1 comments about A Photo Tour of New York, Second Edition (Photo Tour Books).

1. This book is primarily a book of photographs of NYC. Many of the pictures are skyline pictures including the World Trade Center. They are most beautiful photos especially considering that the World Trade Center can no longer be photographed due to the tragedy of 9/11.

1 comments about Hudson Valley Waterfall Guide: From Saratoga and the Capital Region to the Highlands and Palisades.

1. I was very exited to see this book because I love photographing waterfalls and on the surface the books looks very informative. However this book suffers from one huge flaw. The directions on how to get to the first three of the falls we tried to locate were very vague or flat out imposable to follow. Both my wife and I became very frustrated trying to locate the waterfalls we chose to visit from the book. In the end we did find one of the three falls we were looking for, but that had more to do with a GPS unit and expert hiking skills. Still I would recommend this book, because there is no other guides like for the area. Just check the directions online before leaving for a set of falls.

4 comments about Life on the Lower East Side: Photographs by Rebecca Lepkoff, 1937-1950.

1. The publishing of Lepkoff's beautiful photgraphs was long overdue and Peter Dans' parallel touching story gave them added life and unique history. As a student of Lower East Side History and as someone who grew up in Knickerbocker Village, I would have loved to find out their exact location, in the manner of Abbott's great work. The photos are only identified by grouping them in broad areas at the beginning of loosely organized chapters. I can take educated guesses on several of them, but that's all. Perhaps Lepkoff's notes were missing? I'm sure a gathering of some old-timers could have pin-pointed them. Nevertheless, I'm contacting my childhood friends to make sure they get a copy.



2. This is a beautiful book. The photographs are honest and compelling, and the writing is wonderful. My 13-year-old daughter and I especially loved reading about Peter Dans' childhood in a cold-water flat. I grew up loving the "All-of-a-Kind" books by Sydney Taylor, and in some ways, this reminded me of those beloved stories. Peter Dans is a sensitive writer who, like Sydney Taylor, is able to make you feel as if you're there, and care about the people -- in this case, himself as a young boy and his remarkable family, particularly his grandmother. I feel the loss of this neighborhood even though I've never been there. In these pages, with both authors' wonderful writing and the rich photography, the Lower East Side lives again, in all its vitality. The only thing I would change is to make the text type darker, so it would be easier on the eyes.



3. This is a book of photographs one feels truthfully captures the atmosphere, the way of life, experienced by the people living on the Lower East Side during this period of time. The text is a bit difficult to read as it is not a very dark print but all in all the book is worthwhile for just the photographs alone.



4. This book is perfect for history/nostalgia/photography buffs.
   The photographs are wonderful and sensitive of places, people and things in a neighborhood that is swiftly changing.

2 comments about Cruising America's Waterways: The Erie Canal (Cruising America's Waterways).

1. This book is filled with color photographs that capture the beauty and historic charm of this waterway. The text is comprehensive -- touching on everything from history to Canal utilization. It let's you see what all of New York's canals have to offer - as a boater, cruise ship tourist, or automotive traveller. The Canals are fully functional and waiting for tourists. This book let's you understand the "New York State Canal System" and all that it has to offer. As the text points out... (rough quote)...if we had not inherited this legacy resource; costs, environmental concerns, and political considerations would not allow its construction today. This is a superior book on the world's most famous canal.



2. A companion book to the award-winning PBS series "Cruising American Waterways," The Erie Canal by Debbie Daino Stack (PBS Project Coordinator for the "Cruising American Waterways" television series) and Captain Ronald S. Marquisee (Producer of "Cruising America's Waterways"), is a quality travelogue showcasing the history and beauty of the famous Erie Canal, a still active waterway used for recreation, flood control, irrigation, and power generation. Lavish color photographs of this historic canal fill The Erie Canal from cover to cover, and the insightful text offers a wealth of cultural lore. A superbly gorgeous coffee-table book and enhanced with a foreword by Andrew Cuomo, The Erie Canal is a true pleasure to read and enjoy and highly recommended for armchair travelers and community library American History collections.

No comments about National Geographic Traveler: New York, 2d Ed. (National Geographic Traveler).

2 comments about STREETWISE® Compact Manhattan.

1. This map is perfect. It has street names, interest points, subway stops, and a good layout. It is laminated, so it lasts. This new smaller size is a better fit in my pocket -- the only thing I've always wanted from the full-size maps.



2. The map was very accurate, but very small. Unless you were in bright sunlight, you needed a magnifying glass to see the details.

1 comments about Caribbean New York: Black Immigrants and the Politics of Race (Anthropology of Contemporary Issues).

1. I am in the process of writing my second book: "How to Effectively Market to the Caribbean Community." I find the references to the Caribbean Educational Standard as a point of debate. I do not agree that the smaller Islands,the lower classes are more educated than the larger islands' lower classes. This is a mistaken conclusion. Economics controls your education. For the most part, the larger islands are better off than the smaller. In fact the smaller more co-dependent. One of the principal reasons for the break-up of the Caribbean federation was this fear that the smaller Islands would leech on the larger ones' and drop the standard of education and economy. Granted, over the past decade, many large island have under gone set backs. But, if a better comparative analysis is done on large to small, the author should conclude differently. No adequate explanation was given for the author's conclusion, only assertions. I suggests a more indepth look at the Caribbean in his next book on the community. The inward conflict between the Caribbean nations was accurate. More, however, needed to be said on the reasons for the conflicts. Overall, an admirable job for a non-Caribbean. The Book's topic was appropriate and very topical. In the future, I hope Amazon takes more books written by Caribbean Nationals and immigrants. Keep up the good work Mr. Phillip Kasinitz. From: Chyrel Hall: Miss Caribbean-USA 1995-1996; Founding member, New York Caribbean Students Coalition; and, Author, Living as a Caribbean in New York

No comments about Hagstrom 75-mile Radius Map from Columbus Circle, New York City Pocket Map.

4 comments about Ethnic New York: A Complete Guide to the Many Faces & Cultures of New York (Passport Books).

1. It's definitely useful to have an A-Z guidebook to NY's many immigrant groups. But this book has many shortcomings and inaccuracies. For example, it barely mentions the huge Russian presence in Brighton Beach, and its section on Germans ignores their best restaurants in the Glendale section of Queens. Errors include a statement that the early Greek immigrants settled in the South Bronx between 14th and 15th Streets (there are no such streets in the Bronx!) and locating the Masjid Al Farouq mosque between 4th and 5th Streets, when it is really between 4th and 5th Avenues.



2. I found this book accurate and amazing! Mr. Leeds highlights so many neighborhoods with a keen understanding for New York and its cornucopia of ethnic flavor. Mr. Leeds, adding to what few tour guides know and understand, recognizes the recent Jewish immigrants to Brighton Beach-- in addition to pinpointing the best restaurants (Russian, Germnan, Italian Polish, Puerto Rican, etc.) with a simplicity, profundity, and flair that makes visiting them extra special!



3. I found that this guide assists you in discovering the diversity, background, and curiosity within Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and Bronx neighborhoods. I used it to uncover new restaurants and cuisines, especially authentic, unpretentious, inexpensive ones, whenever visiting the Big Apple.

   It is great when you go into neighborhoods where they just don't speak English and often new immigrants (natives) on the street or over the phone are too myopic in giving directions.

   It is great for the NYC visitor as exploring Queens and Brooklyn by subway doesn't come without some intrepidation, especially in the evening. But after qualifying the areas that I do know quite well, Little Italy and Chinatown, I read areas that I recently visited Koreantown, Manhattan and Little Columbia in Jackson Heights, Queens. I now value the insight and comprehensive amount of research the author presents.

   Each ethnic group has a clear vignette on when they came and settled, the reasons for immigrating, noteworthy aspects of their culture, political and religious organizations, and restaurants, markets, shops, museums, and cultural activities. Some 500 pgs worth!

   He gives a lot of practical info, phone numbers, hours open, specialties, so that when you are on a quest, you can find it. Lots of factoids and city trivia are sprinkled everywhere. Many opinions were on the mark. Good index.

   The first reviewer needs to read more thoroughly: a) Russian Jews in Brighton Beach, p 223-8; b) Germans in Ridgewood, Queens (next to Glendale), p 55-7; c) even a random tourist like me knows that The Bronx starts at 140-150th St, a typo.

   My main critique is that the author could have included simple "bigger-picture" maps showing the neighborhoods and Metro stops to make it more tourist friendly. While he gives general directions on where they are located, often I couldn't determine which borough it was in.




4. If you want to stay in the cocoon of midtown Manhattan don't bother with this book. But if you want to see the REAL, non-homogenized-Middle-American New York, read this. If you want to see the outer boroughs, read this to know what's interesting. Thanks to this book, I discovered:

   *Jackson Heights (mostly Columbian) *Brighton Beach (mostly Russian) *Greenpoint (Polish) *Bensonhurst (the REAL Little Italy) *Belmont (another Italian area in the Bronx; I liked Bensonhurst better, its easier to reach by subway, bigger and better kept) *3 separate Hasidic Jewish areas (Crown Heights, Boro Park and Williamsburg) *Washington Heights (Dominician/Puerto Rican) *Astoria (Greek) *Flushing (Chinese) *Atlantic Avenue (Arabic) *Midwood (Syrian Jewish)

   One caveat: if you are interested in one particular restaurant call to make sure it is open.

5 comments about Heavenly Weekends: Travel Without A Car: 52 Daytrips, Overnight and Weekend Getaways Near NY (City and Company).

1. This is the most enjoyable travel book I've read to date! I enjoyed just reading it & can't wait to plan some of the trips! As a resident of New York City, my access to a car is limited. I love the idea of not having to worry about getting a rental car, paying for it, or having to return it! Not to mention, being able to start my vacation immediately rather than waste time sitting in traffic! To the authors: Keep up the good work! I'm waiting for a follow up!



2. I picked up this book not too long ago. I loved it I have already begun planning my travels. I want to start with the firt place mentioned. I would recommend it to anyone!



3. This is a very helpful book for people wanting to take a day or overnight trip from New York City without a car. I find that for a short trip, taking a car adds many hassles. Just driving out of NYC can be so time consuming not to mention aggravating. Here is the perfect book for people who want to concentrate on looking out the bus or train window on the way, and using their legs a bit when they get there. I've used this book to plan trips to Southbury, CT (wonderful place!), Red Bank, NJ (great antique browsing and/or collecting), Rhinebeck, NY (fantastic inn), and Sag Harbor, Long Island NY (beautiful town) to mention a few.



4. When I first saw this book I fell in love with it. First of all, it has a very lovely cover and I love the fact that you don't need a car for any of the trips listed in this book. Because of a personal dilemma I had, I felt a need to leave the city and I needed to leave right away, but I didn't know where to go. I grabbed this book and breezed through it to find the right place for me to go. I went online to check the bus schedule, packed my bags in 20 minutes and left! I felt the urge to leave the city quickly; this was my most spontaneous trip and this book helped me to do that. I enjoyed my weekend trip (arrived there friday evening and left sunday afternoon) and felt refreshed, with a renewed outlook on life.



5. It's not that this book doesn't offer some decent ideas for where to go for a weekend away. There are some. But what the book lacks is variety of type of escape and colorful, insider-info writing. Written by two moms who met on a park bench while their kids were playing in the sandbox, all of the trips tend to take on a girls-weekend-away feel, combined with soft, gushy writing about delightful places to have lunch, quaint towns, and cute places to stay. I was turned off by several places that just seemed too precious and longed for more variety in the types of places to visit.