a must read that should be on everyone’s reading lists. A huge thank you to Celadon Books and the author for the advanced copy of the book.
January 3, 2025
This is an engrossing story about police brutality, systemic racism, and bias in our justice system. I was not familiar with the story of Michael Stewart (or Eleanor Bumpers, or several others mentioned in the book), but we’re all familiar with George Floyd and the knowledge that these incidents continue to happen.
The story is presented mostly chronologically in detail. Sometimes there are a number of names thrown at the reader (doctors, lawyers, witnesses), and it can get slightly confusing, but overall, it’s an easy story to follow. For those not familiar with the court system in New York State, it might have been helpful to mention that what New York calls their supreme court is actually their trial level court, not their highest court.
Thank you to Celadon Books for a physical ARC for review.
The story is presented mostly chronologically in detail. Sometimes there are a number of names thrown at the reader (doctors, lawyers, witnesses), and it can get slightly confusing, but overall, it’s an easy story to follow. For those not familiar with the court system in New York State, it might have been helpful to mention that what New York calls their supreme court is actually their trial level court, not their highest court.
Thank you to Celadon Books for a physical ARC for review.
March 19, 2025
Before George Floyd, before Rodney King, there was Michael Stewart; a young, gifted, black artist who was killed by NYC transit police on one fated night in the 80's. This book is about Michael and his life before that night and then what happened after that night and the overall aftermath that ends with white men crowing, killers still working, and family and friends in shattered pieces, never to be put together again, always remembering and talking about Michael.
This was a very good, well-written, well-researched [I had no idea that THIS story was one of the inspirations for Spike Lee's Do The Right Thing, and I know I will look at that movie with new eyes, now that I know the story of Michael Stewart] , but ultimately very difficult book to read, especially right now as the "powers-that-be" [that are also morons but I digress] try and erase the history they do not like or agree with, ESPECIALLY Black history. We need to read books like this [and others like Toni Morrison and Isabel Wilkerson books, both who are mentioned in this book as well] to remind us that we ALL need to fight to keep this from happening. VOTE! Never forget. Say their names! Preach their histories and stories. Always.
Dion Graham is one of my favorite narrators and he does an excellent job here in reading this difficult story. I loved listening to him tell this story and I highly recommend listening to him read this very important book!
Thank you to NetGalley, Elon Green, Dion Graham - Narrator, Celedon Books, and Macmillan Audio for providing the eBook and audiobook ARC's in exchange for an honest review.
This was a very good, well-written, well-researched [I had no idea that THIS story was one of the inspirations for Spike Lee's Do The Right Thing, and I know I will look at that movie with new eyes, now that I know the story of Michael Stewart] , but ultimately very difficult book to read, especially right now as the "powers-that-be" [that are also morons but I digress] try and erase the history they do not like or agree with, ESPECIALLY Black history. We need to read books like this [and others like Toni Morrison and Isabel Wilkerson books, both who are mentioned in this book as well] to remind us that we ALL need to fight to keep this from happening. VOTE! Never forget. Say their names! Preach their histories and stories. Always.
Dion Graham is one of my favorite narrators and he does an excellent job here in reading this difficult story. I loved listening to him tell this story and I highly recommend listening to him read this very important book!
Thank you to NetGalley, Elon Green, Dion Graham - Narrator, Celedon Books, and Macmillan Audio for providing the eBook and audiobook ARC's in exchange for an honest review.
February 25, 2025
**Audiobook Review: *The Man Nobody Killed* by Elon Green**
*The Man Nobody Killed* is a chilling and deeply investigative work that sheds light on a case long buried by history. Elon Green masterfully unravels the complexities of crime, justice, and the narratives that shape public perception. This is not just a true crime story—it’s a necessary examination of the flaws within the legal system and the societal biases that allow certain cases to fade into obscurity.
The audiobook format amplifies the impact of Green’s meticulous research. The narrator’s steady, measured delivery ensures that every detail is given the weight it deserves, making it impossible to turn away from the unsettling truths being uncovered. The pacing is deliberate, allowing listeners to absorb the full gravity of the events, while the storytelling remains gripping throughout.
This book is an urgent reminder that justice is often unevenly served, and that the stories of victims, regardless of their backgrounds, deserve to be told. *The Man Nobody Killed* is not an easy listen, but it is an important one—one that forces us to confront uncomfortable realities and question the narratives we accept as truth.
**Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the opportunity 💕**
*The Man Nobody Killed* is a chilling and deeply investigative work that sheds light on a case long buried by history. Elon Green masterfully unravels the complexities of crime, justice, and the narratives that shape public perception. This is not just a true crime story—it’s a necessary examination of the flaws within the legal system and the societal biases that allow certain cases to fade into obscurity.
The audiobook format amplifies the impact of Green’s meticulous research. The narrator’s steady, measured delivery ensures that every detail is given the weight it deserves, making it impossible to turn away from the unsettling truths being uncovered. The pacing is deliberate, allowing listeners to absorb the full gravity of the events, while the storytelling remains gripping throughout.
This book is an urgent reminder that justice is often unevenly served, and that the stories of victims, regardless of their backgrounds, deserve to be told. *The Man Nobody Killed* is not an easy listen, but it is an important one—one that forces us to confront uncomfortable realities and question the narratives we accept as truth.
**Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the opportunity 💕**
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October 2, 2024In The Man Nobody Killed, Elon Green delivers a harrowing exploration of systemic racism through the story of Michael Stewart, a young Black artist whose life was tragically cut short by police violence in 1983. Green meticulously pieces together Stewart’s life, the violent circumstances of his death, and the cultural ripple effects that followed. Stewart’s beating at the hands of New York Transit Authority police—allegedly for tagging a subway wall—sparked widespread outrage, galvanizing the art world and civil rights activists alike.
Green does more than recount a grim chapter in New York City history. He forces readers to confront uncomfortable questions about accountability, power, and the cyclical nature of injustice. Despite the ensuing investigations and protests from high-profile figures, no officers were convicted, exemplifying the persistent failure of the justice system to serve marginalized communities. Green’s narrative transcends the specific tragedy of Stewart’s death, instead framing it as a recurring nightmare in American history, inextricably linked to other cases of police brutality.
This book urges us to reflect on the cost of human lives when systemic forces remain unchallenged. By weaving Stewart’s story with the vibrant yet turbulent downtown New York art scene, Green presents a portrait of hope clashing with horror, leaving readers with a lingering sense of outrage and sorrow. This was a difficult read, and I feel it would be misplaced to attach a star rating to such a poignant and heart-wrenching narrative.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the opportunity to read and review The Man Nobody Killed prior to publication.
Green does more than recount a grim chapter in New York City history. He forces readers to confront uncomfortable questions about accountability, power, and the cyclical nature of injustice. Despite the ensuing investigations and protests from high-profile figures, no officers were convicted, exemplifying the persistent failure of the justice system to serve marginalized communities. Green’s narrative transcends the specific tragedy of Stewart’s death, instead framing it as a recurring nightmare in American history, inextricably linked to other cases of police brutality.
This book urges us to reflect on the cost of human lives when systemic forces remain unchallenged. By weaving Stewart’s story with the vibrant yet turbulent downtown New York art scene, Green presents a portrait of hope clashing with horror, leaving readers with a lingering sense of outrage and sorrow. This was a difficult read, and I feel it would be misplaced to attach a star rating to such a poignant and heart-wrenching narrative.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the opportunity to read and review The Man Nobody Killed prior to publication.
January 12, 2025
An interesting account of Michael's story, though a bit disjointed and repetitive in the telling. Occasionally the terrific anecdotes of NYC and the art world at the time reduced Michael's story to feel like a bit of a footnote. Overall an important but disheartening story, both for it's lack of a satisfactory conclusion and for how little police brutality against Blacks has evolved.
Thank you to Celadon Books for an ARC of the book.
Thank you to Celadon Books for an ARC of the book.
November 26, 2024
It’s harrowing to read this book on the NYC subway in 2024, over 20 years since Michael Stewart was brutally beaten to death by the transit police, knowing that nearly nothing has changed. Green breaks down not only the events surrounding Stewart’s death but also goes into the cyclical nature of injustice and systemic racism that exist in this city and country still to this day.
March 14, 2025
Thank you to the publisher for a gifted copy of this powerful book. I am grateful to be able to share my honest feedback.
📖 Book Review 📖 I was a sociology major in college and spent a lot of time diving deep into the criminology aspect of the field. I remember studying the case of the so-called NYC Subway vigilante of the 80’s, my eyes opened to a new world. It was a terrifying thrilling prequel to my days as a social worker. But even then I did not learn of the death of a young man who was brutally assaulted by the police, accused of tagging a Subway station with no evidence presented to justify this senseless death. Elon Green’s The Man Nobody Killed: Life, Death, and Art in Michael Stewart’s New York brought me back to those days in the best way possible, inspiring me to open my eyes to a world beyond my own. This is one powerful book and definitely not a light subject, but vitally important to share.
In 2025, systemic racism still runs deep and our country still has a lot to learn about what it means to be Black in America. Yes, I acknowledge that I say that as a white person and I still have a lot to learn. Green’s writing is beautiful and flows seamlessly and while the content is tough, the book reads flawlessly, inviting the reader back in time to the grit of New York in the 1980’s. Stewart’s death garnered the attention of the coterie of artists he was in the mix of, creating waves in the already turbulent NYC community plagued by the crack and still very new AIDS epidemic targeted by police brutality. The juxtaposition of the rising fame of artists like Madonna, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Spike Lee with the untimely and savage murder of one of their own resonates with a raw note that allows this book to truly shine.
There is no sugarcoating the fact that current events right now are heavy to stomach but that makes this book even more poignant to highlight social justice issues that deserve the spotlight. The Man Nobody Killed is a must-read book for anyone and everyone; we can’t change the past but Michael Stewart’s story deserves to be told in hopes of a better future for America.
📖 Book Review 📖 I was a sociology major in college and spent a lot of time diving deep into the criminology aspect of the field. I remember studying the case of the so-called NYC Subway vigilante of the 80’s, my eyes opened to a new world. It was a terrifying thrilling prequel to my days as a social worker. But even then I did not learn of the death of a young man who was brutally assaulted by the police, accused of tagging a Subway station with no evidence presented to justify this senseless death. Elon Green’s The Man Nobody Killed: Life, Death, and Art in Michael Stewart’s New York brought me back to those days in the best way possible, inspiring me to open my eyes to a world beyond my own. This is one powerful book and definitely not a light subject, but vitally important to share.
In 2025, systemic racism still runs deep and our country still has a lot to learn about what it means to be Black in America. Yes, I acknowledge that I say that as a white person and I still have a lot to learn. Green’s writing is beautiful and flows seamlessly and while the content is tough, the book reads flawlessly, inviting the reader back in time to the grit of New York in the 1980’s. Stewart’s death garnered the attention of the coterie of artists he was in the mix of, creating waves in the already turbulent NYC community plagued by the crack and still very new AIDS epidemic targeted by police brutality. The juxtaposition of the rising fame of artists like Madonna, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Spike Lee with the untimely and savage murder of one of their own resonates with a raw note that allows this book to truly shine.
There is no sugarcoating the fact that current events right now are heavy to stomach but that makes this book even more poignant to highlight social justice issues that deserve the spotlight. The Man Nobody Killed is a must-read book for anyone and everyone; we can’t change the past but Michael Stewart’s story deserves to be told in hopes of a better future for America.
March 30, 2025
I lived during the times this book was written. I'm proud to be a bit of the storyline. I felt Michael's death the way you feel when a loved one is injured, those nerves under your skin. The book is so well researched and filled with facts but Elon Green's gorgeous writing has it read as quickly as a captivating novel. The fact that no one was ever found responsible for Michael Stewart's death does not keep those responsble from knowing what they did for the rest of their lives and responsble for their actions to reflect on their entire profession. The racism and consequent disdain for human life remains part of all our lives today which makes The Man Nobody Killed a timeless read both reminder and warning.
Patricia Rowbottom
Patricia Rowbottom
March 18, 2025
Wow this was a shocking read RIP Michael and long live black lives
March 20, 2025
Real Rating: 4.5* of five
The Publisher Says: The first comprehensive book about Michael Stewart, the young Black artist and model who died after an altercation with the police in 1983, from Elon Green, the Edgar Award-winning author of Last Call.
At twenty-five years old, Michael Stewart was a young Black aspiring artist, deejay, and model, looking to make a name for himself in the vibrant downtown art scene of the early 1980’s New York City. On September 15, 1983, he was brutally beaten by New York City Transit Authority police for allegedly tagging a 14th Street subway station wall.
Witnesses reported officers beating him with billy clubs and choking him with a nightstick. Stewart arrived at Bellevue Hospital hog-tied with no heartbeat and died after thirteen days in a coma. This was, at that point, the most widely noticed act of police brutality in the city's history. The Man Nobody Killed recounts the cultural impact of Michael Stewart’s life and death.
The Stewart case quickly catalyzed movements across multiple communities. It became a rallying cry, taken up by artists and singers including Madonna, Keith Haring, Spike Lee, and Jean-Michel Basquiat, tabloid legends such as Jimmy Breslin and Murray Kempton, and the pioneering local news reporter, Gabe Pressman. The Stewart family and the downtown arts community of 1980s New York demanded justice for Michael, leading to multiple investigations into the circumstances of his wrongful death.
Elon Green, the Edgar Award–winning author of Last Call , presents the first comprehensive narrative account of Michael Stewart's life and killing, the subsequent court proceedings, and the artistic aftermath. In the vein of The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace and His Name is George Floyd, Green brings us the story of a promising life cut short and a vivid snapshot of the world surrounding this loss. A tragedy set in stark contrast against the hope, activism, and creativity of the 1980’s New York City art scene, The Man Nobody Killed serves as a poignant reminder of recurring horrors in American history and explores how, and for whom, the justice system fails.
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.
My Review: Elon Green's followup to Last Call, again centering the life and murder of someone very much not like his cishet Jewish self, gets the tones of his subject's life and murder spot-on.
It's a gift not all have. I think his evident curiosity about people, the whys that drive them to the wheres that force us to hear about them, shines through in this exploration of all parties to this crime. Stewart, a young man of borning fame for a talent still developing, does not have much of a documentary footprint outside his still-early recognition from the downtown Manhattan art scene. He is of necesity flattened in affect thereby; he had little time and no special reason to leave behind a trove of thinking, essays, manifestoes; he is known only because his death interrupted his rise to Basquiat-levels of celebrity. It doesn't change the outrage vented by the white establishment liberals on the MTA-cop murderers, it doesn't alter by a jot the klieg-lights-and-klaxons that the murder of young Black men by white men set off, only to subside as the relentless slopping of the media trough with more acceptable outrages that refocus attention away from systemic racism accomplishes its task.
Michael Stewart died in vain. His death did not stop cops from killing other young Black men on the regular, nor dissuade the occasional white amateur from trying it...getting tried...getting off.
Elon Green doesn't shy away from the ugliness inherent in this story. He uses the limited materials about the victim to flesh him out as much as possible. It's just that the system itself, the perps it's enabled, the horrors of living in a world that views your existence as a provocation deserving of death, has a much larger footprint. It's thus that the system and its publicity becomes the focus of the book (hence my docked half-star). That might leave the reader wondering why Stewart got such prominent billing on the cover. Because we are accustomed to centering the white person(s) over the victims of color, we're accustomed to the perps (eg Derek Chauvin) getting media attention. It was his fate to be the killer cop who ignited, finally, #BlackLivesMatter and #SayHisName...could as easily have happened with one of Ahmaud Arbery's murderers, or Michael Stewart's. Follow those links, white people. Look at the titles of each article. Think about what you are seeing. Really THINK.
I assume you're sentient and I don't need to spell it out for you.
It's an infuriating read. I wanted the results not to be the results. It is history so of course I was disappointed. But, and all y'all who "just can't, too hard," with these books on difficult topics, think about how supremely spoiled and privileged a stance that is. Michael Stewart and his mother couldn't just ignore it. They had to live it, she lived it until she died.
Does it still feel too hard? Or can you use that rage, outrage, sympathy for a mother who outlived her child, to power some practical resistance? The US is sliding into a new era of sanctioned violence against those They hate. Does that not seem important enough to do actual work to oppose?
The Publisher Says: The first comprehensive book about Michael Stewart, the young Black artist and model who died after an altercation with the police in 1983, from Elon Green, the Edgar Award-winning author of Last Call.
At twenty-five years old, Michael Stewart was a young Black aspiring artist, deejay, and model, looking to make a name for himself in the vibrant downtown art scene of the early 1980’s New York City. On September 15, 1983, he was brutally beaten by New York City Transit Authority police for allegedly tagging a 14th Street subway station wall.
Witnesses reported officers beating him with billy clubs and choking him with a nightstick. Stewart arrived at Bellevue Hospital hog-tied with no heartbeat and died after thirteen days in a coma. This was, at that point, the most widely noticed act of police brutality in the city's history. The Man Nobody Killed recounts the cultural impact of Michael Stewart’s life and death.
The Stewart case quickly catalyzed movements across multiple communities. It became a rallying cry, taken up by artists and singers including Madonna, Keith Haring, Spike Lee, and Jean-Michel Basquiat, tabloid legends such as Jimmy Breslin and Murray Kempton, and the pioneering local news reporter, Gabe Pressman. The Stewart family and the downtown arts community of 1980s New York demanded justice for Michael, leading to multiple investigations into the circumstances of his wrongful death.
Elon Green, the Edgar Award–winning author of Last Call , presents the first comprehensive narrative account of Michael Stewart's life and killing, the subsequent court proceedings, and the artistic aftermath. In the vein of The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace and His Name is George Floyd, Green brings us the story of a promising life cut short and a vivid snapshot of the world surrounding this loss. A tragedy set in stark contrast against the hope, activism, and creativity of the 1980’s New York City art scene, The Man Nobody Killed serves as a poignant reminder of recurring horrors in American history and explores how, and for whom, the justice system fails.
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.
My Review: Elon Green's followup to Last Call, again centering the life and murder of someone very much not like his cishet Jewish self, gets the tones of his subject's life and murder spot-on.
It's a gift not all have. I think his evident curiosity about people, the whys that drive them to the wheres that force us to hear about them, shines through in this exploration of all parties to this crime. Stewart, a young man of borning fame for a talent still developing, does not have much of a documentary footprint outside his still-early recognition from the downtown Manhattan art scene. He is of necesity flattened in affect thereby; he had little time and no special reason to leave behind a trove of thinking, essays, manifestoes; he is known only because his death interrupted his rise to Basquiat-levels of celebrity. It doesn't change the outrage vented by the white establishment liberals on the MTA-cop murderers, it doesn't alter by a jot the klieg-lights-and-klaxons that the murder of young Black men by white men set off, only to subside as the relentless slopping of the media trough with more acceptable outrages that refocus attention away from systemic racism accomplishes its task.
Michael Stewart died in vain. His death did not stop cops from killing other young Black men on the regular, nor dissuade the occasional white amateur from trying it...getting tried...getting off.
Elon Green doesn't shy away from the ugliness inherent in this story. He uses the limited materials about the victim to flesh him out as much as possible. It's just that the system itself, the perps it's enabled, the horrors of living in a world that views your existence as a provocation deserving of death, has a much larger footprint. It's thus that the system and its publicity becomes the focus of the book (hence my docked half-star). That might leave the reader wondering why Stewart got such prominent billing on the cover. Because we are accustomed to centering the white person(s) over the victims of color, we're accustomed to the perps (eg Derek Chauvin) getting media attention. It was his fate to be the killer cop who ignited, finally, #BlackLivesMatter and #SayHisName...could as easily have happened with one of Ahmaud Arbery's murderers, or Michael Stewart's. Follow those links, white people. Look at the titles of each article. Think about what you are seeing. Really THINK.
I assume you're sentient and I don't need to spell it out for you.
It's an infuriating read. I wanted the results not to be the results. It is history so of course I was disappointed. But, and all y'all who "just can't, too hard," with these books on difficult topics, think about how supremely spoiled and privileged a stance that is. Michael Stewart and his mother couldn't just ignore it. They had to live it, she lived it until she died.
Does it still feel too hard? Or can you use that rage, outrage, sympathy for a mother who outlived her child, to power some practical resistance? The US is sliding into a new era of sanctioned violence against those They hate. Does that not seem important enough to do actual work to oppose?
March 23, 2025
In 1983, Michael Stewart was just another kid who came to New York City to pursue a dream. He was an artist, a deejay and a model, enjoying the downtown club scene and working hard at his jobs.
The 25-year-old wanted to make a name for himself --- and tragically he did just that by way of a brutal beating by New York City Transit Authority police after being caught tagging a subway wall at 14th Street. (Tagging is the name given to the spraying of an artist’s graffiti “tag” on a piece of public property.) The news was a blast heard around the world and cemented the young man’s name in the annals of the ’80s, along with the Central Park Five and the Preppy Killer.
Edgar Award-winning author Elon Green gives a complete rundown on Stewart, his untimely death, and the lasting consequences of that barbaric incident in his latest book, THE MAN NOBODY KILLED.
Forty years after the murder, the case still holds many of the worst traits of the United States in the Go-Go decade, where money and violence took precedence over the hippie dream that died with the ’70s. The AIDS crisis, the racism exhibited through police activities, and the innocence of the young artists who thought that New York City would welcome them with open arms are all woven into this disturbing and well-paced story. Green has fashioned a thriller out of the incident and its outcome (and left out some of the sensitivity that I personally hoped would be an important part of the narrative). It is a wicked take on a wicked act that brings back some of the more intensive concerns about safety in this oppressive, gun-addled society.
The specifics of the story are not spared. Witnesses saw officers beat this defenseless young man with billy clubs, choke him with a nightstick, and dump him at Bellevue Hospital without a heartbeat. The book should’ve been marked with a trigger warning given US history and the continued mountain of bodies of men such as Stewart to whom civil rights movements like Black Lives Matter have been dedicated year after year. However, Green does not skimp on his personal story, so he becomes a brother, a son and a friend to everyone who reads the book.
And then there is the parade of artists and singers, including Madonna, Keith Haring, Spike Lee and Jean-Michel Basquiat, who joined journalists like Jimmy Breslin, Murray Kempton and WNBC's Gabe Pressman to raise awareness of the killing and ask constant questions about the case, especially as the police suffered no real consequences. Stewart’s family called for justice, using the platform the stars provided, and several investigations were launched into his wrongful death.
Green is a good writer who brings the backdrop of the crazy ’80s into full 4K view. He demonstrates that Stewart deserved so much more than what he received, and the stretch of justice from that night to today has not grown as much as it should have.
If only THE MAN NOBODY KILLED could be considered a fable, a final story about how the old oppressive powers of greedy authorities were taken to task and protections created for vulnerable young people. However, knowing that this brutality could have happened just the other day hopefully will help everyone work harder for police watchdogging.
Reviewed by Jana Siciliano
The 25-year-old wanted to make a name for himself --- and tragically he did just that by way of a brutal beating by New York City Transit Authority police after being caught tagging a subway wall at 14th Street. (Tagging is the name given to the spraying of an artist’s graffiti “tag” on a piece of public property.) The news was a blast heard around the world and cemented the young man’s name in the annals of the ’80s, along with the Central Park Five and the Preppy Killer.
Edgar Award-winning author Elon Green gives a complete rundown on Stewart, his untimely death, and the lasting consequences of that barbaric incident in his latest book, THE MAN NOBODY KILLED.
Forty years after the murder, the case still holds many of the worst traits of the United States in the Go-Go decade, where money and violence took precedence over the hippie dream that died with the ’70s. The AIDS crisis, the racism exhibited through police activities, and the innocence of the young artists who thought that New York City would welcome them with open arms are all woven into this disturbing and well-paced story. Green has fashioned a thriller out of the incident and its outcome (and left out some of the sensitivity that I personally hoped would be an important part of the narrative). It is a wicked take on a wicked act that brings back some of the more intensive concerns about safety in this oppressive, gun-addled society.
The specifics of the story are not spared. Witnesses saw officers beat this defenseless young man with billy clubs, choke him with a nightstick, and dump him at Bellevue Hospital without a heartbeat. The book should’ve been marked with a trigger warning given US history and the continued mountain of bodies of men such as Stewart to whom civil rights movements like Black Lives Matter have been dedicated year after year. However, Green does not skimp on his personal story, so he becomes a brother, a son and a friend to everyone who reads the book.
And then there is the parade of artists and singers, including Madonna, Keith Haring, Spike Lee and Jean-Michel Basquiat, who joined journalists like Jimmy Breslin, Murray Kempton and WNBC's Gabe Pressman to raise awareness of the killing and ask constant questions about the case, especially as the police suffered no real consequences. Stewart’s family called for justice, using the platform the stars provided, and several investigations were launched into his wrongful death.
Green is a good writer who brings the backdrop of the crazy ’80s into full 4K view. He demonstrates that Stewart deserved so much more than what he received, and the stretch of justice from that night to today has not grown as much as it should have.
If only THE MAN NOBODY KILLED could be considered a fable, a final story about how the old oppressive powers of greedy authorities were taken to task and protections created for vulnerable young people. However, knowing that this brutality could have happened just the other day hopefully will help everyone work harder for police watchdogging.
Reviewed by Jana Siciliano
March 12, 2025
The Man Nobody Killed: Life, Death, and Art in Micheal Stewart’s New York
Elon Green
Micheal Stewart was a promising young artist with nothing but potential. Sadly, due to unchecked police brutality that potential died with him. All his aspirations gone. Stewart was heavily involved in the art scene in the 80s. He was associated with the up and coming artist of that time.
Elon Green uses the framework of the political climate to explain why no one was legally responsible for Stewart’s death. The novel is dense with historical research that references and reflects on the art scene.
Truthfully, this account of Stewart’s life and death is beyond devastating. He literally just wanted to be an artist. His blackness was all the police needed to mistreat and kill him. Most of the political figures and government officials completely ignored what was blatantly true. Sadly, in some ways the social climate is still the same to this day.
As far as how this book is structured, as I stated before the book is dense in research. I personally don’t really care for the specifics of every character beyond the book’s name sake. But, I understand how it adds depth to the story being told for others. At times, I found myself wondering how the chapter would relate back to Stewart. Although, I had reservations about that Green, did achieve the goal of making the connection. Life is intertwined and complicated. When the system and those apart of the system don’t choose to do what’s in the best interest of the people, we all suffer.
Thank you @celadonbooks for the ARC.
#readandtellwithshantel #ManNobodyKilled
#CeladonReads #MichaelStewart #ElonGreen
Elon Green
Micheal Stewart was a promising young artist with nothing but potential. Sadly, due to unchecked police brutality that potential died with him. All his aspirations gone. Stewart was heavily involved in the art scene in the 80s. He was associated with the up and coming artist of that time.
Elon Green uses the framework of the political climate to explain why no one was legally responsible for Stewart’s death. The novel is dense with historical research that references and reflects on the art scene.
Truthfully, this account of Stewart’s life and death is beyond devastating. He literally just wanted to be an artist. His blackness was all the police needed to mistreat and kill him. Most of the political figures and government officials completely ignored what was blatantly true. Sadly, in some ways the social climate is still the same to this day.
As far as how this book is structured, as I stated before the book is dense in research. I personally don’t really care for the specifics of every character beyond the book’s name sake. But, I understand how it adds depth to the story being told for others. At times, I found myself wondering how the chapter would relate back to Stewart. Although, I had reservations about that Green, did achieve the goal of making the connection. Life is intertwined and complicated. When the system and those apart of the system don’t choose to do what’s in the best interest of the people, we all suffer.
Thank you @celadonbooks for the ARC.
#readandtellwithshantel #ManNobodyKilled
#CeladonReads #MichaelStewart #ElonGreen
March 9, 2025
The Man Nobody Killed: Life, Death, and Art in Michael Stewart's New York by Elon Green tells the story of Michael Stewart, a young artist and model in NYC , who died in 1983 as a result of police brutality, that was rampant in the 1980s. It reveals the gross malpractice of the parties involved.
Due to the perseverance of several actors in the story including Stewarts’s family, friends, the press and artists who supported the investigation, inconsistencies in the behavior of those involved, medical records and accounts of the incident were revealed. The author is able to weave the political climate and arts scene of NYC at the time. While no one was convicted in this case, ultimately, this along with similar events inspired films, movies and works of art including this book and remain in the record of our history.
I had the good fortune to be able to read and listen to this book at the same time. For a non-fiction book, loaded with medical and case facts reads like a novel and is easy to understand. In addition, the narration by Dion Graham was set at a great pace and tone and I was able to seamlessly switch between both the audio and print without issue.
Thank you, Celadon Books, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC. All Opinions are my own.
Rating: 5 Stars
Audio Release Print Pub Date: Mar 11 2025
Tags:
Macmillan Audio
@macmillanaudio
Celadon Books
@celadonbooks
#TheManNobodyKilledBook
#ElonGreen
#DionGraham
#TrueCrime
#NYC
#YarisBookNook
#netgalley
Due to the perseverance of several actors in the story including Stewarts’s family, friends, the press and artists who supported the investigation, inconsistencies in the behavior of those involved, medical records and accounts of the incident were revealed. The author is able to weave the political climate and arts scene of NYC at the time. While no one was convicted in this case, ultimately, this along with similar events inspired films, movies and works of art including this book and remain in the record of our history.
I had the good fortune to be able to read and listen to this book at the same time. For a non-fiction book, loaded with medical and case facts reads like a novel and is easy to understand. In addition, the narration by Dion Graham was set at a great pace and tone and I was able to seamlessly switch between both the audio and print without issue.
Thank you, Celadon Books, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC. All Opinions are my own.
Rating: 5 Stars
Audio Release Print Pub Date: Mar 11 2025
Tags:
Macmillan Audio
@macmillanaudio
Celadon Books
@celadonbooks
#TheManNobodyKilledBook
#ElonGreen
#DionGraham
#TrueCrime
#NYC
#YarisBookNook
#netgalley
October 5, 2024
You can also see this review, along with others I have written, at my blog, Mr. Book's Book Reviews.
Thank you, Celadon Books, for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Mr. Book just finished The Man Nobody Killed: Life, Death and Art in Michael Stewart’s New York, by Elon Green.
This book will be released on March 11, 2025.
This book is about the 1983 killing of Michael Stewart. Stewart was a black up and coming artist in New York who was killed by the police when they brutally attacked him in the process of arresting him for graffiti.
There were many witnesses to the killing and six police officers were indicted. But, thanks to the failures of an incompetent medical examiner, the prosecution wasn’t able to get any convictions. This book did a very good job exposing the failures of the system in this case.
I give this book a B+. Goodreads and NetGalley require grades on a 1-5 star system. In my personal conversion system, a B+ equates to 4 stars. (A or A+: 5 stars, B+: 4 stars, B: 3 stars, C: 2 stars, D or F: 1 star).
This review has been posted at NetGalley, Goodreads and my blog, Mr. Book’s Book Reviews
Mr. Book finished reading this on October 5, 2024.
Thank you, Celadon Books, for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Mr. Book just finished The Man Nobody Killed: Life, Death and Art in Michael Stewart’s New York, by Elon Green.
This book will be released on March 11, 2025.
This book is about the 1983 killing of Michael Stewart. Stewart was a black up and coming artist in New York who was killed by the police when they brutally attacked him in the process of arresting him for graffiti.
There were many witnesses to the killing and six police officers were indicted. But, thanks to the failures of an incompetent medical examiner, the prosecution wasn’t able to get any convictions. This book did a very good job exposing the failures of the system in this case.
I give this book a B+. Goodreads and NetGalley require grades on a 1-5 star system. In my personal conversion system, a B+ equates to 4 stars. (A or A+: 5 stars, B+: 4 stars, B: 3 stars, C: 2 stars, D or F: 1 star).
This review has been posted at NetGalley, Goodreads and my blog, Mr. Book’s Book Reviews
Mr. Book finished reading this on October 5, 2024.
December 14, 2024
📖Thank you to Celadon Books for gifting me with an ARC physical copy of the book.
This book is a biography of Michael Stewart’s life but mostly of his death and the politics and legal battles it stirred in light of police brutality in New York in the 1980’s. Michael Stewart, a 25 year old black man, was arrested by police officers for graffiti in 1983. He ended up dying in the hospital a few days later following intense beatings from the police that more than 20 witnesses saw from the apartment complex above. The proceeding legal battles ensued for many years after 1983 and concluded with zero convictions of the 9 police officers who participated.
In a way, Michael Stewart’s case was like the George Floyd of the 1980’s. Since I was born in the 90’s, I had no idea this very public death occurred. I had never even heard of Michael Stewart’s name prior to this book. I’m very thankful for how this book put police brutality into a historical perspective for me. In some ways we’ve progressed as a society but in other ways we keep enabling the same broken systems: police not being held accountable, police brutality against black and brown people, and a corrupt justice system with immense biases against anyone non-white and poor. It was an enlightening perspective for me to take a deep dive into this specific police brutality incident in the 80’s.
Note: This is a very heavy read, please make sure you’re in a good head space before starting it. The first couple chapters that detail what witnesses saw from their windows was very emotional for me to read.
This book is a biography of Michael Stewart’s life but mostly of his death and the politics and legal battles it stirred in light of police brutality in New York in the 1980’s. Michael Stewart, a 25 year old black man, was arrested by police officers for graffiti in 1983. He ended up dying in the hospital a few days later following intense beatings from the police that more than 20 witnesses saw from the apartment complex above. The proceeding legal battles ensued for many years after 1983 and concluded with zero convictions of the 9 police officers who participated.
In a way, Michael Stewart’s case was like the George Floyd of the 1980’s. Since I was born in the 90’s, I had no idea this very public death occurred. I had never even heard of Michael Stewart’s name prior to this book. I’m very thankful for how this book put police brutality into a historical perspective for me. In some ways we’ve progressed as a society but in other ways we keep enabling the same broken systems: police not being held accountable, police brutality against black and brown people, and a corrupt justice system with immense biases against anyone non-white and poor. It was an enlightening perspective for me to take a deep dive into this specific police brutality incident in the 80’s.
Note: This is a very heavy read, please make sure you’re in a good head space before starting it. The first couple chapters that detail what witnesses saw from their windows was very emotional for me to read.
March 18, 2025
Green brings your 1980’s NYC and the NYC art world to the forefront, portraying it’s harsh reality versus the fantasized version that is often depicted. Michael’s circled include greats of the NYC art word, including Warhol, Madonna and Basquiat. Green weaves this history with one we are still dealing with-police brutality against African Americans. This novel sets the stage of Michael’s last days, taking you through his arrest and murder using eyewitness statements and the recorded paper trail. Then through the investigation, indictments, trials, and unfortunate but not surprising conclusion. As you read, the book invokes many emotions in the reader, namely anger. Green never states what he thinks, letting the reader absorb the information, statements, and interviews from those still around today. He lets the reader decide and form their own opinion. My opinion? The cops certainly used excessive force that caused his death either from the injuries, lack of care, or both. They were never he’d accountable (no surprise at all) and continued on with their life. I would love to think so many years later this would change, but sadly we see every day that it hasn’t, and with this political atmosphere, won’t for a long time.
February 27, 2025
The story of a brutal murder of Michael Stewart, a young, unknown model and artist in New York City. Thank you @celadonbooks and @macmillan.audio for my early reading and listening copies of @elon.green ‘s new release, THE MAN NOBODY KILLED, out March 11, 2025.
Green does a great job of outlining the events, building character’s backgrounds and step-by-step outlining the events in the midst of and following Michael Stewart’s brutal murder.
I have known of this murder and the many, many faults within the justice system (hence the title), but I learned so much from this book. I had NO IDEA how many well-known people were connected with Stewart and the case itself- shocking, really. Madonna, Andy Warhol, Cuomo, Howard Rubenstein,
The inconsistencies in reports, the obvious reasons he died, but the “murky medical diagnosis”, the lengthy court case, his time at Bellvue…the list goes on. It is maddening how many inconsistencies there were in efforts to cover up for people’s mistakes.
Read it- just like Sing, Sing from last year, I feel this piece of nonfiction is powerfully written, brings it into a perspective you can understand, and is worth knowing what happened.
Green does a great job of outlining the events, building character’s backgrounds and step-by-step outlining the events in the midst of and following Michael Stewart’s brutal murder.
I have known of this murder and the many, many faults within the justice system (hence the title), but I learned so much from this book. I had NO IDEA how many well-known people were connected with Stewart and the case itself- shocking, really. Madonna, Andy Warhol, Cuomo, Howard Rubenstein,
The inconsistencies in reports, the obvious reasons he died, but the “murky medical diagnosis”, the lengthy court case, his time at Bellvue…the list goes on. It is maddening how many inconsistencies there were in efforts to cover up for people’s mistakes.
Read it- just like Sing, Sing from last year, I feel this piece of nonfiction is powerfully written, brings it into a perspective you can understand, and is worth knowing what happened.
April 2, 2025
Essential and enraging. I haven't read Green's first book though I want to catch up with it (I watched the excellent miniseries which made reading the book feel less urgent) but I was so impressed by how carefully he handled this material: obviously it's incredibly well-researched but he's also scrupulous about writing about the police and about the one juror who really fucked up the first trial. His moral viewpoint on what happened to Michael Stewart is not in question but he strengthens his case by letting the facts speak for themselves for the most part; they're so grim that the story really doesn't need much editorializing, but he provides that when necessary too.
Interesting (in a depressing way) to get a window into a police killing that was a big New York news story decades before the more widely covered police killings in the 21st century; in most ways very little has changed but it's clear social media has had a real effect on public perception/the public's access to information. Anyway, given everything going on right now, this is a book that should be getting a lot of attention and be widely read.
Interesting (in a depressing way) to get a window into a police killing that was a big New York news story decades before the more widely covered police killings in the 21st century; in most ways very little has changed but it's clear social media has had a real effect on public perception/the public's access to information. Anyway, given everything going on right now, this is a book that should be getting a lot of attention and be widely read.
March 13, 2025
The Man Nobody Killed is a comprehensive account of Michael Stewart, a young Black artist and model whose life was tragically cut short. This book provides a deeply detailed narrative of the aftermath of his death, shedding light on a system that failed him.
At just twenty-five, Michael was exploring 1980s New York, a city bursting with art, music, and activism. But in 1983, he was brutally beaten by New York Transit Police. There were plenty of witnesses, yet justice was never served. A jury acquitted the officers who took his life, exposing a justice system that too often protects those in power rather than the victims.
This book doesn’t just recount a painful chapter of history. It forces us to ask: How much has really changed? We say history teaches us lessons, but are we truly learning? If justice is repeatedly denied, who is responsible? Justice delayed is justice denied, but what happens when it never comes at all?
Thank you, Celadon Books, for this book.
At just twenty-five, Michael was exploring 1980s New York, a city bursting with art, music, and activism. But in 1983, he was brutally beaten by New York Transit Police. There were plenty of witnesses, yet justice was never served. A jury acquitted the officers who took his life, exposing a justice system that too often protects those in power rather than the victims.
This book doesn’t just recount a painful chapter of history. It forces us to ask: How much has really changed? We say history teaches us lessons, but are we truly learning? If justice is repeatedly denied, who is responsible? Justice delayed is justice denied, but what happens when it never comes at all?
Thank you, Celadon Books, for this book.
April 8, 2025
I've been really into the 80s art scene (Haring, Basquiat, etc.) over the last year, so I was intrigued to find a non-fiction book about an artist during that time that I'd never heard of. This book explores the death of Michael Stewart, who was killed at the hands of police in 1983. I thought it was incredibly well-researched, and I especially loved how in-depth the book goes into the art world at the time, as well as into what New York City was like back then. Green does a fantastic job investigating all of the factors that led to Stewart's death, along with the aftermath of the murder and what his legacy has been. It's incredibly heartbreaking to know that Stewart's life was cut short before he could achieve great things like his contemporaries, but I'm grateful that Green has done such a comprehensive, deep-dive into his story.
*Free ARC provided by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
*Free ARC provided by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
March 12, 2025
Every. single. thing. about this book is excellent, including that Dion Graham narrates the audiobook. This is a journalist researched and written book that brings a specific NY in the ‘80s to life—including Madonna—to look at Michael Stewart’s life, killing, and the court case against the officers charged. Green does a fantastic job introducing everyone that was somehow tied to Michael during his life or after he was killed, including figures like Spike Lee, a juror who kept playing amateur sleuth, and the coroner who made an autopsy choice that seemed suspicious to many.
Even the author interview at the end is worth reading and while I hate that events like this exist, may Green keep finding them and writing about them.
--from On Reading In February 2025 (Best Of)
Even the author interview at the end is worth reading and while I hate that events like this exist, may Green keep finding them and writing about them.
--from On Reading In February 2025 (Best Of)
March 13, 2025
This book brings to light the problem of systemic racism and brutality in our justice system. Although the murder of Michael Stewart by New York transit police happened in 1983, we still see the same issues today.
Elon Green writes about Michael Stewart‘s life, his horrible death, and the call for justice that follows. Justice that never came as no officers were convicted. The author reveals inconsistencies in the medical records and the case. This was a hard read that brings up many emotions, but it also is an important one. It is important because we still have the same broken system that treats people of color in those who are poor differently. This has to change. Thank you to Celadon for the advanced reader copy and the chance to give my honest opinion.
Elon Green writes about Michael Stewart‘s life, his horrible death, and the call for justice that follows. Justice that never came as no officers were convicted. The author reveals inconsistencies in the medical records and the case. This was a hard read that brings up many emotions, but it also is an important one. It is important because we still have the same broken system that treats people of color in those who are poor differently. This has to change. Thank you to Celadon for the advanced reader copy and the chance to give my honest opinion.
March 11, 2025
The Man Nobody Killed by Elon Green is a compelling and must read book that takes us back to a familiar place, one we’ve visited far too often as a society. It is the story of Michael Stewart, a young black artist and model who was brutally beaten by New York City Transit Authority Police late one evening in 1983; Michael later died of his injuries.
Micheal was an up and coming and respected member of the East Village art scene, a community deeply shaken by his needless death. Elon Green tells Michael’s story and the battle of his parents, former girlfriend, and the East Village community as they seek justice in a city in which the government appears largely indifferent even as his death draws unprecedented levels of attention.
The Man Nobody Killed is a warm and compelling read. It is as detailed as it is clear and readable and compassionate. Green takes us back to a 1980s NYC in which Madonna was on the rise and the East Village an emerging cultural epicenter with the names of many of its residents who sought justice for Michael and others like him easily recognized today.
The Man Nobody Killed is a well-crafted story that should matter to all Americans, not only because of the familiar and callous reality surrounding his death, but because Black men still seem to die at the hands of law enforcement. Perhaps Green’s terrific retelling of Michael Stewart’s death and the subsequent community and legal establishment responses will inspire us all to do better at a time when it is more important than ever. Elon Green has outdone himself. I expect The Man Nobody Killed will remain one of my Top 10 reads of 2025.
Thank you to Elon Green for providing me the ARC to read and review.
Micheal was an up and coming and respected member of the East Village art scene, a community deeply shaken by his needless death. Elon Green tells Michael’s story and the battle of his parents, former girlfriend, and the East Village community as they seek justice in a city in which the government appears largely indifferent even as his death draws unprecedented levels of attention.
The Man Nobody Killed is a warm and compelling read. It is as detailed as it is clear and readable and compassionate. Green takes us back to a 1980s NYC in which Madonna was on the rise and the East Village an emerging cultural epicenter with the names of many of its residents who sought justice for Michael and others like him easily recognized today.
The Man Nobody Killed is a well-crafted story that should matter to all Americans, not only because of the familiar and callous reality surrounding his death, but because Black men still seem to die at the hands of law enforcement. Perhaps Green’s terrific retelling of Michael Stewart’s death and the subsequent community and legal establishment responses will inspire us all to do better at a time when it is more important than ever. Elon Green has outdone himself. I expect The Man Nobody Killed will remain one of my Top 10 reads of 2025.
Thank you to Elon Green for providing me the ARC to read and review.
March 3, 2025
The Man Nobody Killed by Elon Green
This was such an interesting read! It is definitely out of my usual area of reads but I found myself deeply fascinated with learning about Michael Stewart! This story tells the tale of a young black artist in the 1980’s!
It touches on topics such as police brutality, systemic racism, bias, and more! This book does not only cover Michael Stewart but a multitude of individuals! The research and passion truly shines through while you are reading this book.
5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was such an interesting read! It is definitely out of my usual area of reads but I found myself deeply fascinated with learning about Michael Stewart! This story tells the tale of a young black artist in the 1980’s!
It touches on topics such as police brutality, systemic racism, bias, and more! This book does not only cover Michael Stewart but a multitude of individuals! The research and passion truly shines through while you are reading this book.
5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
March 20, 2025
This book is a story of rampant misjustice that unfortunately still goes on today. The author traces the story of one African American man and what happens when arrested by the police. He also includes a story of a white man and shows how differently he was treated.
The book is thoroughly researched with versions of what happened from different viewpoints and perspectives. Well-paced story. Would recommend this book for people who want to understand why there is mistrust of the police from non-white communities.
Thank you Celadon books for this advanced copy.
The book is thoroughly researched with versions of what happened from different viewpoints and perspectives. Well-paced story. Would recommend this book for people who want to understand why there is mistrust of the police from non-white communities.
Thank you Celadon books for this advanced copy.
February 26, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the Audio ARC!
I was completely uneducated in the matter of the death of Michael Stewart prior to listening to this book. The tragic story is very extensively and clearly told by the author. I especially enjoyed learning about all of the ripples that this created in the immediate aftermath, and even to the modern day, where many of the underlying issues of this case still exist, and are even more amplified by the connected world we live in.
I was completely uneducated in the matter of the death of Michael Stewart prior to listening to this book. The tragic story is very extensively and clearly told by the author. I especially enjoyed learning about all of the ripples that this created in the immediate aftermath, and even to the modern day, where many of the underlying issues of this case still exist, and are even more amplified by the connected world we live in.
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