No comments about Spanish All Talk Basic Language Course (4 Hour/4 Cds): Learn to Understand and Speak Spanish with Linguaphone Language Programs (All Talk) (All Talk).

5 comments about Coney Island: Lost and Found.

1. Like many of the other reviewers, I'm a Coney Island native. Unlike them, I grew in Trump Village, located on the border between Coney and Brighton. Growing up in the 1970's and 80's, central Coney was always a bad neighborhood and I'd only heard vague stories about how great it used to be. While I have since read books and seen documentaries about Coney, Denson's book goes even deeper, especially with his wonderful use of oral history.
   
   I had always been told that before Trump Village and Warbasse, there used to be nothing but empty land in that area. Thanks to this book, I have finally learned the truth, that there used to be a vital, functioning and even happy lower and middle income neighborhood called the Gut, before Fred Trump, Robert Moses and other developers and politicians came along and destroyed all that. Despite it's unfortunate beginnings, Trump still ended up being a decent, affordable place for many middle class Jews and Russian immigrants to live, thanks to this book, I'll always see the ghosts of the homes, theaters and people who came before everytime I go home.
   
   For anyone who is interested in Coney Island or the rise and fall of a city neighborhood, this book is most definitely recommended. And if you grew up in or even near Coney, this book is a must-read.



2. I actually got a copy of this book from my grandfather -- who was featured in the book. I enjoyed this book so much that I have since bought this book for every friend and relative who has moved out of state. This is a great gift for any occassion... for any Brooklynite.



3. The Terra and Belgenio patriarchs arrived in Coney Island at the turn of the 20 th centuty--legend has it that they got on a train and got off at the last stop--Stillwell Ave. This wonderful book put me in touch with them and my parents who lived and died on 15 th and 17 Streets between Mermaid & Neptune Aves. up until the mid 70's. My grandfather Anthony Terra sold ice in the summer and coal in the winter while his wife Maria ran a fruit & vegetable store and raised 6 children--one of whom was my father George, who knew everybody and everybody knew him. This book --the narrative and photos--ignited so many memories for me that I cannot read it without shedding some tears --as I am doing now. Buy the book--you'll love it! Dr Anthony Terra



4. This is the best book I've ever read on the history Coney Island and I've read every one I could find. It is extremely well researched and written, has incredible photographs and graphics, and a personal story that's moving and deeply felt.
   
   Like many of the other reviewers of this book I grew up in the Coney Island area (Brighton First Street). Coney Island has an almost magical draw for me, so much so that I recently completed writing and illustrating a novel called, "Coney Island Book of the Dead" that takes place in 1956. Charles Denson's book proved to be an invaluable source of facts, lore, and pictures, but, even more importantly, of inspiration. If my novel ever gets published (I'm looking for an agent as of 6/08/07) I hope all of you coneyislandaphiles read it.
   
   Also, you might also be interested in a new book by Charles Denson called "Wild Ride! A Coney Island Roller Coaster Family." I just ordered it.



5. If you really want to know the history of Coney, this book is a must. I grew up in Brighton Beach during the 50s, and this book was a wonderful read.

No comments about New York 24/7.

5 comments about Brooklyn! The Ultimate G to New York's Most Happening Borough, 3rd Edition.

1. I've owned both of the previous editions of this guidebook and the new one is the biggest and best yet. While I've hit a lot of these places before, the authors seem to have found a few new ones that even this veteran of Brownstone Brooklyn didn't know about. What I enjoy most is taking the book along and just cruising a new neighborhood from one end to the other. That's how I discovered Brighton Beach, with this book under my arm. I give this one a two-thumbs up and five stars. Want to know Brooklyn? This is the book!



2. This book is the best resource for everything-Brooklyn! This book puts Zagats to shame. It is the perfect guide to key Brooklyn neighborhoods, and you should not leave home without it! In fact, I keep a copy in my car, just in case... If I could give a book a 6 star rating, this book would get it!



3. I think this book is a great resource for someone who is new to the area. It gives a listing of various events, businesses, etc. in Brooklyn. It divides the borough up by neighbhorhoods which makes it user-friendly. I recommend this book for someone who is new to the Brooklyn area.



4. Not having lived in New York City since the early 1980s, until my niece graduated from Yale and moved to Brooklyn, I still thought that all of the action was in Manhattan. This riveting book furthered her endeavor to disabuse me of that illusion, even though I will always be an inveterate Upper West Sider at heart.



5. Apparently there is a DUMBO neighborhood, and a BAM neighborhood, there is also a BQE, and a BAC. Not once are any of these acronyms explained. Whenever I read a newspaper article they always have in parenthesis an explanation and spell out what the acronym stands for.

No comments about Insight Guides New York (Insight City Guides New York City).

5 comments about Hotel Bemelmans.

1. Ludwig Bemelmans best known today for his successful Madeline children's series, is far too good and important a writer to relegate him to merely Madeline. (though I am very fond of Madeline myself) There is a treasure trove of solid adult writings that have endearing qualities that commit themselves to fond memory. Bemelmans was a bon vivant, gourmet, gourmand, traveller, and more importantly a student of human nature and all the quirks therein. These elements plus a eye for the pathos of life make him a writer to be rediscovered & cherished. Hotel Bemelmans was my personal introduction to his adult writings, and I have been a fan ever since. This book will provide a smorgasbord of his style and eye for everyday foibiles within the microcosm of the grand hotel's of the past that he knew and loved so well. His broad verbal and ink brush stokes, for he's the illustrator as well, can capture in a paragraph or a simple line drawing what other authors require pages to describe. Applause for the return of Hotel Bemelmans, and a warm invitation for you to step into the lobby and register for a gastronomic literary experience.



2. You enjoyed "Madeleine" as a child and now you can enjoy some further tales by the author Ludwig Bemelmans that were written for the grown up who still has that child-like love for fantastic illustrations and clever stories. I remember reading in a book all about the author that he was brought up and trained in the hotel industry. He was a bit of a difficult child and his Mother sent him to stay with relatives who were hoteliers. He learned the trade inside and out and eventually went to America and worked in the Hotel trade in New York. So his stories are perfect. He was also a well known member of cafe society and was part of that lovely life in the mid-twentieth century where everyone spent their days and nights in hotels mingling. Many of the tales are loosely autobiographical and an absolute delight. Think of it as a book filled with literary desserts. Anthony Bourdain (a most appropriate choice) writes the introduction for the book as well.
   Another book that I recommend is "Bemelmans: The Life & Art of Madeline's Creator" to give an a detailed background and context into the stories.



3. "In an old house in Paris that was covered with vines, lived twelve little girls in two straight lines..." Years and years after first hearing these lines from the first Bemelmans' Madeline book, and still knowing most of the lines in the book by heart, I was thrilled to find "Hotel Bemelmans" in the bookstore. Here, I thought, was the inimitable Bemelmans, but this time for adults. Unfortunately, I was rather disappointed. After coming to America from a boyhood spent in Germany under the tutelage of Uncle Hans in the art of hotel/restaurant management, Bemelmans finds himself working at the Hotel Splendide in New York one of the City's "grand hotels". He begins at the bottom and works himself up. The stories in this book are tales of the eccentric and lovable characters that he encounters while working at the Splendide. There is the irascible Herr Brauhaus, who constantly curses " Cheeses Greisd!" in a heavy German accent, and is in charge of running the hotel. There is also Monsieur Victor who runs the hotel restaurants and strikes fear into the hearts of his staff. In addition we find Professor Gorylescu, a magician who regularly entertains at hotel parties, as well as an assortment of guests whose eccentricities are revealed with delight. It is all a portrait of a time of elegance long gone, and of those who made a certain lifestyle possible. The stories are generally poignant, but if you are looking for a book to provide you with loud guffaws unfortunately this is not it.



4. This was one of the most moving pieces of literature I've read in the last 10 years. The scenes on returning to post-WWI Germany poverty are still sharp in my mind, as is the ending scene in the book, which is a scathing commentary on 1920s high society but which is absolutely appropriate to today's (or any day's) bored, frivolous jet set. After reading this short book I eagerly sought out another adult work by Bemelmans (How to Travel Incognito) and was disappointed to find it superficial in comparison. This is a jewel of a book.



5. Potential purchasers of Bemelman's lovely "Hotel Bemelmans" should know that as far as I can tell all the Hotel Bemelmans books advertised on Amazon is a shortened edition of the original Hotel Bemelmans published in 1946 by Viking Press. The books advertised here were published in 2000 by Overlook Press and contain 24 stories. The Viking Press edition has 36 stories. I learned this the hard way having purchased 3 copies of the shortened Overlook Press book. Some wonderful stories have been left out. e.g. Art at the Splendide. I have the original and am looking to buy some more.

4 comments about Short Bike Rides in and around New York City, 3rd (Short Bike Rides Series).

1. I've been a cyclist for more than 20 years and there are few ride guide for the New York Ciity that presents detailed routes as well as this book does. The authors are obviously seasoned veterans who have spent more than their fair time pedaling the NY-NJ-CT tri-state region. Maps are clear and the step-by-step "Directions at a Glance" make following the routes almost foolproof. This is a far better way of bringing the reader along for the ride than many other books on the subject.

   Highly recommended!




2. This book serves as a decent guide for cycling beyond theconfines of New York City. It is definitely geared towards the tourist or out-of-towner who is looking to tour certain areas of New York via a bicycle. However, as a longtime resident and cyclist of this fine city, I would hightly recommend AGAINST such an endeavor. As anyone who's at least visited New York City can tell you, traffic and other cyclists wait for no one, and pedestrians are even more of a hazard than anything on wheels. Pedaling slowly and taking the time to stop and view the sites is extremely dangerous.

   All that aside, the detailed descriptions and historical explanations of what you encounter on these trails is very interesting. Listing the facilities that are available to the rider is a plus. After downing liters of water it's always good to know where that public restroom is! The maps are easy to read and the authors give you clear instructions of where and how to get to the trails, either by car or public transportation. I found that this guide serves better for the sections dealing with the counties and boroughs outside of Manhattan. Since there was so much great detail into the sights and surrounds along these rides, I wish that there had been just a bit more about biking the routes, not just the basic explanation of "hilly", etc. Overall this is a nice book to have for easy weekend rides.

   Just as a little footnote. The authors say to ride on the right side with traffic. In New York City this is only partially usefull advice. While biking in NYC, yes, always ride with the traffic. If it's a two-way street, stay on the right. However, if it's a one-way, (which most of the streets and avenues are), stay on the left. The drivers see you better and you have less of a chance of getting "doored." Also, the bike lanes are always on the left... They have a link from their website that will lead you to some city-issued throughly detailed maps of New York City, complete with all the bike paths, all color coded so that you know which are bikes only, which are shared roadways, and which are shared but pecarious, etc. Plus the maps are free!




3. This is my fourth book in the "Short Bike Rides" series. This one, especially, was well worth the purchase time, several times over. There were several things that I learned from the book that I did not see online or in other books. At least, without many hours of additional searching. Very worthwhile.



4. This book is an invaluable tool for anyone desiring to bike for pleasure or recreation in the New York Metro Area.
   
   I did many of the rides listed and, with a few rare exceptions, the instructions given were up to date, clear and informative.
   
   As a resident of New York City for 15 years (moved out last year) I can honestly say I would never have discovered much of the beauty of the City without this book. Some of my fondest memories of the most scenic and beautiful parts of the City I discovered either mapping out these routes or while riding on them.
   
   Particularly noteworthy: Ride #7 - Queens Greenway. Queens is basically a cyclist's nightmare: extremely busy streets, a zillion highways and mostly poorly maintained roads and bikeways. But this book enables you to see some beautiful sites while avoiding most of the dangers. My favorite part of the ride: eating lunch under the Whitestone Bridge in Francis Lewis Park.
   
   On a side note: I agree with the previous reviewer who warned against non-New York residents attempting these rides. However, if extreme caution is exercised, and the cyclist has some inner-city cycling experience, I believe all of the routes are navigable.

5 comments about Waterfront: A Walk Around Manhattan.

1. Part New York City history and part autobiography, this book has a lot to offer for anyone interested in New York City and its waterfront. Living on Manhattan is not the same experience as living on most other islands, for, as Lopate points out early on, New Yorkers have always sought to live and develop inland for much of the island's history. Unlike other historic world cities on the ocean or great rivers, a visit to Manhattan easily makes one forget he or she is so near to the water. Access to the water from Manhattan has been restricted in many locations and only recently has new development made some New Yorkers anxious to again flirt with the rivers and harbor that line their shores.
   
   Having walked much of Manhattan's waterfront south of 86th Street, I was eager to learn more about its glorious and not so glorious past, long before the recent wave of development had changed vast portions of the Hudson shoreline. This book made me want to explore northern Manhattan, around Inwood and Highbridge Park as well as the multiple public housing projects on the East River. This is an interesting book that the author has dedicated hours to research for. It is full of insight and well written. This book is a fine piece in the genre of walking memoirs.



2. The editorial and customer reviews on Amazon describe this book well, including its strengths and weaknesses. Despite its weaknesses, this book will greatly enhance a hike or bike ride around the island.
   
   I've hiked around the island six times over the past 30 years. The Manhattan Waterfront Greenway project has greatly enhanced the experience. You can find up-to-date information at the New York City website and search on Greenway.
   
   "The New York Times" reported in 2005: "Though there are still gaps in the waterfront loop that require use of about nine miles [of 32 miles] of city streets, large swaths of both the West and East Sides already have separate bike and walking paths. Recently completed sections include the nearly two-mile Harlem River Speedway at the northeast end of Manhattan and the Hudson River Park along the West Side, with five miles of bike and pedestrian paths."
   
   I've hiked the route in between nine and ten hours, depending on how much dawdling and eating I've enjoyed along the way. Suggestion: start at the George Washington Bridge around 6:00 am and hike north [clockwise] around the island. The sunlight effects on the Palisaides in New Jersey in the morning, and on Queens and Brooklyn in the afternoon, are quite splendid. You also avoid looking into the sun much of the time.
   
   Robert C. Ross 2008



3. I love this book. Everyone who lives in, works in, or even visits Manhattan should read this book and take a walk to the waterfront. Incredibly well written and researched. My favorite NY book since E.B. White's Here is New York.



4. Move between the two rivers and one comes to Central Park in mid-Manhattan. Inside the Park, The Ramble, a maze of paths on which one can easily, but not hopelessly, get lost amidst the plants, trees and wildlife of the park. It's fine if you've got a couple hours to kill on a gorgeous day, not so fine if you stumble into it expecting to find your way quickly from the East Side to the West Side. So too with Waterfront. Much of it is informative and interesting as Lopate explores both the waterfront along the East and Hudson Rivers and diverges into tales of people and places from NYC's past.
   
   The work is somewhat dulled, for me, by its detours into Lopate's personal past and his occasional churlish, ungracious, and inaccurate comments. For example, even if it were true -- and it's not--, who cares if the parking lots at the Fairway where I shop near 125th Street on the Hudson are filled with daytrippers with New Jersey license plates stocking up on food?
   
   Lopate gets very right, however, the point of how hard it is for New Yorkers to get down to the water almost anywhere along the two rivers. Physically and spiritually, only rarely do the city and the water join and that is disappointing. Lopate also has a judicious and balanced reading of Robert Moses and his impact on the city. That type of insight makes Waterfront a book I'll always keep on my shelves and occasionally take with me as I do my own rambles along the rivers. That more than overcomes its annoyances.



5. I taught this book during the summer of 2005 as the anchor text of a content-based ESL curriculum at CUNY entitled "Stories of the City, Stories of the Sea" - it was sort of an examination of how water shapes New York Cit, literally and figuratively. First off, I should say that this is not an ideal ESL text - the narrative is too digressive, the sentences are too complex, and his style could never be translated into 5-paragraph-essay format (which, truth be told, is all most of the student want to learn in order to pass the CUNY entrance exams).
   
   That said, it's a highly entertaining, well-researched work organized around Lopate's own walking journey around the periphery of Manhattan island. He fills tales of his own adventures with historical and literary anecdotes, giving the entire waterfront a mythic grandeur. I know much of the area he's transversed, but many of them felt new to me from his takes. Some, like his descriptions of the Fulton Fish Market, are sadly already history as the market was moved to the Bronx at the end of 2005 to make downtown area more tourist-friendly. (One of my students that summer, an Israeli named Kobi, spent the entire summer going to the market at night once he heard it was to be closed; he said it was one of the last great things about New York)
   
   You can tell he's the brother of an NPR commentator (Leonard Lopate), but he has enough spunk and a few breaks from standard liberal party-line analysis to make for a dynamic read. For example, he has a chapter entitled "Robert Moses: A Revisionist Take" where he reassesses New Yorkers' and his own ingrained hostility toward the much-reviled Moses, shaped mostly by his attachment to Jane Jacobs' pedestrian utopian ideals and his reading of The Power Broker. It didn't change my mind about Moses, but it made for some interesting reading.

4 comments about The Beautiful Bronx 1920-1950.

1. The Beautiful Bronx brings back to life many beautiful memories. It is truly an excellent text and pictorial review of what was once home for so many people. The words and pictures give the reader a feeling of going back into the past. Life in the Bronx from the Roaring 20's to the beginning of the Kennedy Presidency certainly experienced many changes,good and bad,like the rest of our beloved country. The book describes events and locations perhaps forgotten by many people because so much time has passed from the time period examined. To study the many pictures is tantamount to looking at a time capsule. This book is "must reading" for those folks who never lived in the Bronx during this era and also for those folks who did. Yes, you can go home again.



2. First read the book at my brothers in Florida, had to have one. So many memories, Happy ones. The RKO Royal my farther worked thier for over 25 years. The pictures were so good again memories of days gone by. I lived in Edgewater remember the Mansion and our Volinteer Fire Dept. How things have changed, but your book brought it back to life for me again, no Bronx-ite should be without one Thankyou Bill Taylor



3. I loved the book, but was very disappointed that my neighborhood which is around Mckinley Square, Morrisania Library, Fulton Avenue Y, Crotona Park and the Indian lake, Boston Road Yiddish Theater, Jennings Street with Jackie the Pickle man were not mentioned.



4. Born 79 years ago on Bway. near Van Cortlandt. Lived in Kingsbridge & Mosholu areas 27 years. Drove the trolley cars, Bx.& Van Cort., University, Webster, 167 st. xtown, etc. after WW2. Fordham Rd.,3 movies and the Windsor within a few blocks. Loews Grand, Paradise and 1 more few blocks east. What an era! Skinny dip & sleep out in Botanical Gardens. De Witt Clinton Grad. 1938. Jacob H. Schiff center. Brought back many memories. Only complaint, didn't cover enuff. Faded roses are almost impossible to revive. Still a few childhood friends left from those years. Going back brought a mixture of emotions, so many are gone. elkvppast@aol.com

No comments about The Complete Illustrated Map and Guidebook to Central Park.