3 comments about The Big Onion Guide to New York City: Ten Historic Tours.

1. Whether you are a native New Yorker or a tourist visiting New York City for the first time, you need to pick up a copy of The Big Onion Guide To New York City.

   Big Onion has established itself as the leading walking tour company in New York City for over 10 years. And for good reason. Their guides are American history graduate students who know and love the city.

   Big Onion's first guide book is loaded with interesting facts and stories about the city's history. Their easy-to-follow self-guided tours will delight tourists exploring the city's streets and enlighten even native New Yorkers who think they know everything about their hometown.

   I'm constantly using this book as a reference book to look up facts about New York history. In my opinion, two of the best tours are the Lower East Side, with its tales of immigrant life, and Central Park, which the book calls New York's "greatest public space." There is even a driving tour (which I haven't tried yet) for those who want to explore New York's "outer boroughs."

   The book is concise, well-written and always informative. It's a must-have for anyone interested in New York City history.




2. We just came back from NYC and went on one of the walking tours in this book--guided by the author Eric Wakin (Ethnic Eating Tour of Chinatown and Little Italy). Mr Wakin took us into Chinatown and discussed how the area is a living, breathing, working neighborhood, filled with shops, pushcarts, and restaurants that cater to the neighborhood's residents. We then walked into Little Italy and noticed how the neighborhoo is nothing but restaurants designed to attract tourists. Quite a contrast. Mr Wakin discussed how the neighborhoods have changed over the centuries as the older, more established immigrants move out and new immigrants (often of a different ethnic background) come in. The author was knowledgeable about his facts and history and the the different food tidbits were a real treat!



3. Here's everything you ever wanted to know about Manhattan in a breezy presentation of facts and intimate history about the Big Apple.

2 comments about The Destruction of Lower Manhattan.

1. You mean I don't have to pay $300 dollars for a used copy of this on auction? Great. That's what they've been selling for before this reissue. It's about time. I never thought I'd own a copy until now, without paying a small ransom.



2. These photographs were originally published in 1967 and at the time, they represented the norm for solid earnest photography. that is, the technique and understated design stood in service of the images. By the way, I've seen the actual photographs. The Museum of the City of New York just opened a show of these same images. So one reacts not to the photo but to the subject: these now long gone buildings, and the even older signs of a long past life (for example a calendar from 1951 on the wall of one of the shabby lofts).
   
   This work stands in sharp contrast to the current trend in photography .... a typical current show will feature large scale images, usually in color, always over printed. I will be standing in front of a life sized and unflattering portrait of a person - and wonder why the image was selected. After noting the skin texture (always more present than in life) I walk away with... nothing. Not so with these. I first saw this book in 1970 when in a sculpture class in Cooper Union. Although I had not seen the book in at least 25 years, I never forgot them.
   
   Buy the book - it will be one book you will look at for sure 25 years hence.

1 comments about Hudson Valley Voyage.

1. Beautiful and Historic, the Hudson River Valley has been a major part of American life for more than four centuries. "Hudson Valley Voyage: Through the Seasons, Through the Years" is a gorgeous collection of one hundred and fifty full color photographs and more than thirty scholarly and educational essays. The scenery of the river and the importance come to light within, and will give readers a love for this body of water. Enhanced with maps, timelines, tourism information and much more, "Hudson Valley Voyage" is highly recommended to any community library photography collection focusing on natural wonders.

1 comments about Gerry Frank's Where to Find it, Buy it, Eat it in New York 2008-2009 (Gerry Frank's Where to Find It, Buy It, Eat It in New York (Regular Edition)).

1. I purchased this for my great niece who just moved to New York. I've
   bought Mr. Frank's book in past editions, probably 3. He comes out with
   a new book every year. When some girl friends and I went to N.Y. I bought
   the '84 edition, eventually the '87 and "89 editions. They were our Bible
   and everything we tried from the book lived up to Mr. Frank's recommendations. So I thought my great niece should have a copy also.
   She said the day it arrived she stayed up until 3 a.m. reading it.

5 comments about Cruising Guide to New York Waterways and Lake Champlain (Cruising Guide to New York Waterways & Lake Champlain).

1. I found this book a must have for my cruise this spring. It's jam-packed with information, from the depth of water to a complete list of marinas and their amenities. I am surprised that a book that is so packed with critical information could also be so easy to understand and fun. The many photos, maps and stories make this book a pleasure to read. I'm glad I purchased this book a month before my trip. I kept it on my night stand, and by reading a little bit each night, it made for a better vacation. The references throughout the book, like tips for clearing customs, what not to miss, and tourist information listings, alone were worth the price of the book to me. As a novice boater. I also appreciated the chapter on marina etiquette.



2. Chris Brown truely has a grasp on what a boater in the Northeast is looking for. I found that the information about the ports of call were particularly helpful for those not familiar with these areas. Highly recommended for those traveling in the Northeast.



3. A thorough compilliation of facts and data for mariners interested in cruising NY and Vermont waterways from the Hudson river up through Lake Champlain and its environs.
   
   Well done and very informative. One should have this book with them for planning and cruising.
   
   Noah charts must be obtained seperately.



4. Ths book was very helpful on a several-day trip I made up the Champlain Canal and Lake Champlain. It directed me to a fabulous anchorage I would otherwise likely not have learned about. I'd recommend buying it well in advance of a trip (at least weeks) in order to read and digest the information. This book must be used in conjunction with official navigation charts, and I'd recommend the official New York State Cruising Guide to the Canal System.



5. This book would have been great 15 years ago. Things have changed around the waterways such as described in this book. Very dispointing, especially the critics. I've checked some of the phone numbers and most have been changed. As a matter of fact, the area code for lower Quebec is not 514 but 450 and this since 1990...
   
   So do what you like but remember, if your nostalgic, this book is for you. If you like current data, look elsewhere..sorry.

No comments about Lonely Planet Nueva York (Lonely Planet. (Spanish Guides)).

No comments about Backroads of New York: Your Guide to New York's Most Scenic Backroad Adventures (Backroads of ...).

No comments about Hagstrom Borough of Brooklyn City of New York Street Map.

No comments about Lighthouses of New York State: A Photographic and Historic Digest of New York's Martitime Treasures.

2 comments about The Pratique Guide, The Meat Packing District and The West Village: Shopping Block by Block (Pratique Guides).

1. This little shopping guide is fabulous. It includes a wallet-sized folder with a skinny booklet outlining details of all the best shops, bistros, bars, coffee shops, designer boutiques and anything else you might need. Also included is a detailed map of the area with every business shown on the map in rainbow colors. Some friends and I are going to New York soon for a ladies only shopping trip. This little guide looks to be very user friendly. Also check out the Pratique guide to Greenwich Village shopping.



2. In 1884 New York City created a two acre food market named after a Revolutionary War hero, General Peter Gansevoort, who was Herman Melville's grandfather. In 1949 the Gansevoort Meat Market was established. Today the Meat Packing District is a 20 block, 24 hour restaurant and shopping neighborhood. It is located on the West Side between 15th and Horatio Streets, and west of and including Hudson Street.
   
   The West Village is less clearly defined. For the purposes of this fine guidebook, it is bounded by the Hudson River and Sixth Avenue, extending from 14th Street down to Houston Street.
   
   Both neighborhoods are filled with an extraordinary number of fine shops and art galleries. This comprehensive directory includes descriptions and contact information for the many stores, hotels, restaurants and other services. The guide contains a large fold out map that makes it easy to plot a course through the riches here.
   
   The Little Bookroom has produced a beautiful guide, and Sarah Caplan has filled it with excellent content. Example:
   
   "Geppetto's Toy Box
   Children's Toys
   10 Christopher St. (at Gay St.)
   212 620 7511 * Mon-Fri 11:30-7, Sat 10:30-6:30, Sun 12:30-5:30
   nyctoys.com
   Geppetto's is an apt name for one of downtown's best toy stores. Children and adults will delight in the enormous selection of high-quality toys. (A recent customer came in with the unusual request for a stuffed squirrel and left minutes later with one in his hands.) Top picks include Steiff animals, collectible Madame Alexander dolls, handmade rag dolls (in different skin tones), handmade paper mobiles, Ketler tricycles from Germany, and wall art by Eeboo. The owners stock many New York-themed toys and books, such as a 3D Empire State Building puzzle, as well as great kits, books, and puzzles. Lego, Brio, and Playmobil make an appearance (though the collections are not extensive), as do Siku die cast trucks from Germany."
   
   Stores are marked "Recommended" and "Must See" in the directory and on the map. There is simply no better guide to these interesting areas of New York City for the hard core shopper.
   
   Robert C. Ross 2008