1 comments about New York Vertigo.

1. This book, which comes in a case with a magnetic closure, is perfect for fans of the urban environment and especially for New Yorkers. There are only a couple nature shots, with the focus on the reflective properties of our glass boxes, the juxtaposition of art or nature or squalor with these behemoth skyscrapers and the ornamentation of the buildings themselves. The photographs span the past decade and there are a couple photographs of the intact World Trade Center. The final page contains 3 photographs taken on Sept. 11, 2001 (Setboun was in Lower Manhattan that morning). I appreciated the focus being on intact, vibrant New York, rather than the tragedy we see over and over again.

1 comments about The Cool Parent's Guide to All of New York, 4th Edition: Excursion and Activities in and around our city that your children will love and you won't think ... (Cool Parents Guide to All of New York).

1. This is a decent guide for parents in NYC, though mostly of children who aren't napping in the middle of the day anymore. I liked the portion where they list little excursions you can do with your kids that don't take all day (i.e. would take maybe a few hours). Good representation of all 5 boroughs, something you don't see in a lot of these (most tend to be Manhattan-centric). There's definitely something in here for everyone. I discovered a number of things that look really interesting and different (e.g. you can go down a manhole in the middle of a Brooklyn NY street to see old train tunnels) - b/c they're right - who wants to keep taking kids to museums all the time? You get about an hour in, if you're lucky, before boredom arrives. The other thing I liked was that the guide is up-to-date - sometimes these guides aren't. This one even listed a Trader Joe's in Brooklyn that's not open yet, but coming soon.

5 comments about Christmas in New York.

1. Daniel Pool has scored again! The social historian who delighted me with What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew, as well as his second book, Dickens' Fur Coat and Charlotte's Unanswered Letters, has written a delightful, entertaining, fact-crammed little book on the Christmas holidays in New York.

   The photographs are great fun, since so many of them recapture important moments of the past. The design of the book makes it luxurious to hold and easy to read.

   This book is the stocking-stuffer par excellence because it is learned, visual, and, most important, fun!




2. I bought this book to share with my three sons, as we are taking our first family vacation to New York this Thanksgiving, and I was looking for something to enhance their appreciation of the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade and Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectactular. Without even looking I knew the author was a New Yorker. Reading this book feels like listening to a narrative by someone in your family, describing the charm of your own home town to a young adult or out of towner. Of course this town is New York City-the very heart of the Christmas Spirit in the United States! This book gave me what I was looking for and so much more. As if the sheer sight of New York at Christmas isn't enough, the history and stories shared by the author has deepened my love of the Holidays, this sensational city and the people who experienced it in the past and in the years to come.



3. This book couldn't be made better if you tried. Daniel Pool did an excellent job describing New York at Christmastime. From Rockefeller Center to Tiffany's & Co. This book describes everything to see, from store windows to parades, to movies.

   This is a must have for anyone visiting New York this holiday season, and a beautiful book to add to any collection.




4. What I truly loved about this book, aside from it's fun, compact, easily tote-able size, is that it tells the story of many beloved New York holiday landmarks and traditions, from the Thanksgiving Day Parade to the Tree at Rockerfeller Center. As a New Yorker, these are integral aspects of Christmas--Celebrated and admired year after year with little question or understanding as to where their traditions stemmed. This book takes you back to the first windows ever displayed on 5th Ave, while telling fun, quirky stories about the Macy's Parade balloons and how in the early years, they were actually released into the air at the end of every parade. This was eventually halted when an airplane almost crashed into one, and ships on the Atlantic reported strange floating sea creatures! I have always loved New York during the holidays and I feel as if this book has increased my appreciation of them by giving me a greater connection to their origins. It's a quick read, which is good in one aspect, (it covers a lot of topics) but you don't get a whole heck of a lot of detail on each topic. Though, it is just enough to keep you interested and moves you right along to the next topic. The only reason I didn't give this book 5 stars is becuase none of the photographs in the book are color. Personally, I would have been willing to pay slightly more for the book to get color pics.. You just dont do justice to Christmas anything in black and white--but its nice that there are a few pictures, especially that of the first Rockerfeller Christmas tree ever, that workmen erected on the then construction site during the depression. The men spent so much of their time their, they got their own little tree and decorated it with cans and other things that were strewn about... But truly this book would have been much improved if color photographs were included. Otherwise this is a fun coffe table table medley of history and tradition!



5. it was ok. interesting reading, but no color photos except for the jacket. That was disappointing.

No comments about Seats: New York: 180 Seating Plans to New York Metro Area Theatres Third Edition (Seats New York).

5 comments about The Other Islands of New York City: A History and Guide (Second Edition).

1. As a native New Yorker, I heard of many islands that occupied the waters that surround the five boroughs of the city. As I flew back into LaGuardia and JFK airports I even began to notice them from above. Obtaining information about these islands was very difficult, even from local libraries, and therefore when I found this book at a local bookstore, I was delighted that someone came up with the idea of publishing such a book.

   From Roosevelt Island to Cuban Ledge, the authors give a very thorough and well researched book on the many islands inhabiting the New York archipelago. Many islands which were once islands, but have long since been connected to the boroughs by artificial landfills are also covered here (e.g. Coney Island-Brooklyn, Hunter Island-Bronx, Battery Park area-Manhattan, etc..) are also covered here.

   If you live in the city or plan on visiting, please make sure to pick up a copy of this guide, and make sure to visit the many hidden treasures found in this city.It makes an excellent companion book while aboard a plane or even in the subway.




2. NOTE: This is not a review. We are the book's authors and are writing in response to the careless and misleading comments made by reviewer "erikbaard."

   "erikbaard" seems to think we should have written a narrowly focused book catering to his personal interest as a kayaker, describing such minutiae as seagull eggs. But our book is intended as a history and guide book, an approach we believed would entertain, intrigue and inform a far broader audience. So while we did detail the natural beauty-from the garnet and feldspar on Twin Islands to the towering hickory trees of Hunter Island--we gave far greater focus to the tales of colorful people (Nellie Bly and Mae West) and momentous events (the General Slocum fire and the building of the Statue of Liberty) as well as the marvelous attractions that those islands accessible to the public hold.

   "erikbaard" also attacks us for a "self-congratulatory" tone because we dubbed a handful of islands as being "forgotten." How can they be forgotten, he asks, if he and other kayakers know of them. While kayaking is growing in popularity in New York, it's a safe bet that a small percentage of the 7 million New Yorkers are out there paddling. And having spoken with thousands of New Yorkers about the islands since this book was first published in 1996 we are equally certain that the vast majority of people coming to this book know little or nothing about most of these islands, even those that we didn't call "Forgotten"-islands like North Brother Island or Swinburne Island. We are not self-congratulatory, simply enthusiastic about sharing all we learned in our research.
   (But "Erikbaard" is quite self-congratulatory, and mistakenly so. He boasts several times about visiting these islands in his kayak. However, many of these islands-including Swinburne Island, which he mentions-are part of the Harbor Heron Project and if he visits without permission he may be doing irreversible damage to an important bird refuge through his adventurism.)

   In addition, he implies that we didn't visit the islands and instead relied on interviews with historians. He also criticizes our tone toward working class residents as condescending. We did visit the islands-we even watched them bury the dead in the Potter's Field on Hart Island and Sharon went into the jails at Rikers Island-and did several years worth of historical research but we also talked to ordinary citizens, residents of the islands or people whose lives were touched by them, like Adella Wotherspoon, the last survivor of the General Slocum disaster. And if you ask them-as we have-- they will say not that the tone is condescending but that we accurately captured life on their islands in a way that few other journalists ever have.

   The reviewer also condemns us as squeamish and too liberal because we didn't mention islets-barely more than rocks, actually-that had the word Negro in them. In point of fact, those islets don't exist anymore and we make passing mention of just five of the many such islets that once existed there, picking just a few of the most colorful names like "Bald Headed Billy" and "Bread and Cheese." It seems that "erikbaard" brings this point up solely to glorify a short article he once wrote and to relive his glory days when he got to interview a city parks commissioner.

   Then comes a blatant inaccuracy when the reviewer accuses us of ignoring Native Americans. In fact, they are mentioned throughout the book, where appropriate-however, the reality is that they rarely lived on these islands and used them only occasionally so there is minimal recorded history related to them. If he was not so intent on trashing our book, however, he would have noted our chapter on Bergen and Mill Islands that delves into the Canarsie Indians, the wampum they produced and how they defended themselves from the Mohawks and later traded with the settlers.

   All in all, we were quite dismayed by the combative approach of this reviewer. If you are interested in a book on kayaking around New York, then maybe he will write one for you. In the meantime, if you want stories about Typhoid Mary, the invention of the hot dog at Coney Island, the inspiring presence of herons and egrets in New York, and the development of the tight-knit community of Broad Channel, then we hope you take some time to explore "The Other Islands of New York City."




3. fast, great



4. Whenever we take guests on a cruise around NYC I am the designated tour guide who points out all the sights. People are always amazed by all the little known stories about the history of the city as viewed from the water that I can relate to them. Many of them I gleaned from this wonderful book. After you read this book, a ferry or circle line ride will be a totally new experience.



5. I read this book due to my interest in Hoffman and Swinburne Islands. I have noticed them for years during my walks on the South Beach boardwalk in Staten Island, and I wanted to find out more about them. This book is probably one of the few books to actually have an entire chapter devoted to these two islands. But I got more than I bargained for by reading this book because I learned a lot about many other islands of NYC. I have lived in NYC my entire life (which means 35 years) and this book made me feel like a total stranger to my home state. But I mean that as a compliment to the book, because I now have an interest in visiting the islands mentioned in the book in order to continue to enhance the knowledge that the book gave me. My main criticism is the lack of photos. For example, the chapter on Hoffman and Swinburne has one photo, and this photo merely shows two shacks sitting on a tiny part of an island. The photo doesn't explain that the shacks are on Swinburne, and there is not one photo of Hoffman at all. All chapters are like this. It's hard to appreciate the layout/size of the islands without photos. Other than that, I would recommend this book to readers.

5 comments about The History and Stories of the Best Bars of New York.

1. Jef Klein sure knows how to put the reader in the story-or bar in this case - I thoroughly enjoyed "touring" the old glory days as well as the existing booths at some of the most interesting places NYC has to offer. I've made a list of which ones I plan to visit first- most notably the places with deep carpets, mood music, thick leather seats, soft lighting,and perhaps a celebrity or two (just for atmosphere). Thanks JK for a lovely evening! -RG



2. I had already heard these stories about the usual suspects ("21". King Cole Bar. Fraunces Tavern. The Algonquin Hotel.)... I was looking for other bars that aren't in every other book about famous NYC bars. Basically there are no bars here that are less than 20 years old. Which is sad, because these are amazing too, and have not been done to death. Where is Red Rock West Saloon in Chelsea, which is an amazing and gorgeous place to photograph (with fire-breathing barmaids)? Flute (W. 54th St location) which at one time was owned by Texas Guinan and was a speakeasy? The Ava Lounge, an art deco masterpiece on top of the Dream Hotel?
   
   Basically, this is a pretty good book if you want to read about bars you already know about, but it doesn't take any chances with the "new" generation of what, I think, are the real "Best Bars of New York" around.



3. Mr. Klein has done a remarkable job of bringing to life some of the most well known bars and restaurants of New York to life in this photographic collection. Revisit the glory days of historic New York with this title. Each bar or restaurant has its own individual chapter, detailing the history of the location through pictures and antidotes. This form allows a more intimate introduction for the reader, especially if you are not terribly familiar with the business.
   
   This is a must have for anyone's personal collection, would make a beautiful gift for those that enjoy a leisurely stroll through history with entertaining captions along with a healthy dose of beautifully taken photographs. This is one title I highly recommend.



4. So glad I bought this book and can think of several people it would make a great gift for. I plan to use it as the basis of a few tours of New York (though at this point in my life, I'll only be sipping water at the later stops). What a fun thing to do with out-of-town guests--and the book will make you an excellent tour guide, as it contains so many great stories. You can tell that the author, Jef Klein, is a former bartender and somebody who knows and loves New York. Her passion for these places is contagious--it makes you want to visit them...or maybe head to your neighborhood bar and become part of the lore. The photos by Cary Hazlegrove are also incredible, and one of the great things is that they're in black and white, which is so fitting for the book's sense of history.



5. I've only been to New York one time and that was for a short stay on business so I didn't have a lot of time to experience the nightlife in the "city that never sleeps." But, when I do go back, I will be armed and ready with a great reference tool, "Best Bars of New York", by Turner Publishing Group. This is a gorgeous, hardcover book, loaded with great photography along with stories and histories about some of the top nightspots in the Big Apple. The locations in this book aren't the trendy, here today-gone tomorrow type places, but rather the long-established businesses that are often off the beaten track and known only to the locals...but not anymore thanks to Jef Klein's fascinating research.
   
   Klein interviewed people at over 50 locations in preparation for his book, and the stories are truly mesmerizing. As a history buff who loves to visit local historical spots when I travel, Klein's book is the perfect offering, presenting clubs, taverns, and bars that have been around for decades, sometimes centuries! Klein doesn't give you just listings of establishments with notes on fare and prices...it's not a traveller's guide per se. Rather, Klein gives readers and inside and intimate look at the thirty bars that made the cut. You'll learn about the history of each one, and hear stories as if you were sitting barside, talking to the chatty barkeep.
   
   Liquor has been dispensed at 279 Water St since 1794. The site on the waterfront is now the Bridge Café. The site has a history that is colorful to say the least. It was formerly the site of a bordello in the 1850's. When it was purchased in 1979 by the current owners, basement excavation turned up artifacts dating to not long after the revolutionary War period! Today, the café is romantic and elegant, perhaps haunted by a ghost or two, but much more quite than it was a couple of hundred years ago.
   
   Chumley's is one of the more unique bars in the book...a former speakeasy, it has no name outside to identify itself, only the number "86" on the door...one of two doors with the same number, often leading to embarrassing mistakes. The bar had secret exits so its patrons could get out quickly during prohibition-era police raids. The bar was a popular spot among literary figures and the likes of Hemingway, Kerouac, Faulkner, Mailer, Steinbeck, and many others, all tipped a drink there.
   
   The building that is now home to the Corner Bistro has been there since 1827. It's become a West Village establishment that has been frequented by the famous including James Baldwin, Bobby Timmons, Miles Davis. Al Pacino, and Robert De Niro.
   
   In all, thirty bars are covered, from meeting places of the rich and powerful, to neighborhood hangouts, Jef Klein brings you all of their unique tales. Take this book with you on your next trip to New York and start your journey to all of these bars!
   
   Reviewed by Tim Janson

No comments about Zagat 2009 New York City.

1 comments about Moma Highlights.

1. i thought this book was very much an enjoyable and fun book to look through. it amazed me how much material was put in it, considering on appearances it looks like a little publication. i thought that the art plates were beautiful and the colors well repeated. i am absulutely thrilled that i bought this book and would not hesitate to buy it for a friend for an occation

No comments about New York Revisited.

5 comments about One Thousand New York Buildings.

1. Every once in a while I'll walk down a street of my busy city and spot a building that I'd never seen before, or, if I had seen it, never paid it much mind. But something about it--its age or its architecture--tells me that there's a story to be told about it. Judith Dupre, Bill Harris, and photographer Jorg Brockmann in their monumental book, "One Thousand New York Buildings", fill in the gaps left behind in the AIA books.
   
   There are hundreds of buildings that, for whatever reason, have escaped landmark status and/or the attention of New Yorkers. Although "One Thousand New York Buildings" does discuss the familiar structures, like the Empire State Building, the Woolworth Building, and Grand Central Station, it also devotes equal time to those that have been ignored or overlooked. What are those tiny, Colonial style houses on Harrison and Greenwich Streets? How old is that building at 2 White Street? Who lived in those somber buildings at 130-132 MacDougal Street? "One Thousand New York Buildings" answers these and hundreds of other questions. In this sense, this book is much like "New York Streetscapes: Tales of Manhattan's Significant Buidlings and Landmarks" by Christopher Gray and Suzanne Braley, in as much as it pays equal tribute to the famous and not so famous structures.
   
   One last note, this is a solidly put together book. The binding is sturdy, the paper thick and glossy, and the photos are clear and intriguing. It as well constructed as the buildings they pay homage to.



2. and come back and sit and look at this book.
   
   Bet you missed a lot on each street.
   
   Then go out again and do it all over.
   
   A real treat.



3. The title might have been 1,000 of the BEST buildings in New York City. No city in America, and few the world over, contain the mind-boggling ensemble of outstanding urban architecture, both historic and modern, as does New York City. This city is a national and world treasure, and all of Manhattan SHOULD be a UNESCO World Heritage site, but, alas... There's simply no comparison possible. This book is a survey of 1,000 outstanding structures in the city, properly chosen in my opinion, each including a black & white photograph and short descriptive essay. With so much wonderful material from which to choose, the book is a real feast of architectural goodness! Because it isn't as exhaustive as White & Willensky, it is more thorough in coverage of the selected buildings. It's well put together. Good buildings. Nice photography. Well written short essays. Covers the five boroughs well.
   
   America's peninsular cities; San Francisco, New York, Charleston and Boston also happen to contain the best architecture. Hmm...



4. I'll disregard the book's one glaring omission--Saarinen's TWA Terminal at JFK is not included--and give it a five. Well written.



5. This just might be the most awesome book about my hometown of NYC. The artwork is fabulous and this book is put together so well. Its shown me things I never saw. I think being a tourist in your own town is great.