I read Weidman's semi biographical novel "Fourth Street East" recently. I highly recommend it. It's currently out of print. I got a used copy. I've read other biographies about growing up on the lower east side but this one really gives a feel of day to day life, circa post WW1 era, and Weidman mentions specific places he encountered. It gives a kind of road map to his portion of the neighborhood, i.e. the area around the docks near the East River where the Baruch and Lillian Wald Projects are now.