No comments about Brooklyn: An Illustrated History (Critical Perspectives on the Past).

5 comments about Long Island Alive! (Alive Guides Series).

1. Pros
   � In depth information about Long Island
   � Geographic arrangement of chapters is very helpful
   � Excellent descriptions of attractions
   
   Cons � Maps are very small
   
   The Bottom Line - If you are traveling around Long Island, keep this book in the car. Long Island Alive! packs a lot of information into a portable package. With a cover price of $, you'll get your money's worth.
   
   Description
   � A travel guide for visitors to Long Island and a resource guide for those who live here.
   � You'll find information about places to stay, restaurants, museums, and historical landmarks.
   � This book also lists houses of worship, parks, movie theaters, animal hospitals and shelters, etc.

   Long Island Alive! author Francine Silverman has put together a wonderful resource both for visitors to Long Island and those who live here. You'll find information about museums, dining, houses of worship, animal shelters, shopping, and entertainment. Long Island Alive!, published by Hunter Publishing, Inc., is arranged geographically using the Long Island Expressway as the dividing line between Nassau and Suffolk Counties' North and South Shores. Looking for a museum on the North Shore of Nassau County or somewhere to get a light bite on the South Shore of Suffolk? You'll find it in this book. Do you need to find a farm market? It's in here too. Keep this chubby paperback in your car. You never know when it will come in handy. Dawn Rosenberg McKay -




2. We residents of Long Island will be tickled pink with the author's thorough research of Long Island's length and breadth, 100 miles long and 20 miles across at its widest point. It will also provide a sweeping view for the visitor to the island. Before it was named in 1614 by Dutch explorer Adrian Block, our island was home to Indians for thousands of years and Indian names from Amagansett "plenty of good water" to Wyandanch, the chief who befriended the white settlers, are still many across the island.

   Silverman's exhaustive investigation of every aspect of Long Island gives the reader a complete picture of every area, covered and explained. From geographical details of its two counties, with Nassau and Suffolk's north and south shores, and latter's north and south forks, all readers' questions are answered, from its largest ethnic group (Italian Americans, 27 percent( to its highest point (Jayne's Hill in Melville at 400 feet above sea level). We are flat!

   The author's 10 reasons to visit Long Island (and we should be proud) are 1) 23 state parks and more than 50 county parks; 2) superb restaurants; 3) scenic waterways, 4) gilded-age mansions open to the public; 5) world-class concert halls and arenas; 6) hundreds of miles of white sandy beaches; 7) more than 100 museums; 8) 7,000 structures built prior to the 20th century; 9) unique architecture and 10) animal refuges and preserves. Sounds like something for everyone.

   From recreations of all sorts from biking and hiking, horseback riding and fishing to golf, tennis, boating and beaches (the 2,400-acre Jones Beach State Park and famous beach draws six to seven million visitors from around the world each summer). In this, the nation's fourth wealthiest area, residents support 1,196 shopping centers in addition to chain stores, boutiques and shops, found in virtually every town. Long Island is described as a microcosm of New York City, offering something for everyone, from restaurants and late night bars with live music, to celebrated concert halls featuring top names in entertainment, lounges, piano bars, comedy clubs and nightclubs. The book lists festivals, events, medical facilities, houses of worship, etc. in addition to accommodations and restaurants across the county, with price scales for each.

   Under Nassau County's North Shore, the reader is afforded an interesting listing and description of specific "Mansions to Museums" - from the Falaise Castle to the Tee Ridder Miniature Museum. Detailed information is given as well for the county's South Shore, before venturing to the less-densely populated Suffolk County.

   This lesser-known area of Long Island, its many historic sites from Stony Brook's Grist Mill to its wildlife preserves, its Film and TV Foundation and its many family-fun facilities, music, theatre and art offerings, spas, cruises, all sports, shopping, museums, accommodations, restaurants and more, are presented in detail by the author. From its South Shore's William Floyd 1724 famed Bayard Cutting Arboretum to its picturesque North Fork with its 25 wineries welcoming the public for visits and tasting and farm stands featuring fresh picked crops from the area's vast farmlands are many and popular with natives and tourists alike.

   Its celebrated 32-mile Fire Island with its pencil-thin barrier beach, no more than a half mile wide from ocean to bay, with its 17 communities' 200 families year round are joined by thousands of visitors every summer. No road or cars here and it's reached by ferry.

   "Let's not forget the island's famed Hamptons, which the author describes as "like nowhere else on the planet," with celebrities underfoot on the streets, markets, restaurants and shops. Like Long Island's Gold Coast, excess wealth abounds, with real estate up to "$ million a pop." All this plus award-winning beaches, museums, windmills, historic sites, water and land sports and lots of shopping, from surfboard to sand paintings and a wide choice of high-tone fashion; a shopper's paradise even for merely the "window-type." Restaurants, theatre, dancing and live entertainment are available after dark. The road to the Hamptons is a traffic nightmare during summer weekends, with tourists vying for the view of "life among the super rich on America's Riviera."

   Easy-to-read maps accompany each area text, excellent advice for additional sources and a helpful index afford readers easy access to Long Island Alive!'s ample array of Long Island information, border-to-border, coast-to-coast...




3. Francine Silverman, where were you when I needed you?
   

   
   When I was a teenager growing up in Montreal in the 1950s I would look forward to my summers visiting my sister in Long Island, New York.
   

   
   It is too bad I did not have at the time a copy of Francine Silverman's comprehensive travel guide, Long Island Alive. All I ever knew about Long Island were its beaches.
   Anyone reading this wonderful guidebook will have to agree that Long Island is not only about beaches- it has a distinct character and soul.
   

   
   Silverman is a veteran feature writer for newspapers and magazines.
   These days Silverman's passion is travel writing. Her first guidebook, Catskills Alive, was very well received, and I am sure Long Island Alive, will be equally successful.
   

   
   Long Island Alive concentrates on different geographical areas of Long Island: Nassau County' North Shore and South Shores, Suffolk County's North and South Shores,
   Fire Island, and Suffolk County's North and South Fork.

   Dividing these areas into subsections, Silverman describes their history, geology, geography, wildlife, and environment and also provides us with useful maps.
   

   
   In addition, the author provides information highlighting the heartbeat of the area with all its activities, attractions, lodging; restaurants, events, festivals and other goodies that make Long Island come alive. There is even an entire section devoted to farm markets.
   

   
   Scattered throughout the book are sidebars of tidbits of fascinating information.
   Did you know that when Dutch explorer Adrian Block sailed around the island in 1614 he named in Lange Eylandt and the name stuck?
   Sea turtles and whales occasionally wash up on beaches along the South Shore.
   Coyotes, bobcats and black bears that are common to New York State are no longer to be found on Long Island.
   

   
   Each section also includes a listing of some vital resources: medical facilities, shopping malls and streets, houses of worship, health and beauty clubs, banks, museums, historical societies and tours, bars and clubs, motels, parks, tennis facilities, newspapers, liquor stores, wineries and even animal adoption centers.
   

   
   As for those of us who are interested in where to dine and stay, considerable space is devoted to the best places to lodge and eat. Where applicable websites are even listed.
   

   
   Silverman succeeds in evoking Long Island's charm and color, and should prove to be an invaluable asset for travelers to this very interesting area.

   This review first appeared on the reviewer's own site
   bookpleasures.com




4. If Long Island Alive is not the definitve guide book for Long Island travel, I don't know what is. This was my first experience reviewing a travel guide, and it was a delightful surprise. Anything the traveler could possibly want or need to know can be found between these covers.
   
   Of particular interest to me was the Long Island history. Beginning with the ice age - which created the unique topography - to the Native Algonquian Indians, progressing through early Dutch and English settlers, the island's history is fascinating. Ms. Silverman also describes the geology and geography and provides detailed maps. It is a diverse land of pine barrens and beaches, state parks and golf courses, hiking trails and woodlands. I was thinking "Wow!" before I'd finished reading the introduction.
   
   The book is arranged rather handily into distinct areas of Long Island - Nassau County, Suffolk County, and Fire Island. The author then breaks down each area into points of interest and backs up her information with first hand impressions, phone numbers, websites, helpful tips and intriguing tidbits.
   
   Sources of transportation available by car, rail, bus, plane, plus directions are provided. Available lodging and restaurants in each area and price ranges are clearly listed. Whether you are interested in museums, the arts, farmer markets, romantic getaways, cruises, outdoor activities, family fun, or world class night life, that information is listed. There's something of interest for everyone and choices to suit every pocket book. This guide also contains practical information, such as banks, hospitals, veterinary clinics, houses of worship, and which destinations are handicapped accessible. If you're wondering if children or pets are welcome, you'll find that information too.
   
   Long Island Alive is complete with any information the traveler could possibly want to know. And it's entertaining reading to boot. Highest recommendation.



5. Reading a guide book is usually something one does before going to the destinations it describes. Francine Silverman's Long Island Alive! is not only an informative book for prospective Long Island visitors, but it is also an entertaining read for armchair travellers. Silverman writes in a narrative form that makes the reader feel a native Long Islander is showing her around the largest island ajacent to the Continental U.S.
   
   The book is divided into seven geographic headings: Nassau County's North and South Shores, Suffolk County's North and South Shores, Fire Island, and Suffolk County's North and South Forks. Farm markets are listed at the back of the book.
   
   From helpful, child-friendly tips to detailed historical descriptions of various landmarks, the author offers the reader useful and timely information. Each geographic section is divided into helpful subcategories for transportation, lodging, shopping, recreation and restaurants. Above and beyond the traditional guide book, Long Island Alive! has Web site suggestions for the curious reader to learn even more than its numerous pages entail. Silverman includes enough historical background to whet the reader's appetite, all the while making him or her want to learn more by visiting the places described.
   
   Long Island's size is not its only impressive facet: the sheer number of fascinating historical places that Silverman depicts makes the reader want to pack her bags yesterday to experience Long Island first hand. Being a masterful writer, Silverman uses clear language to detail the most intriguing tidbits about the island. She inserts trivia in an appropriate manner between more somber entries such as the Holocaust Memorial of Nassau County. "The giraffe is the symbol of Great Neck - for obvious reasons" follows philanthropic opportunities at the Friends of the Arts which sponsors various music festivals and a children's workshop throughout the year. She captures the history of Long Island while simultaneously emphasizing its contemporary offerings. From Walt Whitman's birthplace to the local bar scene, this guide has it all.
   
   My father recently told me that I am the 12th generation descendant of Robert Jackson, one of the founding proprieters of the Hempstead settlement on Long Island. If I ever make a trip to Long Island to visit my forefathers' birthplace, Long Island Alive! is the first thing I will pack.
   
   Christine Louise Hohlbaum
   American author of Diary of a Mother: Parenting Stories and Other Stuff
   http://www.diaryofamother.com

No comments about A Guide to Long Island Wine Country.

1 comments about The Ninth Cube (TimeLine Trilogy, Book 1).

1. Fresh and original, hard core science thriller. Not for the faint of heart!
   
   Wow, I was totally immersed and enthralled in this story. Author does an excellent job of explaining complex scientific theories like string theory and relativity and intertwines a spiritual symbolism that is very reminiscent of the late Carl Sagan. Some of the dialogue is very scientific, but is written in present tense, and this really put me into the beat of the story. Characters are vivid and have depth, something most techno-thrillers lack. The relationship between Daniel and his chief scientist, Tanya, is very entertaining and realistic.
   
   The story line is heavily based on research and speculation, and moves very fast at times, but again this adds to the present tense realism that drew me into the story. I look forward to Book 2 in the series, and after the ending in this one, I can't wait to see the next one.

No comments about Unexpected New York: 87 Discoveries in Familiar Places.

2 comments about Tales of New York: Some Will Surprise You.

1. This is a handy little book, which you can read chapter by chapter. I have now read the entire book and I absolutely love it!
   It is informative, funny, elegantly written, and unique.
   Excellent entertainment, and you can learn those little tidbits and impress on your friends and visitors.
   Get it now!!



2. New York has been called the Big Apple. Have you ever wondered why?
   
   Licensed New York City tour guide, John Keatts, who has published articles in magazines and newspapers as well as having appeared in Broadway musical productions, cabaret performance and on television, has now assembled quite an interesting selection of tidbits concerning some of New York City's landmarks and other venues with his Tales of New York: Some Will Surprise You.
   
   The chief delight of this fascinating look at New York is its series of stories that will give you a unique perspective of just why New York is such an interesting city to visit. Drawing upon his personal research and experiences, Keatts presents brief sections highlighting a particular facet of New York that is related to its people, history, skyscrapers, landmarks, neighborhoods, the subway system, and other points of interest. The stories include something for everybody, from those who want to know more about the city's history to those who are interested in its skyscrapers as the Empire State Building, Woolworth Building, Metropolitan Life Insurance Building, and the Chrysler Building. As interesting travel guides usually do and what Keatts mentions in his Preface, in some instances, he draws conclusions and dramatizes events, using quotes and scenes that might have taken place, based on history.
   
   As examples of some of the entries, if you are interested in knowing more about the NYC subway, Keatts informs us that it was built in 1904 and that it went from City Hall in lower Manhattan to Grand Central Terminal, then westward to Broadway/42nd St. and uptown to 145th St. in Harlem's west side. It enabled people to become free and leave their crowed living spaces. In 1904 there were 39 subway stations and 20 miles of track. Today, there are 463 subway stations and 722 miles of track-quite a difference!
   
   What about the East River? We are informed that it is not a river at all. It just looks like one with its strong tides and high salt content. It is in fact the Eastern Estuary of the Atlantic Ocean. I am willing to bet that probably most of us don't know who was the first European tourist of record to New York City?
   An Italian explorer, Giovanni da Verrazano, aboard a French exploration ship sailed into what is now called the Narrows of NYC's harbor in 1524.
   When he raised his spyglass he described what he saw: "A long, slender strip of land is ahead, bounded by two rivers. The land widens upstream, especially to the east. The harbor is perfect, deep and sheltered." As Keatts mentions, Da Verranzano was the first European to record an impression of Manhattan Island.
   
   And for the origin of the name Big Apple, this becomes a bit tricky. Apparently, as Keatts indicates, musicians used the word "apple" as a slang expression for NYC and "cotton" was slang for money. In 1920 when the famous Cotton Club was opened, some musicians referred to it as "the money club" while others called it "the big apple." Another possibility that Keatts mentions is that on the streets a friend may stop you and compliment you on the suite you were wearing and ask where did you get it?" To which you might reply, "That's the big apple. Translation: That's a winner, the best." Recently, the NYC Convention and Visitors Bureau began a new advertising campaign with the big apple as its symbol.
   
   Keatts does an excellent job of capturing the flavor of NYC by recreating the city's time and place with some fascinating nuggets of interesting reading that will surely appeal to visitors as well as armchair travelers.
   
   Norm Goldman, Editor Bookpleasures

5 comments about Secret Places of Staten Island: A Visitor's Guide to Scenic.

1. This book reviews a series of nature trails in New York's "forgotten borough" -Staten Island. It details sights that even lifelong natives may have missed and scenes that no one would imagine could be in the nation's largest city. If you intend to take these trails, buy and go soon- already one of the sights detailed (St. Elisabeth's in Mount Lorretto) is gone.



2. Jaded by the social stigmatism of the "forgotten borough" I arrived to Staten Island as a reluctant new resident. This book was presented to me as a welcome gift. I have enjoyed every bit of it. It not only opened my eyes - a Manhattan transplant - but the eyes of native Staten Islanders with whom I have shared many stories. We use this book as a "secret adventure guide book" and take the children in our life on hikes as well as the out-of-towners who think the only thing Staten Island has is the world's largest landfill. This handy book is written with wit, whimsy and factual information. The directives are clear. Just get there before the developers knock down the tress and build more attached houses.



3. I've lived on Staten Island for 12 years, but not until I'd been given Mr. Kershner's book had I any idea of the extent to which the island remains pristine and marvelous. I regularly photocopy his wonderful hand drawn maps to take my kids (and the neighbors'!) and wildlife adventures that less informed people travel hundreds of miles to experience.

   This book is a fabulous mix of nuts and bolts trail-finding, anecdotal history, and flora and fauna appreciation guide. I've had the book for 4 years and haven't made it to every "secret spot" yet, but whenever the kids start staring at the TV too much, I grab this book, the kids, and head out for another urban adventure. It never disappoints. Ironically, I hope it doesn't get too popular, because I love being alone in all those Staten Island woodlands! It's the first thing I show to people who think we've got nothing but a dump, a mall, and an expressway.




4. Staten Island has a bad rap--mostly because of the landfill and the horrors of the West Shore Expressway. Thanks to the efforts of people like Bruce Kershner, Richmond County is getting some the recognition it deserves. "Secret Places of Staten Island: A Visitor's Guide to Scenic and Historic Treasures of Staten Island" is filled with maps and suggested visiting spots of the beautifully preserved natural and historic areas of New York's largest borough. And what maps! They are clear and informative. What the book also makes clear is that Staten Island is the absolute antithesis to Manhattan. With the exception of Central Park, Manhattan has no concern for nature. (Even Central Park is artificial! It looks nothing like the Manhattan that was there pre-1700.) For New Yorkers, the book makes it obvious that you don't have to travel miles away to visit pristine forest! And you don't have to go to Boston or Colonial Williamsburg to see some of the oldest structures in America. It's all here on Staten Island.



5. Bruce wrote this book as a labor of love. Sharing the places he grew up exploring, finding some of the natural, unexpected Staten Island treasures was an activity we all shared as a family. I have my own personally inscribed copy and keep it to remind me of the jaunts up Todt Hill, digging for minerals, rocks & fossils in the abandoned never completed SI Expressway exit rock quary. The glacier terminal moraine is very pronounced, you just have to know what you're looking at, when it's right in front of you. We lost Bruce in February 2007. This book is one of Bruce's first in a series and should inspire everyone who reads it to look beyond Hylan Blvd, the Mall and the dump. Staten Island once was and still remains a place of interesting history and natural places.

No comments about Once upon a city;: New York from 1890 to 1910.

4 comments about Shadow of the Titanic.

1. I would like to find a copy of the book shadow at a glance but you cant because there is no way to add it to this shopping cart



2. The above speaks for itself



3. Eva had loving parents when she boarded Titanic not by choice but their other ship had problems. Her mother had a premonition. She believed the ship was cursed and would never make it's final destination, New York City. Her mother had no idea how right she was. She spent her days sleeping and her nights up keeping watch. Eva and her father disregarded her mother's fear as too much. After all, Mrs. Hart never felt this way before or after Titanic. It's Eva who I remember as a Titanic Survivor speaking up on Robert Ballard's documentary in 1986. Besides being a Titanic survivor, she pursued a singing career and lived in Australia. Although she never married or had children, Eva was by no means, dull or not interesting. On the contrary, she is one of the most memorable because she became a Justice of the Peace in her town of Chelmsford, Essex, England and she was awarded an M.B.E. (Member of the Order of the British Empire) in the 1974 Queen's New Years Honours List for her services to the community. Only Herbert Pittman was awarded an MBE for his services to the military during World War II. Pittman was also a Titanic survivor and crewmate who helped the survivors. Besides surviving Titanic, Eva showed how to be a survivor with dignity, grace, and class. She matured at 7 years old when she last saw her father before he perished with all the others. Her tale of survival or her years afterword could have made a film of it's merit worth watching. But most survivors don't want to see another Titanic film no matter how wonderful if it is. They still bear scars themselves.



4. My husband is the child of another survivor of the Titanic, He is always interested the stories of the people as they moved on after the disaster. The author, whom his parents met on several occasions, had a very interesting life which was shaped by the trauma she experienced as a child. It is an easy read and a fascinating story, which reflected the perspective of one born in the early 20th century through the wars into the end of the century.
   
   It is a welcome addition to our personal Titanic collection.

No comments about Voyages of Joshua Slocum: Voyage of the Destroyer from New York to Brazil : Sailing Alone Around the World : Rescue of Some Gilbert Islanders.