5 comments about The Neighborhoods of Brooklyn (Neighborhoods of New York City).

1. One of the most accurate portrayals of Brooklyn ever. Accurate neighborhood borders and fantastic descriptions. I was especially fond of Professor John Manbeck's historic "time line" added to this book. Well worth the price!



2. Under the guidance of Professor John Manbeck and using the resources of the Citizens Committee for New York City, THE NEIGHBORHOODS OF BROOKLYN is a survey of Brooklyn that is as colorful and diverse as the borough itself. Examining the nearly 100 neighborhoods of Brooklyn, each section is part history, part tour, part reference. (It even tells you how to get there by mass transit! It even tells you the local police precinct!) Maps of each neighborhood are great for walking tours you can take on your own. And the abundant illustrations really put a face on everything. One time Brooklyn resident, Columbia University Professor Kenneth Jackson, provides the introduction which is both appropriate and enjoyable.



3. As a couple of other reviewers, I was disappointed in the lack of information about the neighborhoods in the 50s and 60s, when I grew up in East Flatbush. Even still, it is fascinating to learn of the full history of each neighborhood. How and when the original Dutch settlers bought the various sections from the Canarsee and Rockaway Native Americans. It is also interesting to learn of the fates of the various neighborhoods and their changing ethnic faces. I ALSO recommend the book "It Happened In Brooklyn: An Oral History Of Growing Up In The Borough In The 1940s, 1950s, And 1960s." The two books are VERY different. While this book is also light on the 50s and 60s, it brings back wonderful memories of Coney Island. It is actually a compilation of anecdotal memories from many people who grew up in Brooklyn, some of whom are world famous for various reasons!



4. This book gave a great overview of the neighborhoods in Brooklyn. However, if you are someone who is not at all familiar with Brooklyn you might be better off using this book in conjunction with other resources.



5. Listen, I was born and bred in Brooklyn, and lived there most of my adult life, though I've voluntarily exiled myself to the southland, just had enough of winter. But when I was given "The Neighborhoods of Brooklyn" as a sort of goodbye and look what you'll be missing book, I was kind of skeptical. How could anyone else know Brooklyn as well as I did?
   
   Brooklyn, of course, is a big and important place. If it were considered on its own, it'd be one of the largest cities in America, and a remarkably high percentage of Americans trace their families back through Brooklyn.
   
   As the authors write in the preface,"Why begin with Brooklyn? Because everyone, everywhere has heard of Brooklyn...Brooklyn is one of the best-known place names in the United States. In addition, it is one of the city's oldest settlements: many of its neighborhoods date back to before the beginning of our nation. Indeed, Brooklyn was present at the creation of the nation, the site of the Revolutionary War's Battle of Brooklyn. And for millions of immigrants it was--and is--their first home in America. If we are a nation of immigrants, Brooklyn, which boasts residents of 200 nationalities, is America's quintessential home town."
   
   So it ain't just about the Dodgers leaving town in the mid-50's, though believe me, I was there at the time, and it was quite a blow.
   
   At any rate, the writers of this book have obviously done a lot of first hand research. They have learned a lot about Brooklyn's neighborhoods, and transmit their knowledge in a highly readable fashion. There are also a lot of interesting photographs: their photo editor is really one of the book's unsung heroes. But I do wish they'd splurged on color, although that might, perhaps, have made the book too expensive for most people.
   
   This book will interest many sorts of people, those who've never lived in Brooklyn, those who are contemplating living in Brooklyn, those who have just moved there, and those who have left the place.
   
   That being said, I won't miss winter at all, but boy, I still miss the Dodgers.

5 comments about Erotic New York: The Best Sex in The City.

1. If you wanna know what's hot and what's not in the Big Apple, this is the book for you. Whether you're just looking for a night out with the girls (or boys), curious about a sexual subculture, or a committed decadent who's just moved to town, "Erotic New York" is in-depth, insightful, knee-slappingly funny, and supremely helpful.



2. There are lots of books claiming the mantle of sexy style, but this one actually delivers. Unlike some of the imitators, this is the 2nd edition of the original book that uncovered New York's sexiest spots. This one packs even more sultry ideas into a book you can slip in your pocket, or anywhere else your imagination desires. It's a fun read, well-written, and will supply you with ample ideas to heat up your summer in the Big Apple...



3. I got this book as a gift from my co-workers for my birthday...cover is cheesey, but, the reviews are pretty open-minded (ie, a dork like me can understand it all and the writers don't talk down to you). I learned about a lot of cool/scary stuff that goes on every day in my neighborhood... like the cake store that makes cakes in the shape in penises...



4. This latest installment of Erotic New York is large enough to include the exciting skinny on all the sexy places you've always heard about but never gotten up the nerve to check out; and small enough to stick in your back pocket. I like to keep in close by when I go out. My friends and I have been referring to it mid-evening, closing our eyes and randomly selecting our next venue...a fun game when you employ the "no turning back" rule!

   This book is fun to read and dare I say educational.




5. -I should know, I wrote for it.

   Trust me, this is the most comprehensive and in-the-know guide to New York City's not-so-underground sexual nightlife. From stupid frat boy thrills and overpriced beer at Coyote Ugly to the dungeons where only the hardcore scary people go, you'll find what you're looking for between these sparkly pink vovers. A few of the places have closed down, and few have moved, and a few new ones have opened up, so maybe we can write a sequel...

No comments about Rand McNally Easy to Fold! Long Island Highways, New York.

No comments about Outdoor Escapes New York City.

No comments about The New York City Audubon Society Guide to Finding Birds in the Metropolitan Area (Comstock Book).

2 comments about New York City.

1. This book of postcards contains 21 high quality postcards with beautiful panaromas from around the city. My favorite is the Columbia University postcard, which portrays my future college :)

   Highly recommended!




2. I ordered this book of 21 NY postcards thinking that it was exactly the same as one that I already have from Browntrout. The images in the one I have are stunning, and I wanted to offer it as a gift. (I thought the postcards sold by Amazon were the same because the cover image shown on the site matches exactly the cover of the book of 30 postcards). What I received was completely different -- different cover, poorer quality postcards, overall a huge let-down. Don't buy this product -- make sure what you see is what you get.

2 comments about Snowshoeing Through Sewers: Adventures in New York City, New Jersey, and Philadelphia.

1. I gotta give the author some credit for participating in activities than millions of Americans do every day - canoeing, biking, hiking, etc. However, very, very few Americans do this along overdeveloped NJ highways or in urban drainage ditches that were once bucolic streams, so I give Mr. Rockland many bonus points for originality.

   Rockland has a sharp, entertaining writing style that held my interest throught this book, and this collection of stories was a great complement to Looking for America on the NJ Turnpike, his first work.




2. I was assigned this book back in 1998 when I took Prof Rockland's Urban Adventure course at Rutgers University one summer. I always got very nervous when the professor assigned a book that (s)he wrote. Was I pleasantly surprised! I was inspired, I was in awe of the adventures.
   
   I recommend this book to anyone who wants to get insprired to take an urban adventure - just walk out your door, and explore your hometown, see what you discover!

4 comments about Greenwich Village, Including The East Village and Soho: A Primo Guide to Shopping, Eating, and Making Merry in True Bohemia.

1. Some really great excepts of this book can be found at www.Greenwich-Village.Co



2. I went to greenwich village last month and I spent a week in the village. I picked up this book to guide my adventures and I was so glad that I did.



3. This is a terrific book, informative and there is a fantastic section which includes Robert Heide's personal memories from his days in the Village and with Andy Warhol. I live in the Village and after reading it my own vista has been enlarged. I strongly recommend it to everyone!



4. I bought this book because my Great Uncle "Ian Orlando Macbeth" was mentioned and a picture of him was inside. He was a Greenwich Village Artist who painted murals throughout the Village's restaurants and was in private art exhibits. He also painted many of the blacklight posters we all knew and loved in the 1960's and 70's.
   
   The book shows lots of photos and stories of the characters who strolled the streets and made Greenwich Village what we all know and love of the place. Good read.

1 comments about Take a Paddle: Finger Lakes New York Quiet Water for Canoes & Kayaks (Take a Paddle).

1. As soon as I got a kayak this summer, I bought both this book and the "Take a Paddle" for western New York. This region is a great place to put a little boat in the water--with lakes of all sizes, from little kettleholes to the Great Lakes, plus streams, and rivers, and the Erie canal. It really helps to have a guide to tell you where you can put in and take out, the difficulty of a route, how to get there and where to park.
   These books are well designed and easy to use. I've tried out several routes and found the information very useful. Can hardly wait to get out and try more paddles next spring.

No comments about Staten Island, N.Y. Pocket Map.