The only reference book of its kind offers a wealth of entertaining facts about New York from prehistory to the present, containing more than four thousand entries on a wide range of topics, along with hundreds of illustrations and maps. UP.
New York Through the Centuries
This major anthology brings together the best literary writing about New York--from O. Henry, Theodore Dreiser, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and John Steinbeck to Paul Auster and James Baldwin
"The freer we are … the stronger we are," writes David Halberstam in this probing compilation of original essays which distill the essence of America, an evergreen subject rendered even more timely by recent world events that highlight cultural clashes and prompt us not just to reconsider foreign attitudes and aspirations but to think anew about our own.Each chapter explores fundamental qualities, concepts and accomplishments that shape the American the sheer size of our country; the legendary events of our history; the heroes, villains, and icons of our national mythology; our enduring dream of a meritocratic society; and the unmistakable spirit that defines us both to ourselves and the rest of the world. Halberstam's keen observations introduce richly varied contributions by distinguished and eloquent commentators like Russell Baker, Ben Bradlee, James Fallows, Cynthia Gorney, Vartan Gregorian, and Janet Maslin, among others, who consider everything from Manifest Destiny to the McCarthy hearings and from Paul Revere's midnight gallop to John Wayne's classic cowboy riding tall through the American Century. Inspiring, enlightening, and enhanced by more than 300 photographs and illustrations, this wide-ranging collection provides thought-provoking, often surprising insights into how today's America took shape, who we are as a nation now, and where our country is headed.From the Trade Paperback edition.
Brooklyn -- famed for its bridge, its long-departed Dodgers, its Botanic Garden, and its accent -- is the most populous borough in New York City and arguably the most colorful. Generously illustrated with both historical and contemporary photographs, this book is an indispensable and entertaining guide, taking us on a tour of some 90 neighborhoods (including ghost neighborhoods that no longer exist) and identifying the boundaries of each one through a neighborhood profile and a street map. This book promises to be an essential resource for past, present, and future residents. This book is a joint publication of the Citizens Committee for New York City and Yale University Press.