1 comments about New York: DUMBO Brooklyn 2004.

1. Recently did the tour, which was not as varied as some of the others. Also one of the venues had moved and I couldn't get access to one of the others even though I was there at the recommended time. Still worth doing but there are better tours in the series.

5 comments about 100 New Yorkers: A Guide to Illustrious Lives & Locations.

1. This book has been in my coat pocket for a month. I sneak time to read it on the subway, at my desk over lunch, right before I go to bed. With "100 New Yorkers: A Guide to Illustrious Lives and Locations" Holmes is like the person at a cocktail party everyone gathers around to hear tell stories--stories about amazing people who have lived here and about the interesting, tragic, remarkable, funny, magical lives they've lead.
   
   The book makes even the most jaded New Yorker love that they live here. It's really quite special.



2. After flying through this smart, incredibly well-researched book I realized it was the perfect gift for all of my friends who do/used to/aspire to live in New York City. I also gave it to my teacher friends who loved the detail and use it as a resource. How Holmes found all this stuff I'll never know, but I'm really glad she did!



3. When I first came across this book, I thought it would make a great "stocking stuffer" gift; however, I continue to buy copies to give as birthday gifts--or "just because" gifts. For anyone who is preoccupied with New York--whether it is home or not--this book is addictive reading. In just a few paragraphs the author synthesizes the rich lives of each of these New Yorkers. Each section provides insight into pockets of the city and the lives that have passed through it, making it the perfect book to tote around the city to read on the subway and throughout your day.



4. Holmes' nuanced, understated, and very readable style belie what must have been an exhaustive research effort. She highlights small but interesting details in each of the 100 profiles that invite the reader to find out more. After reading this book, you will have a historical, architectural, and cultural overlay to flavor your own relationship with and memories of The City. No one could hope to fully encapsulate this sprawling topic in one volume. But few could manage to assemble as much, in as portable or pleasing a package, as the author does to contextualize these noteworthy lives.



5. 
   This beautifully produced book contains 100 well chosen black and white photographs and 100 well written biographies of people to whom New York was important. They all lived in the City during different periods of its 350 year history.
   
   The index includes the 100 people and the sites associated with each person. A second index lists connections among the 100 New Yorkers and the places in the city where their lives intersected. Examples include: Elizabeth Bishop and Marianne Moore meeting on a bench outside of the New York Public Library reading room; and the midnight walks of Jacob Riis and Theodore Roosevelt through the slums of Lower Manhattan.
   
   The "Chicago Tribune" captured this book perfectly: "One hundred famous New York faces are profiled in this fascinating travel companion. Find out where Edgar Allen Poe used to drink, which clubs gave Joey Ramone his musical break and which bar was Babe Ruth's favorite. Each section in 100 New Yorkers takes the reader through a tour of the celebrities' residencies, love affairs, scandals, accomplishments, and where you can see their legacies--whether in art museums, immortalized in stone or celebrated in song. There's a great selection of everyone from Sammy Davis Jr. and Malcolm X to Mae West and George Washington."
   
   This little guide is a perfect companion on a visit to New York City.
   
   Robert C. Ross 2008

No comments about New York's 50 Best: Wonderful Things to Do at the Holidays.

5 comments about New York Exposed: Photographs from the Daily News.

1. As the grandson of NY Daily News photographer Charles Hoff, this book offered much insight in to family (as well as New York) history. Only a hint at the tremendous photographic contribution of the NYDN can be addressed in one book, even in a volume this large. Still, it reveals fascinating insight in to the last eighty years of New York visual history through stunningly beautiful photographs. The quality is only enhanced by the fact that the book was published just prior to the tragic events of September, 2001 -- the book closes with a wonderfful photograph of the World Trade Center, as well as text by Shawn O'Sullivan that in retrospect is perfectly appropriate -- that the picture press remains vigilant in a constantly changing city.



2. I lived in Upstate New York for most of my life. Several years ago my wife and I decided to relocate to Arizona. After September 11th, 2001 I like so many other Americans watched what unfolded before our eyes. Most of my family lives in the North East. I heard about this book on TV and was interested. I thought this would be a great book for my father.

   When this book first arrived, we only had to skim over it to see it was trash. Yes, this book is an honest picture of the madness that is present in many large cities, but we were outraged by the contents: Graphic pictures of accidents, murders, shootings, Prostitution, etc. I thought this would be a book about the good in New York.

   Normally when I get a book I do not care for I would donate it to the library, but in this case I am going to return it. My first choise was to burn it. Thank God my parents did not read any of this book. I am disappointed in the day time national television station that promoted this book on the air.

   ...end....




3. New York Exposed is photographic journey down memory lane.
   I won this book about a month ago and was so taken by the photography and the history of the photos that I have since purchased it as a gift for my Dad. The book consists of photos of NYC from 1919 until the year 2000. Each photograph includes a descriptive caption.
   The skyline changed so many times throughout the time span that the book takes us through, although there are no photos of that dreaded day in September.
   From air disasters to a traffic accident circa the early 1930's, from J. Edgar Hoover in a Mickey Mouse mask at the Stork Club in the 30's to the Yankee's World Series win in 1999. New York Exposed is a wonderful book for those of us who grew up in the greatest city in the world.
   A reminder of the way we were..



4. The New York Daily News was always the largest circulation tabloid in America and as Pete Hamill says in his excellent twenty page essay `The Daily News was possessed of a quality derived from the city itself: energy. The tone was brash, sarcastic, irreverent.' All successful tabloid papers have two things in common, the headlines and the photos and this beautifuuly produced book has hundreds of the latter.
   
   To get great photos the paper had always invested in its photo department, which by the fifties had two planes, ten radio cars, a brigade of motorcycle couriers and a staff of sixty-three to insure no story was missed. This book shows the benefits of this investment. Eight chapters are devoted to a photo record of the decades from the twenties thru the nineties and as the News was a tabloid, the rough and tumble of daily is revealed, politicians, celebrities, sport, crime (some of these predictably stark) the everyday and when appropriate, the weather. Each photo has very detailed captions and thankfully, the photographer's name.
   
   Shawn O'Sullivan, who works on the paper, writes in a short essay titled `Photography at the Daily News' `In making this book, we sought to show the images in all of their original beauty, as the photographer originally witnessed the scene....' I think this was a mistake, newspaper photographers don't know how a photo is going to be used on the page and they try to take plenty of shots, so that Photo Editors will have lots of choice. I have a book published in 1979 celebrating fifty years of the News and it has many of the same photos as this latest book but in the earlier book the photos are handled in a much tighter way and sensibly trimmed to get the best from the image.
   
   Apart from some of the photo trimming I enjoyed New York Exposed, a photographic book that captures the dailiness of New York life. If you lived in the city it will be a stimulating reminder of the last eighty years.
   
   ***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.



5. a compilation of photos from the daily news photographers
   incredible collection here. my only disappoitment, which is a slight one, is that the 90's section does not seem to have the same feel as the other decades do

1 comments about Not for Tourists Guide to Queens (Not for Tourists).

1. this book is flat out awful. its awesome if youre in a survival situation and need something that will burn.

3 comments about Let's Take The Kids!: Great Places To Go With Children In New York's Hudson Valley (Let's Take the Kids!: Great Places to Go in New York's Hudson Valley).

1. Being a parent that lives Adirondacks I am always looking for new things for me and my children to enjoy. I thought this was a great book for both kids and adults to look through and find activities. I found it had a variety of activities to do in a large 16 county area. I think this is the perfect guide for the parent who like to do weekend activities with the kids. For me its simply choose a place to go and find something interesting to do there. And trust me, there are plenty of choices! This is an escpecially helpful book for kids 2-12. I easily give this book the full 5 Amazon stars for excellent research, easy to use layout, variety of choices, wide selection of locations, and knowledge of what families want. So if your a parent looking for a guide for where to bring your kids, buy this book. In fact any parent living in upstate New York should get this book, you never know when you might need it.



2. This guide is an excellent resource for those who are looking for great weekend getaway ideas for their families. I have a toddler whom I'd like to introduce to the fun of a train ride. This book instantly supplied two possibilities, both in the Catskills, which my husband and I can't wait to try. There's a wealth of information on pick-your-own farms, state parks with lots of activities for kids of all ages, museums and other educational and fun destinations for the whole family.



3. So far every trip we've taken at the behest of this book was a disappointment. The "petting zoo" turned out to be a landscaper and clearly hadn't been anything else for many years. Maybe a decade ago this was accurate but not anymore.

No comments about The Grownup's Guide to Visiting New York City with Kids.

No comments about Streetwise The Bronx Map - Laminated City Street Map of The Bronx, New York.

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.

2 comments about The New York School: Photographs, 1936-1963.

1. This is treat for anyone interested in photography, especially in the period leading up to Winogrand, Friedlander, etc. Most of the photographs in this book, I've never seen before. Included are interesting 35mm work by Diane Arbus, some untypical Avedon, great Robert Frank's that I haven't seen published anywhere else, early Winogrand. However the really nice thing about this book is in being able to see the work of those lesser known, but nonetheless great, photographers such as Leon Levinstein, Louis Fauer, Alexi Brodovitch, and many more. Also includes a thorough and informative essay as well as individual profiles on the artists involved.



2. I agree that this is a great collection of photographs, many either never or seldom published before, and supported by interesting and original text. It is amazing how little biographical information exists on so many photographers. I bought the book because it encompassed so many of my photographic heroes and introduced me to some photographers I was not familiar with. But the reason I decided to actually write a review here was to correct the previous reviewer who mentions that Gary Winogrand's work is included in the book. It's not. But it sure is nice to see more on the Photo League. What a great group. And it's nice to see their influence so fully recognized. Thank you Ms. Livingston!