No comments about New York Revisited.

5 comments about The Other Islands of New York City: A History and Guide (Second Edition).

1. As a native New Yorker, I heard of many islands that occupied the waters that surrounded the five boroughs of the city. As I flew back into LaGuardia and JFK airports I even began to notice them from above. Obtaining information about these islands was very difficult, even from local libraries, and therefore when I found this book at a local bookstore, I was delighted that someone came up with the idea of publishing such a book.

   From Roosevelt Island to Cuban Ledge, the authors give a very thorough and well researched book on the many islands inhabiting the New York archipelago. Many islands which were once islands, but have long since been connected to the boroughs by artificial landfills are also covered here (e.g. Coney Island-Brooklyn, Hunter Island-Bronx, Battery Park area-Manhattan, etc..) are also covered here.

   If you live in the city or plan on visiting, please make sure to pick up a copy of this guide, and make sure to visit the many hidden treasures found in this city.It makes an excellent companion book while aboard a plane or even in the subway.




2. As a native New Yorker, I heard of many islands that occupied the waters that surround the five boroughs of the city. As I flew back into LaGuardia and JFK airports I even began to notice them from above. Obtaining information about these islands was very difficult, even from local libraries, and therefore when I found this book at a local bookstore, I was delighted that someone came up with the idea of publishing such a book.

   From Roosevelt Island to Cuban Ledge, the authors give a very thorough and well researched book on the many islands inhabiting the New York archipelago. Many islands which were once islands, but have long since been connected to the boroughs by artificial landfills are also covered here (e.g. Coney Island-Brooklyn, Hunter Island-Bronx, Battery Park area-Manhattan, etc..) are also covered here.

   If you live in the city or plan on visiting, please make sure to pick up a copy of this guide, and make sure to visit the many hidden treasures found in this city.It makes an excellent companion book while aboard a plane or even in the subway.




3. NOTE: This is not a review. We are the book's authors and are writing in response to the careless and misleading comments made by reviewer "erikbaard."

   "erikbaard" seems to think we should have written a narrowly focused book catering to his personal interest as a kayaker, describing such minutiae as seagull eggs. But our book is intended as a history and guide book, an approach we believed would entertain, intrigue and inform a far broader audience. So while we did detail the natural beauty-from the garnet and feldspar on Twin Islands to the towering hickory trees of Hunter Island--we gave far greater focus to the tales of colorful people (Nellie Bly and Mae West) and momentous events (the General Slocum fire and the building of the Statue of Liberty) as well as the marvelous attractions that those islands accessible to the public hold.

   "erikbaard" also attacks us for a "self-congratulatory" tone because we dubbed a handful of islands as being "forgotten." How can they be forgotten, he asks, if he and other kayakers know of them. While kayaking is growing in popularity in New York, it's a safe bet that a small percentage of the 7 million New Yorkers are out there paddling. And having spoken with thousands of New Yorkers about the islands since this book was first published in 1996 we are equally certain that the vast majority of people coming to this book know little or nothing about most of these islands, even those that we didn't call "Forgotten"-islands like North Brother Island or Swinburne Island. We are not self-congratulatory, simply enthusiastic about sharing all we learned in our research.
   (But "Erikbaard" is quite self-congratulatory, and mistakenly so. He boasts several times about visiting these islands in his kayak. However, many of these islands-including Swinburne Island, which he mentions-are part of the Harbor Heron Project and if he visits without permission he may be doing irreversible damage to an important bird refuge through his adventurism.)

   In addition, he implies that we didn't visit the islands and instead relied on interviews with historians. He also criticizes our tone toward working class residents as condescending. We did visit the islands-we even watched them bury the dead in the Potter's Field on Hart Island and Sharon went into the jails at Rikers Island-and did several years worth of historical research but we also talked to ordinary citizens, residents of the islands or people whose lives were touched by them, like Adella Wotherspoon, the last survivor of the General Slocum disaster. And if you ask them-as we have-- they will say not that the tone is condescending but that we accurately captured life on their islands in a way that few other journalists ever have.

   The reviewer also condemns us as squeamish and too liberal because we didn't mention islets-barely more than rocks, actually-that had the word Negro in them. In point of fact, those islets don't exist anymore and we make passing mention of just five of the many such islets that once existed there, picking just a few of the most colorful names like "Bald Headed Billy" and "Bread and Cheese." It seems that "erikbaard" brings this point up solely to glorify a short article he once wrote and to relive his glory days when he got to interview a city parks commissioner.

   Then comes a blatant inaccuracy when the reviewer accuses us of ignoring Native Americans. In fact, they are mentioned throughout the book, where appropriate-however, the reality is that they rarely lived on these islands and used them only occasionally so there is minimal recorded history related to them. If he was not so intent on trashing our book, however, he would have noted our chapter on Bergen and Mill Islands that delves into the Canarsie Indians, the wampum they produced and how they defended themselves from the Mohawks and later traded with the settlers.

   All in all, we were quite dismayed by the combative approach of this reviewer. If you are interested in a book on kayaking around New York, then maybe he will write one for you. In the meantime, if you want stories about Typhoid Mary, the invention of the hot dog at Coney Island, the inspiring presence of herons and egrets in New York, and the development of the tight-knit community of Broad Channel, then we hope you take some time to explore "The Other Islands of New York City."




4. fast, great



5. Whenever we take guests on a cruise around NYC I am the designated tour guide who points out all the sights. People are always amazed by all the little known stories about the history of the city as viewed from the water that I can relate to them. Many of them I gleaned from this wonderful book. After you read this book, a ferry or circle line ride will be a totally new experience.

1 comments about Cafe Life New York: An Insider's Guide to the City's Neighborhood Cafes (Cafe Life).

1. Coffee houses have been apart of New York for over three hundred years, with the first opening up in the seventeenth century - 1696. "Cafe Life New York: An Insider's Guide to the City's Neighborhood Cafes" is a guide to one undeniable fact of New York life- New Yorkers love their coffee. A mix of history and guidebook information with a touch of author Sandy Miller's own opinion and personal stories, "Cafe Life New York: An Insider's Guide to City Neighborhood Cafes" covers the best of the best of the coffee houses of New York. Beautiful color photographs throughout adding a grand and excellent descriptive touch, "Cafe Life New York: An Insider's Guide to City Neighborhood Cafes" is highly recommended to coffee lovers and armchair travelers alike - and especially for coffee lovers thinking of visiting the Big Apple.

2 comments about Fodor's New York City 2008 (Fodor's Gold Guides).

1. Great book to buy & read before going & planning your trip to NYC. It's something every 1st timer should have.



2. I found this guide slightly cumbersome due to the breadth of information, but what can you expect when covering such a vastly rich expanse such as New York City? I enjoyed the pictorial nuances and especially the "Word of Mouth" section that includes what you might expect: thoughts, recommendations & suggestions from native New Yorkers. These tid-bits are included in various parts of the guide--I thought this was an exceptionally informative touch. The introduction is well written, especially the suggestion on seeing the sights on foot.
   
   As a side note: I have visited New York on many occasions but had never invested in a guide. I would certainly recommend the Fodor's over perhaps Frommer's, but would also caution those to purchase a secondary guide as well. There are a couple of wonderful publications around the superficial premise of "secrets" of New York--these are actually helpful and insightful guides. I'd also recommend: The Best Things to do in New York: 1001 Ideas.

5 comments about The Mythic City: Photographs of New York by Samuel H. Gottscho, 1925-1940.

1. I thought it was very apt to use the word mythic in the title of this wonderful book. Surely Samuel Gottscho as much as anyone helped to create the popular visual concept of the dynamic American metropolis, a city of towers by day and a kaleidoscope of dazzling light by night, his work must have especially influenced creative folk from comic book artists to Hollywood art directors, the graphic city image is straight out of his photos.
   
   Apart from the short intro essay the book is basically photos, divided into several sections and covering, for instance, bridges, Times Square, business, commercial and residential areas of Manhattan plus a few photos of the 1939 New York World's Fair. It is with the night photos where Gottscho really excelled. To achieve his luminous effect he took two exposures, one at dusk to define the building shapes and another some hours later to capture all the blazing window lights. I think these photos plus the ones of Times Square at night look quite stunning.
   
   Another reason I like the book is the coverage of streamline design that keeps on appearing in many of the photos, not just the skyscrapers but interiors of retail units, Radio City, some of the apartment interiors and obviously the '39 World's Fair.
   
   The book is well printed and designed and the paper makes the photos sparkle with their 200 dpi screen. The captions are basically the location, date and architect though frequently there is more detail provided where necessary. Overall I thought this was a fascinating photobook of what New York looked like in the recent past.
   
   ***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.



2. This book was a total waste of money and time. Boring, repetitive and uninspired photos taken years ago by an architectural photographer for his clients and I have no idea why someone thought this worthy of publication.
   
   I'm planning on returning it.



3. My husband and I used this beautiful book as a guestbook at our wedding.
   We met and fell in love in New York City. Now that we live abroad, we miss the place tremendously. The photos in the book are gorgeous and capture our love for the City. Our guests were very creative in using the book's format to write their wishes for us. I highly recommend this book if you love NYC!



4. A friend of mine travelled to NYC not long ago and fell in love with this city. So my idea was to find a beautiful album about NY as a birthday present, but I didn't want to buy anything with average photographs of skyscrapers that repeat from one calendar to another.
   Thanks to the snapshots provided to this book review I felt that it should have a personal touch and wouldn't be boring. It turned out to be true! now I'm thinking about ordering another one for myself.



5. Samuel Gottscho's wonderful photographs combine an architect's eye with the mood of an Edward Hopper painting. Cool but never cold, these photos are simply beautiful. The noir-flavored night shots are among the finest, with the chiaroscuro of a John Alton film. Gottscho had the luck to be living during one of New York's most photogenic periods, after most of the Art Deco classics had been built but before the postwar clutter of shoebox skyscrapers had set in.
   
   Technically, this collection is very well produced, with sharp, lustrous photos on high-quality paper. Highly recommended for any fan of vintage urban photographs.

4 comments about Living $mart - New York City: The Ultimate Insider's Guide for the Budget Savvy.

1. This book is great! It has everything from a chapter on finding apartments, to where to get cheap groceries! For New Yorkers, or Future New Yorkers, who aren't overloaded with cash, this is a book you can't afford to do without!



2. Living Smart: New York City: The Ultimate Insider's Guide for the Budget Savvy is a resource packed with tips, tricks, and techniques for living frugally in the big apple. From avoiding health insurance scams to discount internet service providers to stretching the dollar while shopping to partaking of high culture on a low disposable budget and more, Living Smart: New York City balances quality with economy. Written in a lighthearted, fun-filled tone, Living Smart: New York City is a quality of life advice guide that quite literally pays for itself.



3. It's okay, but based on some of the review by others I thought this book would have a better discription of neighborhoods & the advantages/disadvantages of living in them. Gave a good overview of how the rental market works, but is missing lots of the free fun stuff & advice given in some other books.



4. As a frequent travler to NYC,I have actually used this book and I have to say that the author really knows the city inside out(or East side-West side,sorry couldn't resist) A very good book for both visitors or people wanting to re-locate, I found quite a few of the things he listed to be accurate and even though the book was written a few years back,still relevant.Finally, He's refreshingly honest and funny as well. Have a nice trip!

2 comments about Hagstrom New York City 5 Borough Atlas (Hagstrom New York City Five Borough Atlas).

1. This comment is not only to say how well priced this easy to read map is- it is also to praise Amazon for their wonderful and fast customer service; the map arrived slightly damaged; customer service immediately sent a new one, without even waiting for the damaged one to be returned, for which we did not have to pay postage (which is only fair here!)
   " They" ( customer service) continue to be top notch in all aspects, which makes me a devoted Amazon customer.



2. This atlas replaced my 1989 atlas. The new atlas has maps which are clearer, and the book contains more information than the old edition. Both of these rate a plus. But the pages are printed on much thinner paper than the old edition. The book is spiral bound and the pages tear easily. Thinner paper means the book will wear out quickly, which is disappointing.

No comments about Hip Hotels: New York (Hip Hotels).

1 comments about Museums of New York City: A Guide for Residents and Visitors (Westholme Museum Guides).

1. This book will go with me in my purse at Christmastime in New York! A real must for artists.

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.