1 comments about Lewis Hine: The Empire State Building Photographs: A Book of 30 Postcards.

1. "In 1930, Lewis Hine (1874-1940) was commissioned to photograph the construction of the Empire State Building. He documented the project from the ground up, going to great and dizzying lengths to get good shots of the work in progress. Today, Hine's amazing pictures constitute a priceless record of a memorable event in American history. 30 black-and-white photographs reproduced by four-color process.
   
   "Pomegranate's books of postcards contain thirty top-quality reproductions bound together in a handy, artful collection. Easy to remove and produced on heavy card stock, these stunning postcards are a delight to the sender and receiver. Note: postcards are oversized and may require additional postage. ISBN: 1-56640-024-4; size: 4 3/4 x 6 7/8"."--© Pomegranate

No comments about Best Bike Rides New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania (Best Bike Rides Series).

2 comments about Outer Lands: A Natural History Guide to Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket, Block Island, and Long Island.

1. Dorothy Sterling describes the Outer Lands (The Cape, Long Island, Nantucket, etc.) very eloquently, using understandable, interesting language. She adds charming local folklore and local sights, as well as maps and drawings that contribute so much to the book. This book is great for leasure reading as well as a textbook for a marine biology class.



2. Dorothy Sterling describes the Outer Lands (The Cape, Long Island, Nantucket, etc.) very eloquently, using understandable, interesting language. She adds charming local folklore and local sights, as well as maps and drawings that contribute so much to the book. This book is great for leasure reading as well as a textbook for a marine biology class.

No comments about Fandex Family Field Guides: New York City (Fandex Family Field Guides).

3 comments about A Smugglers Bible.

1. There are many authors who deserve a larger readership (one thinks of William Gaddis, John Hawkes, Harry Crews), but none more so than Joseph McElroy. A Smuggler's Bible fell on deaf ears when it was published in 1966, and because of this is often compared to The Recognitions and Under the Volcano. And the comparisons are valid, to a point: For while Gaddis's and Lowry's novels *have* received a deserved amount of, well, recognition (though it's never enough), McElroy's first novel hasn't. This goes for his entire opus of seven novels, all vastly intelligent, structurally and metaphorically brilliant, and, yes, challenging (and equally rewarding). If, as a reader, you feel you should be treated with respect and not have the novelist lead you by the hand and play you for an idiot, then I highly recommend this and McElroy's other novels. There are few voices as unique as his. Few novelists as concerned with what makes us what we are. And fewer are as capable.

   To summarize A Smuggler's Bible is a difficult task, but, essentially, an easy one (have I contradicted myself?). David Brooke, on the verge of a breakdown, is attempting to assemble, from eight very different manuscripts, his identity, his place in his friends' lives, as seen through their eyes. And in a variety of styles (the influences are strongly Nabokovian & Joycean), with each single manuscript having more material than many respected novels, the story unfolds, and we too begin piecing together what makes David Brooke David Brooke.

   McElroy shows a command of characterization, setting, voice, and metaphor that many a lesser novelist has been praised for. I highly recommend this novel, which demands multiple readings, along with McElroy's Lookout Cartridge (currently out of print and perhaps the single most neglected work of the '70's).

   Joseph McElroy's works far, far better than this hastily composed "review." Please read him.




2. There are many authors who deserve a larger readership (one thinks of William Gaddis, John Hawkes), but none more so than Joseph McElroy. A Smuggler's Bible fell on deaf ears when it was published in 1966, and because of this is often compared to The Recognitions and Under the Volcano. And the comparisons are valid, to a point: For while Gaddis's and Lowry's novels *have* received a deserved amount of, well, recognition (though it's never enough), McElroy's first novel hasn't. This goes for his entire opus of seven novels, all vastly intelligent, structurally and metaphorically brilliant, and, yes, challenging (and equally rewarding). If, as a reader, you feel you should be treated with respect and not have the novelist lead you by the hand and play you for an idiot, then I highly recommend this and McElroy's other novels. There are few voices as unique as his. Few novelists as concerned with what makes us what we are. And fewer are as capable. To summarize A Smuggler's Bible is a difficult task, but, essentially, an easy one (have I contradicted myself?). David Brooke, on the verge of a breakdown, is attempting to assemble, from eight very different manuscripts, his identity, his place in his friends' lives, as seen through their eyes. And in a variety of styles (the influences are strongly Nabokovian & Joycean), with each single manuscript having more material than many respected novels, the story unfolds, and we too begin piecing together what makes David Brooke David Brooke (and possibly what makes us us). McElroy shows a command of characterization, setting, voice, and metaphor that many a lesser novelist has been praised for. I highly recommend this novel, along with McElroy's Lookout Cartridge (currently out of print and perhaps the single most neglected work of the '70's). Joseph McElroy's are works far, far better than this hastily composed "review." Please read him.



3. If you're looking for a book to become truly absorbed in, one you'll probably want to re-read as soon as you've finished the last page, this is it. There is such a richness and abundance of thought in these pages, now that I've read it twice I feel like I can dip into it at random and find something worth rediscovering, whether it be earthquakes, improvisational jazz, the physics and engineering of dam construction,the particularly haunting old structures from pre Civil War years that abide today right next to modern buildings of glass-box construction, of course woven elegantly into the main elements that compose a love story: obsession, personal revelations and concealments, humor, mystery, and enchantment. There is a Proustian consciousness of the profound ambiguities of memory, and how its hidden secrets yield a determining influence on our lives, until they rise to the surface and can be overcome, absorbed.... Perhaps I'm wieghing this down with too many generalities, but this novel contains so much, any simple "rendering" or "encapsulation" of the plot would be to do it an injustice. So let something intentionally simplified suffice: a middle-aged man and a young woman fall in love in pre-millennial New York City, both of them are survivors, and in falling in love with each other, both of them come into much closer contact with just what it is that they have survived - its implications and consequences - which brings their budding relationship into serious jeopardy.

   It seems that McElroy has been compared throughout his career to authors like Pynchon, DeLillo, Coover, Barthelme, and Barth, but here you find much less of the antic (and sometimes silly) humor of the latter three, something much more accessible and less self-consciously "important" than anything Pynchon has written. DeLillo would be the closest comparison. McElroy has the same gift for capturing the rhythms and nuances of everyday speech, the same sort of global consciousness, the same ability to capture and captivate the reader. But DeLillo, in my opinion, is more likely to be self-indulgent, abuse your attention as a reader (see Cosmopolis, The Body Artist, Ratner's Star, The Names...), where McElroy's serious purpose is always evident, even when he is charming you with humor.

   Since reading Actress in the House I've also read the author's ingenious first novel, A Smuggler's Bible, and am now looking forward to the December publication of Lookout Cartridge before undertaking the mammoth Women and Men. Joseph McElroy is a true discovery for me. I hope to share it with many, many people.

No comments about Staten Island, Ny Map.

4 comments about Complete Idiot's Guide to New York.

1. Here are the pros and cons of the book after actually using it to tour New York City.

   Pros:

   - Very informative "tidbits" of information about New York (i.e.: New York History, Tourist Traps, Dollars and Sense, and Time Savers).

   - Good information about how to pick a hotel and restaurant if you don't know where to begin.

   - Good information on the mass transit system and how to get around.

   - Good information on the major tourist attractions in New York (hours and days open, cost, directions, etc.).

   - Helpful planning sheets if you can't figure out what you want to see first.

   Cons:

   - The size of the book is too big to fit easliy into a jacket pocket.

   - The cover is fluorescent orange which screams "tourist" when you take it out in the subway.

   - It focuses entirely on Manhattan. If you are staying outside of Manhattan the maps don't provide enough detail to show you how to get from outside of the city to the city itself.

   Overall a good first start for planning a trip to New York City. It provides the basic information of where to stay, where to eat, and how to get around in Manhattan.

   I recommend a more detailed travel guide (Michelin Green City Guide comes to mind) to accompany this book once you are in the city and start walking around or when you want to visit outside of Manhattan.




2. I took out 5 other NYC books from my local library and of all the books, I found this one of the most helpful. Easy to find the information and informative ideas and suggestions. When you update it, change the title, please, as I think I'm going to be embarrassed walking around NYC w/it.



3. This book cleared up our confusion on what airport to fly into, where to stay, how to get around, and how to find out about and plan activities. It's great!



4. This was a great book. It was very fun to read and very easy to understand. The maps were detailed and that really helps when you don't know where you are going! It was a great book and I would really reccommed it!

1 comments about The Cheapskate Millionaire's Guide to Bargain Hunting in the Big Apple: The Best Deals on the Best Stuff.

1. This is a great guide for finding GREAT stuff. It contains some standard information about sample sales, Opera tickets and hair salons. What sets this book apart is the information about finding and furnishing an apartment. The fabric and furniture suggestions are the best I've found in any shopping guide, plus these places do indeed exist AND so do the prices.

5 comments about It Happened in New York (It Happened In Series).

1. I have read articles by Fran Capo in the past and liked them so when I saw her name on this book I decided to give it a shot, even though I am not a history buff. I thought it was fantastic. Most books about history don't hold my interest. This book was easy to read, light, diverse and sprinkled with humor. It also shed light on many events that I thought I knew what happened. One of my favorite stories was about Captain Kidd. This story revealed many things about the old pirate that I would have never guessed. I read some of the stories to my daughter as well and they kept her interest and taught her history at the same time. The back of the book has a truck load of facts that could win some points in a good trivia game. The book was a fast read, entertaining and I highly recommend it to anyone who would like to know more about New York, or just wants to be amused by some pretty wild stories. Great!



2. Fran Capo's book told me things I had learned about in school, told them much better. Her work beats all the textbooks. She should write more books like this one.



3. For those of you looking for a good story, you won't find it here. You will find MANY stories. All of them very good. For lovers of history this is a must book. It is very factual and unlike most factual books, it is enjoyable reading also. Ms. Capo has a way of telling history and making it fun. And it told me many things that happened in history that I didn't know about. Where can you go wrong? This is a keeper book for anyone who enjoys reading. And for anyone who enjoys history. This is not a book you will want to trade in at a used book store. This is one you will want to keep on your bookshelf forever. Do yourself a favor and go out and buy it today. I did.



4. I've been reading Frank Borzellieri's work for several years and his writing is outstanding. His other book "The Unspoken Truth" was a political treatise. I'm so happy he wrote a quasi-history book like this. The stories in "It Happened in New York" are fascinating. The Blackout of 1977 was chilling and frightening. The Cardiff Giant Hoax was humorous. Willie Sutton robbing a bank; Niagara Falls drying up. Fantastic! Plus, I never knew that there were witch trials in New York. I thought they were all in Salem, MA. This book is terrificly entertaining and at the same time informative. These events are treasures, as is this book. Great job again, Frank!



5. This book is a wonderful excursion into the sometimes wacky history of New York City! I lived here all my life and their were many things I did not know about which I learned while reading this fantastic book. It's a roller coaster ride of the most unususl, yet true stories that must be told! It.s a great book for anyone, but if you live in NY, You NEED this book...

1 comments about Walking Manhattan's Rim: The Great Saunter.

1. I logged in to Amazon to see what this author had to offer after reading about him and his walking group in the NEW YORK TIMES, 8.28.2005. Sorry I have not yet read this yet but, I think it will give insite into what is to come from this author, I hope. Anyway the group sounds like interesting nature studies abound, giving a sense of a wonderful feature of New York City and surroundings that I had never thought of. I wish I was there to join. The telling of this adventure will have to suffice.