1 comments about Frommer's New York City Day by Day (Frommer's Day by Day).

1. This was the perfect book for our first trip to NYC. The subway lines were accurate and easy to use. The fold out maps were perfect! All of the attractions are here with key tips, directions, and insider info. Follow the mapped out walking tours and you'll definitely see The New York that you imagined. The hotel info was okay, but more accurate info is available online. We'll definitely use our book again for the next trip to New York. Overall, this is a well thought book, and the perfect size to fit in your purse.

3 comments about City Lights: Stories About New York.

1. It's the Sunday before Christmas. First thing this morning, pre-coffee, pre-bowel movement/ablutions, pre-church, I went into the front yard to retrieve my copy of the New York Times. I knew the pages would be filled with column after column of depressing dispatches from Darfur, Wichita, Whereveristan, mass homicide, sub-prime scandal, suicide bombing, official doublespeak about why torture is a crime except when practiced by CIA/Blackwater, the inexhaustible ineptitude/fathomless arrogance of the Bush administration, and opposing platitudes/feckless fulminations by Frank Rich.
   God's mercy on us all.
   I didn't rescue the Times from pelting rain and soot-ridden snow, however, in order to batter my wounded/aged soul with the alarming/ deteriorating condition/direction of our country/world. My intent was to turn immediately to Dan Barry's latest report from the homeland/ hinterland and to see what redeeming/enlightening observations had come from the pen/laptop/PC of the single-most powerful, poetic, sublime columnist at work at this moment in these Disunited/Dispirited States. (And, caveat lector, Dan Barry is not to be confused with satirist Dave Barry.)
   I wasn't disappointed by what I read. One again, I was amazed. (I almost wrote "astounded," except that the end piece in the NYT Book Review of several months ago by Joe Quinlan--a satirist every bit as good as Dave Barry and a lot more savage--has rendered that word verboten by anyone attempting a review.) Here in the face of yet another merciless deadline, Dan Barry had managed to pinpoint a revealing angle on a familiar story (check it out for yourself, "A Place Just like Every Other Place. Only Not," 12/23/07) and produce a precisely chiseled, exquisitely faceted journalistic gem of finely cut reporting and lyrically evocative writing.
   My original introduction to Dan Barry's writing was in his "About New York" columns, a selection of which is reproduced in his newest book, CITY LIGHTS. Barry's predecessors in this spot included the newspaper equivalent of Gerhig/Ruth or Mantle/Maris (Yankee fans, take your pick)--the inimitable Meyer Berger and the nonpareil Francis X. Clines. Barry has not only matched their achievement but set a whole new standard, producing column after column that exposes/celebrates/ investigates/ mourns/explores the incessant/inexhaustible tragedy/comedy/ soap opera/ burlesque/masque that unfolds in New York each and every day.
   I'm sure that I read every single column in CITY LIGHTS when it first appeared in the Times. But as I read and re-read this book, I'm astounded (sorry, Joe Quinlan) anew by how utterly fresh/invariably perceptive/carefully observed each and every article is. Years from now, this book will be taught in journalism schools (if such institutions still exist) and devoured by historians (if such a profession still exists) interested in what life was really like in New York during the first decade of the 21st century. Those who are neither collectors nor teachers nor historians will simply keep it by their bedsides, reading it over again, a story at a time, to remind themselves of the dignity/ intensity/complexity of life as lived by Gotham's extraordinary/ ordinary people.
   Attention book collectors: At some point, Dan Barry will be awarded the Pulitzer Prize--why he didn't get it for his reporting from New Orleans on the consequences on Katrina, eludes me--which will make this book especially valuable. Non-collectors also take notice. If you simply love great writing, buy this book. If you're fascinated by New York, buy this book. If you're bewitched/bothered/intrigued by the human condition, buy this book. And if none of the above categories applies, but you love to read anything by Alice McDermott, buy this book. Her introduction is worth the price of admission. CITY LIGHTS will endure as long as New York does.(And if journalism ain't your cup of tea but you want to imbibe THE BEST memoir to come out of suburban New York, get a copy of Barry's PULL ME UP.) Thank you, Dan Barry.



2. Whenever I read the NY Times over the past few years and became despairing of the state of the world and humanity, I always knew I could turn to Dan Barry to "pull me up." Barry's collection of columns are really prose poems, filled with soul and spirit of the Hidden New York City: cello playing bus drivers, workin' stiffs, everyday Janes and Joes, whose lives Barry illuminates with a style that is a pleasure to read again and again. These columns were my daily vitamins. Rereading them in this collection is truly a revelation that the spirit of the common people is what gives NY and America its uncommon soul. Buy this book. Then buy another and give it to a friend. Read it and feel renewed. It will "pull you up" too.



3. Dan Barry writes about New York as if it was a village. Its size is not as important as the individuals who live there, the people who inhabit it, make it the alive, vibrant and wonderfully alluring city it is.
   
   This is not about New York, the city. It is about the flesh and blood of the city, about the people and characters of the city, and it's hard to imagine a city anywhere that has more characters and color to write about than New York City. Dan Barry does a good job of capturing their individuality, their uniquenss and their inevitable ties and bonds to the city.
   
   Obviously, this review is written by an unabashed lover of NYC...and from Alabama, too.

1 comments about We're There! New York City.

1. I have yet to see my kids be so happy and content traveling.
   They had so much to do and were so engaged in what we were looking at. Buy one for each of your kids and let them see who can find what they need first.
   Traveling with my kids would not be the same without this book.
   Thanks to Elizabeth Skinner Grumbach for making my travels and my childrens travels easier and more fun.

4 comments about The World in a City: Traveling the Globe Through the Neighborhoods of the New New York.

1. Joe Berger's magnificent new book deserves to become another filament in the tapestry of the city he so eloquently and lovingly describes. He has a sixth sense about people, place and time that bring to life the essence of New York . He weaves history, sociology, politics and personal anecdotes into a seamless whole that illuminate the nooks and crannies of our great metropolis. In conclusion, this reader, for one, cannot wait for the opportunity to embark on the world tour lying outside his doorstep with "The World in a City" as my Baedeker!



2. Joseph Berger, who has delighted us for years with his articles in the NY Times and prevous books, delights us once again with a vivid and fascinating portrayal of life in the City (there is no other). The pictures of prayer services around the City is enthralling.Great book.



3. Manhattan, with its gleaming skyscrapers, shopping and entertainment, financial district, street-life, etc. etc. IS WONDERFUL. But there is still more to New York City, and that "more" is found in the ethnic neighborhoods of its other boroughs. And Joseph Berger, himself a first-generation American, brings many of these immigrant neighborhoods to life with chapters on each. There's Astoria, long known as a Greek-American stronghold which is changing as other groups move in, and East Harlem, now as much Mexican as Puerto Rican, and areas of The Bronx where emigres from Ghana now predominate. The city constantly changes, which makes it an always fascinating place, but one with which it is sometimes hard to keep up. Berger's book makes the task easier, providing a look at areas of the city that aren't, but should be, in the tourist guides. And, best of all, each chapter concludes with a list of things to see AND places to eat! Overall, an excellent book.



4. I happened upon this book and thought it would be a perfect one while I prepare for our trip to NYC this summer. I thought it would tell me many interesting neighborhoods to check out, as well as tell me some stories about the places - given his background as a journalist, I would not have assumed otherwise. Well, he's good at telling about neighborhoods, but their stories are all the same - old immigrants are replaced by new ones. Too many census statistics, too few interesting tales. Oh, and the map is very unsubstantial. I got a few ideas, but in general it was not as good as I thought it would be.

4 comments about New York: 365 Days.

1. A thick, 744 page book presenting the flavor of the world's premier city. Though the title suggests a visual year it is more a selection of photos arranged round themes: sports, travel, markets, the weather, construction, entertainment, civic events, personalities etc. Each gets a few pages with some images going back to the nineteenth century though most are from the thirties onward.
   
   I thought the selection was quite impressive, there is something for every New Yorker here. Some of the names of the fifty-one photographers in the index will be familiar to readers of the Times. Neal Bonenzi, Sam Falk, Vincent Laforet and Ernie Sisto get the largest showing. Two of Laforet's are particularly stunning: his night time Manhattan skyline from July four 2005 with the sky alight with fireworks and the amazing shot from January thirteen, 2001 looking down on two workman repairing a colored light at the top of the radio mast on the Empire State (I was always curious about this photo because neither of these guys are wearing hard hats). An unfortunate omission, perhaps, is any work by Weegee. He brilliantly captured the lives of the working class over the years but his photos only appeared in the down-market tabloids.
   
   The landscape format of the book works perfectly, the photos (with some in color) are either one to a page or one to a spread, and all have comprehensive captions. This is a fascinating book, dip into it anytime to remind you of the rhythm of the city.
   
   *I wonder if the publishers will do similar versions using the photo libraries of other great metro papers like the San Francisco 'Chronicle', Chicago 'Tribune' or the Washington 'Post'?
   



2. 
   Nice book, not very expensive, mixing old and news photographs of subjects
   about New York.
   A good journalistic panorama.



3. This is just an amazing collection of fascinating photographs from the archives of the New York Times. Gay Talese offers a brief introduction, but the stars of the production are the incredible photographs drawn from the turn of the 20th century to the present, one for each day of the year--with some in color. There is no table of contents; it is best to just start thumbing at random. Common topics are: personalities; buildings; neighborhoods; music performances; subways; bridges; contruction; weather; immigrants; sports; and politicians. Each picture is captioned and has a short write-up, often a brief excerpt from the NYT story where it originally appeared. Some fotos I found especially moving: returning World War I troops marching past the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1919; early shots of the lower East Side; LBJ and John Glenn in a tickertape parade; JFK visiting the city; plus a 15 page collage of sunsets, morning with fog, and sunrises. The common theme is people living and interacting in the city. Beautifully printed by Abrams, there is an index to the pictures and photographers. I can't think of another book that so artfully conveys the essence of NYC as completely as this inexpensive volume.



4. I gave this book to my sister because her dream is to go to New York and she was extremely happy with it.
   
   The book contains beautiful pictures from many different years (the book includes many black-and-white photos) and many different places and gives a very good overview of how fantastic New York is.
   
   I've never been in New York, but once I'll go there, maybe together with my sister?

5 comments about Downtown: My Manhattan.

1. Mr. Hamill takes on every bit of New York and discusses why he loves even the worst parts of it. He crafts a walk downtown thru the 1800's past buildings and men who shaped this city and produces a novel that inspires.



2. being an ex-NYer and having been changed forever by the years I lived there this book was a whirlwind tour through my favorite city. Pete Hamill knows his history and takes you through the history of buildings, people and the vibrant city that it's always been. Parsing bits of his own life with the life of the city it's like being on personal guided tour by one of NY's finest writers. My only problem was it was too short, I wanted to read more.



3. During Pete Hamill's lifetime, he has lived mostly in Manhattan which is usually the priciest and most expensive borough in the city. I live in New Jersey which is considered the poor sibling to the most exciting city in the world. Pete's right about writing about how much the twin towers' presence is missed alright. Where I live about thirty miles south of the city, you could have seen the twin towers. My grandfather's home was right across Manhattan where you could have seen the New York City skyline. He passed away before September 11, 2001. Every time I drive to Jersey City for school, I see the skyline without the twin towers and it's heartbreaking. It's just not the same without them there. Even though I didn't lose somebody I know, we all know people that did or survived the disaster with horrifying memories. Hamill's cynical but New York cynical, he writes about a city he loves so much, warts and all. Of course, most people just can't afford to live in New York City or they would not have moved away to the suburbs. People don't choose to run away from the city, they just have too because it's just expensive. Nobody unless you make six figures can afford to live decently in Manhattan or most of the five boroughs. The Village is not the same anymore since it has become so fashionable not just for gay couples but for straight couples with children. According to the times, the West Village has become family friendly. The East Village is following suit in becoming expensive and gentrified. It's all about money, who has it and doesn't that determines who gets to live there. Even Harlem has become gentrified like the rest of the city. Hamill doesn't talk much about the celebrity invasion that has determined who gets to live in the greatest city in the world. I love Manhattan! Would I live there? I don't know but it's got the best restaurants in the world, the best shopping, and the best sight-seeing of celebrities. In New York City, I feel so alive but it's still so expensive for the artists' population. Where do the artists like writers, artists, actors, and actresses go? The Village is no longer the place unless you're successful in your career. I wished the city well in the future and Hamill too. After September 11, 2001, there was a line in my church for confession which there never was or has been since. Many of the victims of 09-11-01 lived in New Jersey too. Commuters to New York City make up a lot of the foot traffic and business but they also contribute by spending the time to commute which can be difficult to do. If you want to see something in New York City, you should go to Penn or Grand Central Station and watch the commuters around rush hour. You'll see thousands of people waiting to find out which track their train is on and rush to get on board. I think of those stations as a place where I most likely run into people I know. New York City's great to visit, work, and even live if possible. I beg that the twin towers be rebuild but stronger because it's just not the same city anymore. I remember when I was in Warsaw where almost the entire city was destroyed about 90 percent I believe from World War II. After the war, the Poles rebuilt the city best as it was before the war and even added some Russian influence from the Soviet Communism. New York City should be rebuild those twin towers to make them stronger as well. There too busy concentrating on contracts and politics rather than remembering those lost their lives. If only, New Yorkers would stand up and demand the twin towers to be rebuilt and a memorial to honor those who were killed on that fateful day. By not rebuilding the twin towers, they are only cowering to the terrorists themselves.



4. My attraction to this book was unexpected. As I got into it I became helpless to stop reading.
   
   To reveal too much would be a kind of sin. You must read for yourself. You'll learn, you will chuckle, cry and, I promise, the historical facts will amaze you at times. The history of New York is the history of our country, and our known history goes back only so many years. Just looking at some of the buildings, the architecture, the streets, will bring old stories to life. As a native New Yorker, Pete Hamill has lived his life as journalist and reporter, soaking up the flavor and moods of the city. He has been editor in chief of the New York Post and the New York Daily News, as well as author of numerous books and many articles and stories for other distinguished publications.
   
   New York IS history - and I think New York is Pete Hamill - and the natives live with it as they breathe. Pete Hamill will surprise and delight you, sharing his life and style while gently informing.
   
   Coming to the end of this book is like having to say a reluctant goodby.



5. 
   Hamill's love for Downtown Manhattan is obvious. He speaks lovingly of "a city of daily irritations, occasional horrors, hourly tests of will and even courage, and huge dollops of pure beauty. He fills the book with tales of Peter Stuyvesant and John Jacob Astor, CBGB's and Delmonico's, but in the midst of this history, personal reminiscences are tossed in carelessly and this technique creates a schism in the narrative. It breaks the natural flow of his writing, which when on target create wonderful pictures of the Downtown that was. It's almost as if Hamill couldn't decide whether he was writing; history or memoir. I'm sure with careful consideration of approach this could have worked, but here style seems to be an afterthought, surprising for a newspaperman. Worth reading for his portraits of Old New York, but skip over the words when Hamill injects himself into the mix.

5 comments about The Traveler's Guide to the Hudson River Valley: From Saratoga Springs to New York City (Traveler's Guide to the Hudson River Valley) (Traveler's Guide to the Hudson River Valley).

1. I have used this book on many of my forages into the Hudson River region and I have always found its inspired commentary, accurate information and insightful observations make it the perfect book for exploring this region. I highly recommend this book for all who visit and seek more information about the Hudson River Valley.



2. We purchased this book for our INN guests who are interested in learning more about the interesting history of the Hudson Valley of NY. We have owned it for about 3 weeks and at least 5 guests have taken it overnight to read and each guest has returned it to us with very positive comments on the accuracy of the contents. We highly recommend this book for anyone who is going to visit the Hudson Valley of NY! Pat and Bill, Innkeepers



3. I read this lovely book for genealogical purposes. The migratory path of our family was from Westchester County in the 1600s to Schoharie County in the 1800s. There are a few towns mentioned here where our people had lived.
   The book begins in Albany going toward New York City. I read it backwards one chapter at a time to really make the trip in the same direction that our family went!
   Who knows if I will really take this trip? I collected travel brochures on France for a dozen years and then I really went three times. When I take this trip I am bringing this guide.



4. On the mark and very interesting. I want to make some trips to the Hudson Valley.



5. I met Tim Mulligan many years ago when living in the Hudson Valley and he signed one of his books for me. I've been to many places in the states/abroad in my travels, but the Mid-Hudson Valley is one of the most beautiful and life-affirming places I know of - and yes, I've been to Big Sur and Olympia Park.
   I wrote a little blurb on my blog at: [...]
   about a few places I inhabited while living there. Don't miss the Mohonk Mountain House (hike around the trails above the lodge), the old Catskill Mountain House site and overlook (gasp!), or Olana in Greenport area. That special light in the Catskill Mountains viewed from the other side of the Hudson River is awe-inspiring. Keep in mind that some of the food places Mr.Mulligan has referenced have closed, such as the Cafe Pongo in Tivoli. Oh! long gone are the magical Tivoli days rocking away on the old 1940's front porch glide rocker with a whole grain baguette filled with roasted vegetable, pesto and goat cheese with dogs and cats at your feet free to enter and exit the cafe with the owner supplied pet food and drink dishes scattered about with the smell of those wild flowers wafting on the warm breezes.

2 comments about Walking Brooklyn: 30 Tours Exploring Historical Legacies, Neighborhood Culture, Side Streets and Waterways.

1. I really enjoyed reading this attractive, well written guide and learned a great deal about Brooklyn. I'm looking forward to going for some walking tours and using this as a guide. Highly recommend to tourists and anyone interested in shedding a few pounds while walking through Brooklyn with this handy, informative, fun guide.



2. A friend turned me onto this book after attending a reading (and a mini-walk) by the author. I thought that I already knew Brooklyn, but -- boy! -- was I surprised! Who knew how much I was missing by not looking upwards (which the author, thankfully, reminds us to do constantly) or the history behind buildings that I constantly dismiss, passing them by without a second look and with hardly a thought? I've already done three of the walks and plan to do more in the fall when it's not so hot. They are easy to follow and make for a more interesting outing than the usual weekend social fare, such as dining, shopping and movies (lots of dining and shopping options are recommended in the book, too, though_ -- bars, as well). Also,the easy-to-read text is further enhanced by great photography that just jumps off the page. I plan to give copies of this book to friends as gifts. (My hard-to-buy-for boss will love this, I think.) For anyone who wants some excercise, fresh air and a leisurely day of looking and learning, this book is a must-have. I hope that the author plans to do other boroughs as well.

5 comments about New York City For Dummies (Dummies Travel).

1. This book was very helpful. I enjoyed the brief history of NYC and the simple easy descriptions of different sections of NYC.

   They have very good suggestions on Cabs, Subways, Buses, Eating, where to stay, suggested itineraries, etc. Loads and loads of contact information for museums and sights to see.

   Easy to follow index to look up anything you might want to do or need info on.




2. We loved this book! We especially liked the author's opinions. Our hotel was right on and so were the restaurants. We appreciated the fact that the author was opinionated.............who needs another book that simply lists all to see and do. We actually felt like real New Yorkers and not just tourists. Kudos Brian!



3. Make it this one if you are going to NY. I bought several books and this was the best laid out of all the books and it doesn't try to be a resource for ALL restaurants or ALL stores - it just gets to the best.
   
   I loved nearly every recommendation. The only one that I had a beef with was the "Kid friendly" rating of Mickey Mantles. Not sure how a small bowl of pasta for $10 and no sides is "kid friendly."



4. This is a terrible excuse for a guidebook. Its maps are blatantly incorrect: the subway map is a ballpark approximation, at best, and things in Central Park are not located where the map says they are, among others. Its attraction descriptions neglect crucial information about the details you actually need at the sites (the Empire State Building and Statue of Liberty in particular), and the restaurant descriptions do not show the complete picture. I don't throw out books I dislike, but this one is going straight to the recycling bin.



5. Great book if you've never been to New York before. I found it extemely helpful in planning our trip with lots of advice and "secret" things I would never have seen or planned on. Has a lot about prices, places and pitfalls. The only thing I would have liked to see was some information on travel from the ports.

5 comments about Not for Tourists 2008 Guide to Brooklyn (Not for Tourists Guidebook).

1. I was rather disappointed by this "guide"; it's simply a collection of names & addresses, a teeny bit of commentary, and a map printed on not-very-durable paper.

   I would suggest passing this "guide" by; get a copy of "The Neighborhoods of Brooklyn" for history & background, and a "Streetwise Brooklyn" map -- or just use Google.




2. This guide is....NOT FOR TOURISTS. There isn't supposed to be history or commentary. It's for those of us who live here who wonder if our bank is in this neighborhood, etc.



3. As a person that somewhat knows their way around Brooklyn and has recently moved there, I found this book to be grossly incomplete in content. I was expecting more, as far as the area that it covered. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the NFT Guides, they are usually a great resource for locals (please know that I also own a copy of NFT Guide to New York City, which I LOVE, and find extremely useful). As vast and expansive of an area that Brooklyn is, this book only covers a mere seven little neighborhoods along the west edges of Brooklyn (Greenpoint, Williamsburg, Brooklyn Heights/Downtown/DUMBO, Fort Greene, Cobble Hill/Boerum Hill/Carroll Gardens, Park Slope/Prospect Heights, and Bay Ridge). Unless you frequent one of those neighborhoods of Brooklyn, don't bother buying this book. As well put together as the NFT-NYC guide was, I expected this one to be just as information-packed; however, it failed miserably by giving info for only a few select areas of a borough that would be the 4th largest city in the U.S, if it stood alone as a city, and is home to some 2.5 million residents. Hopefully, NFT Guide-Brooklyn editors will think about the rest of us that live in the many other neighborhoods of Brooklyn when they come out with their 2nd edition.



4. While the alleged intent of this Guide is commendable, it only covers recently gentrified neighborhoods. Unfortunately for Brooklyn and for true Brooklynites, what is important to the onward and upward group of society is not a true measure of what this great borough is really about. The only good part of the book is the map; otherwise, a BIG disappointment!



5. After purchasing both the 2007 and 2008 editions of this book, I can definitely say that it is a good source about learning about the neighborhoods of Brooklyn and the borough as a whole. I docked this guide one star since it could do a better job correcting mistakes from edition to edition (although updates are made), and, like another reader said, there are more neighborhoods to cover, although this guide does cover a large chunk of the borough.