Product Description

• Hundreds of color photos

• Free pocket map inside,plus easy-to-read maps throughout

• Exact prices, directions, opening hours,and other practical information

• Candid reviews of hotels and restaurants,plus sights, shopping, and nightlife

• Itineraries, walking tours, and trip-planning ideas

• Insider tips from local expert authors

Product Description
Discover New York

Hunt down medieval armor and rare baseball cards in the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Pub-crawl like a local: leave Manhattan and head to Brooklyn’s hippest bars
Breathe in the salt air on a boat cruise around NYC’s cinematic skyline
Get outta town! Day-trip to the posh Hamptons or the picturesque

In This Guide:

Three local authors, 240 hours of research, 63 slices of pizza and 315 miles of subway rides
Get the low-down on the High Line, Hudson River Park and other urban transformations
New color section gives you insider picks for NYC’s arts and cultural offerings
Content updated daily – visit lonelyplanet.com/new-york-city for up-to-the-minute reviews, updates and traveler insights
... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

Great guide!!
The book is great,
I like that recommends places (of course!) but firstable it has a little of NY's history...
It helps you so much!
To lear more about the city that you interested

It's an okay guide, but I don't think you really need it
I've been to NYC several times for short trips, but on my most recent trip I was going for longer and I wanted to get the most out of my experience, so I decided to buy a guidebook.LP is normally my go-to company for guidebooks, and I've had particular luck with their city guides in particular.

I was underwhelmed by this guide though.Maybe it was because I wasn't a complete beginner in the city, or maybe it was that I had done some research online before I left home and I was traveling with an iPhone so I could always look things up on the go, but this book felt really basic to me.It doesn't really suggest many things too far off the beaten path, and I didn't think the walking tours were that good--you could get the same or better experience just by wandering around the different neighborhoods of this great city.The maps were hard to read or not detailed enough.Probably the most useful thing in the book were the listings for sites of interest that included the nearest subway stop, but NYC transit has started printing mini "This is Culture" maps that do the same thing for most of the tourist sites and museums in the city, with a listing of the sites on one side and a subway map on the back.The free guide folds to the size of a credit card, which is much easier to deal with on the crowded streets of New York than this fairly bulky book.

If you're totally new to New York or nervous about being in such a big city without a detailed guidebook, go for this guide.It has all of the things you would expect from Lonely Planet.If you're willing to take a few chances, just do some research on the internet before you leave home and save your money to spend in NYC.

Great book!
I just returned from my trip to NYC.This little book proved to be well worth the money.It was well organized and easy to use.I did a few of the suggested neighbourhood walks and they were great.I did not try any of the retaurant recommendations though, but in NYC there is so many food options they can only really scratch the surface in a book like this.I did check out several of the attractions and enjoyed all of them.Lonely Planet hits another one out of the park!

Lonely Planet - Useful, as always11
I've always used Lonely Planet travel guides in my travels. There's way more to NYC than a guidebook could ever cover but Lonely Planet did a great job as it always does. It's always good to know that I can trust LP to provide the basic information regarding how to get to/from the airport, transportation around the city as well as other information regarding sights and restaurants.

Good guide, but double-check the maps
I had to buy this book at the last minute, due to the fact that I wasn't contented with the format and information that New York (Eyewitness Travel Guides) had, which I borrowed from a friend. And I was fairly contented with the amount of information that LP has for this book. It has a detailed coverage of Manhattan and its neighborhoods, and it covers areas outside Manhattan more extensively than the other book.

The one complaint I have about this edition is that they do not double-check the maps. The map at p. 282 especially is at fault. For example, the Majestic Theater is at w 44th St. but the map lists it as somewhere in 41st St. Perhaps somebody forgot to proofread the maps this time. ... Read more

Product Description
Hailed as "extraordinarily learned" (New York Times), "blithe in spirit and unerring in vision," (New York Magazine), and the "definitive record of New York's architectural heritage" (Municipal Art Society), Norval White and Elliot Willensky's book is an essential reference for everyone with an interest in architecture and those who simply want to know more about New York City.
First published in 1968, the AIA Guide to New York City has long been the definitive guide to the city's architecture. Moving through all five boroughs, neighborhood by neighborhood, it offers the most complete overview of New York's significant places, past and present. The Fifth Edition continues to include places of historical importance--including extensive coverage of the World Trade Center site--while also taking full account of the construction boom of the past 10 years, a boom that has given rise to an unprecedented number of new buildings by such architects as Frank Gehry, Norman Foster, and Renzo Piano. All of the buildings included in the Fourth Edition have been revisited and re-photographed and much of the commentary has been re-written, and coverage of the outer boroughs--particularly Brooklyn--has been expanded.
Famed skyscrapers and historic landmarks are detailed, but so, too, are firehouses, parks, churches, parking garages, monuments, and bridges. Boasting more than 3000 new photographs, 100 enhanced maps, and thousands of short and spirited entries, the guide is arranged geographically by borough, with each borough divided into sectors and then into neighborhood. Extensive commentaries describe the character of the divisions.
Knowledgeable, playful, and beautifully illustrated, here is the ultimate guided tour of New York's architectural treasures.

Acclaim for earlier editions of the AIA Guide to New York City:

"An extraordinarily learned, personable exegesis of our metropolis. No other American or, for that matter, world city can boast so definitive a one-volume guide to its built environment."
-- Philip Lopate, New York Times

"Blithe in spirit and unerring in vision."
-- New York Magazine

"A definitive record of New York's architectural heritage... witty and helpful pocketful which serves as arbiter of architects, Baedeker for boulevardiers, catalog for the curious, primer for preservationists, and sourcebook to students. For all who seek to know of New York, it is here. No home should be without a copy."
-- Municipal Art Society

"There are two reasons the guide has entered the pantheon of New York books. One is its encyclopedic nature, and the other is its inimitable style--'smart, vivid, funny and opinionated' as the architectural historian Christopher Gray once summed it up in pithy W & W fashion."
-- Constance Rosenblum, New York Times

"A book for architectural gourmands and gastronomic gourmets."
-- The Village Voice ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Gone are the Walking Tour Maps
The delicious 3rd Edition had wonderful step by step Walking Tour Guide Maps of selectd areas decribed in the Guide.The highlighted places of interest along the way.This Fifth Edition makes narrative text references to these Walking Tour Guides, specifically naming each Tour,such as West Village "Walking Tour A, B, C, or D" but the actual maps are omitted from the this Edition.

To add insult to injury, the tours are different than the ones in the Third Edition. (I do not have the Fourth, so I do not know what the OUP did there.)

I think that the least that OUP should do would be to send the omitted Walking Tour maps to those that have bought and will be this Fifth Ed.

The problem overall is that notwithstanding the above, this is the only book of its kind and is indispensible to anyone with a serious interst in New York City.

A top pick for arts and New York history libraries alike!
The fifth updated edition of AIA Guide to New York City is a dual pick for both architecture and travel collections It covers each borough of New York City nearly block by block, providing a fine and detailed record of New York's architecture. It's both an encyclopedia and a visitor's documentation of New York's architectural wonders, pairing small black and white photos with addresses and histories. A top pick for arts and New York history libraries alike!

AIA guide to New York
I have purchased earlier editions of this book for many years and consider it an important part of my library.My husband and I both refer to it whenever we're interested in a particular part of the city.

A wonderfully descriptive, accurate guide to the Big Apple
What an amazing book!! Of course it is impressive for the sheer breadth of entries--like no other book on my shelf, thumbing through it feels like holding the entire city of New York in my hands. As a long-time resident of the city, as the years pass it becomes easy to overlook the marvels all around. This has been especially true of my current neighborhood, the Upper East Side, or, more specifically, Bed Pan Alley, as the NYT dubbed the far-east sixties for its abundance of medical facilities. Apparently a great place to have a heart attack and not much else. But the fifth edition of the AIA guide gives me a whole new appreciation for the architectural and design gems right outside our door--even including my local pharmacy's sign (no not the Duane Reade), which I've always loved! Great to have its importance verified by such a thoughtful expert as Mr. Leadon-- I happened to catch his interview on the Leonard Lopate show on NPR and was very impressed. I hope he writes a long-form narrative about New York one day, I thoroughly enjoyed the writing throughout and found the entries on my neighborhood to be right on the money. Highly recommended for locals and visitors alike.

For New Yorkers willing to look up and gawk
As a NYC resident of more than 25 years who has broken the spines of both the third and fourth editions of the AIA Guide to New York City, I think the latest edition is a must-have item for any New Yorker with an ounce of curiosity about the buildings and history of the five boroughs. During the decade since the last edition, the cityscape of NYC has been changing at a frenzied pace--at least until the housing bubble popped and the luxury condo boom crashed.This new edition revisits the old, updates the transformed, and point out the new in concise paragraphs of historical fact and pithy architectural criticism. I may not always agree with the authors' opinions but I do appreciate their dry, witty style. The fifth edition has also improved the quality of the maps and the photographs enormously, and I really enjoy the addition of the "necrology" sections--paeans to buildings that are no longer there.

New Yorkers--buy this book and look up! You'll never look at your city the same way. ... Read more

Product Description

Take memorable photos of the most popular attractions in the Big Apple!

Whether using a point-and-shoot or a high-end dSLR, this companion guide provides you with detailed information for taking amazing shots of one of one of the world's most photographed cities. Whether you aim to capture the regal Empire State Building, vibrant Times Square, historic Grand Central Station, massive Central Park, or one of New York City's many other landmarks, this portable resource goes where you go and walks you through valuable tips and techniques for taking the best shot possible.

You'll discover suggested locations for taking photos, recommended equipment, what camera settings to use, best times of day to photograph specific attractions, how to handle weather challenges, and more. In addition, beautiful images of New York City's most breathtaking attractions and recognizable landmarks serve to both inspire and assist you as you embark on an amazing photographic adventure!

• Elevates your photography skills to a new level with photography secrets from professional photographer and SmugMug COO, Andy Williams
• Presents clear, understandable tips and techniques that span all skill levels, using all types of digital cameras, from full-featured compact cameras to high end DSLRs
• Features New York City's main attractions in alphabetical order as well as thumb tabs on the pages so you can quickly and easily access the information you are looking for
• Shares detailed information and insight on critical topics, such as ideal locations to photograph from, the best time of day to shoot, camera equipment to have handy, weather conditions, and optimal camera settings to consider

Whether you're a local familiar with the territory or a visitor seeing the Big Apple for the first time, this handy guide will help you capture fantastic photos!Amazon.com Review

Take memorable photos of the most popular attractions in the Big Apple!

Whether using a point-and-shoot or a high-end dSLR, this companion guide provides you with detailed information for taking amazing shots of one of one of the world's most photographed cities. Whether you aim to capture the regal Empire State Building, vibrant Times Square, historic Grand Central Station, massive Central Park, or one of New York City's many other landmarks, this portable resource goes where you go and walks you through valuable tips and techniques for taking the best shot possible.

You'll discover suggested locations for taking photos, recommended equipment, what camera settings to use, best times of day to photograph specific attractions, how to handle weather challenges, and more. In addition, beautiful images of New York City's most breathtaking attractions and recognizable landmarks serve to both inspire and assist you as you embark on an amazing photographic adventure!

• Elevates your photography skills to a new level with photography secrets from professional photographer and SmugMug COO, Andy Williams
• Presents clear, understandable tips and techniques that span all skill levels, using all types of digital cameras, from full-featured compact cameras to high end DSLRs
• Features New York City's main attractions in alphabetical order as well as thumb tabs on the pages so you can quickly and easily access the information you are looking for
• Shares detailed information and insight on critical topics, such as ideal locations to photograph from, the best time of day to shoot, camera equipment to have handy, weather conditions, and optimal camera settings to consider

Whether you're a local familiar with the territory or a visitor seeing the Big Apple for the first time, this handy guide will help you capture fantastic photos!

Tips for Photographing New York City

Be Patient! New York City can sometimes feel like it is running on fast forward. Everyone is in a hurry and everything is always changing. When you see a shot, don't be tempted to move on immediately after you capture it. The scene will be completely different in a minute. The image of the Flatiron Building below required almost an hour of patience. I took many shots leading up to this one, capturing this shot with the foreground free of people, some NYC taxis for local feel and no other major distractions.

Plan and Be Prepared Have a plan and do some research. It will be the difference between good shots and great shots. Going out with a blank slate can be fabulous for street photography, but getting that postcard worthy shot of the city is going to take some prep work. Unless you are already familiar with New York City, bring a city and subway map or a guide who knows the area. Google Street View and Google Earth can be fantastic resources to explore the areas you are visiting. To prepare for the picture below, I used a reference to find the direction the sun would rise on this day and plotted it on Google Maps. I was able to arrive and set up my tripod within a few feet of where I ultimately took this shot in Liberty State Park. Arriving at 5AM, that was greatly preferable to running up and down the 1.5-mile long walkway to find the spot.

Top Five Must-Photograph Places in New York City

Empire State Building or Top of the Rock An obvious must-visit, the Empire State Building and Top of the Rock observatories provide fantastic views of the city from on high. Click here for a larger image

St. Patrick's Cathedral Right next door to Rockefeller Center, this Neo-Gothic-style cathedral is beautiful inside and out. Click here for a larger image

Statue of Liberty One of the most recognizable icons in New York City and the whole US, Lady Liberty can be photographed from Battery Park, Liberty Park, Brooklyn Bridge Park, the Staten Island Ferry, Ellis Island and of course from inside the statue herself. Click here for a larger image

Central Park A vast swath of nature in central Manhattan, Central Park contains many fantastic locations to photograph as well as 36 unique bridges. Click here for a larger image

Guggenheim Museum Of all the fantastic museums in the city, none are quite the work of art themselves as the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Guggenheim. Click here for a larger image

... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Wonderful Book!
The pictures taken in this book are amazing!The location suggestions in this book are spot on and the tips for taking the pictures are excellent!

An easy to use, thorough guide!
If you are looking for a handy guide to photographing NYC, or other urban areas, this is the book you want to pick up. it's a great book in that you can apply the principals and techniques to other urban areas closer to your own home or work area. It's cleanly laid out and helpful, with details to help you get the most out of your shots.
it will show you what lenses were used and how they were used, along with tips for different effects.
maps and points of interests fill the book, and is a very entertaining read.it is a must for any urban photographer.Definitely worth picking up!

Fasten your seat belts for amazing photography lessons!!!!
Photographing New York City by Jeremy Pollack is very outstanding!!!!This is not just another useless photography book in the market.Rather, it is full of wonderful insights and tricks on getting great photography.The presentation of the material is well organized and effective.I originally bought this book to practice photography using Mr. Pollack's techniques and advice in NYC before heading to Paris for a vacation later this year.I think anyone with an interest in tourist photography should get this book as the information is not only applicable to NYC but to other wonderful cities around the world.Thank you to Mr. Pollack for sharing his amazing knowledge with us.He is a master artist with the camera.This book is truly a special gift to anyone interested in photography.I will treasure this book for many years to come!(Hopefully, Mr. Pollack will teach live seminars/workshops someday).I am soooooo happy to purchase this book.

Better For the Visitor Than the NYer
IF you are a serious photographer (NOT someone who uses a pink point-and-shoot pocket camera or, even worse, a cellphone"camera") planning a visit to New York, this can be an excellent aid, as the authors have thought about every possible photo-worthy spot and offer both sample photos (with aperture/shutter-speed data for replicating those shots)and lots of tips for taking good photos in each of those places.

BUT the results probably will be "touristy" photos of iconic places...very nice for keeping memories and/or impressing family and friends. However, if you are seeking to create more "fine-art" photos rather than postcard imitations, then this book is less helpful, but NOT entirely useless. A creative type could visit the places recommended (one example, the southern end of Roosevelt Island, across the East River from the midtown Manhattan skyline) and, instead of replicating the photos in the book, use his/her photographer's eye to find some unusual angles/topics, etc.

One strong plus is that this book is definitely aware that most photogs are using DIGITAL cameras today. Too manyphotography books still marketed seem more film-centric/than digital.

Finally, for the typical NYC camera buff who "knows" that there is a Statue of Liberty and/or a bridge over to Brooklyn but has never really been to either, this book could just provide the motivation to get out, see more of this great city, and probably be inspired to take some really creative, non-touristy, shots.

Awesome pics
I am not a photographer, I bought the book because I love NYC and I wanted to learn more about the city. I love the maps that show where each picture was taken. The pictures are amazing. I have seen many of the scenes so many times, but the pictures capture a new view for me. For example, as many times as I have been to Central Park, I was still transported by the images. And the zoo pics - wow.These photographers have incredible patience. ... Read more

Product Description

• Over 200 full-color photos throughout

• Detailed itineraries, including a "Eating Tour" of some of New York's favorite foods
• Full-color maps, including a 2-page map of the Bronx Zoo
• Tips on gallery-hopping, finding the best inexpensive theater, and the best hotel (and dive) bars
• An in-depth chapter that goes from the sale of Manhattan to the Dutch through the city's 400^th birthday
• New York City abounds with new museums: from the Soho annex of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, to the funky New Museum; we'll bring you the latest on the new arrivals and major renovations
• Hotel rooms and meals in restaurants are cheaper? How the city is responding to hard times...by cutting prices, and where to look for new-found bargains.

Customer Reviews (31)

Frommer's New York City
Highly recommended. We are planning our first trip to NYC. I friend, who buys one every year for their annual trip, recommended the book. She had lent me hers and we loved it so much, we got our own so we could tag and highlight everything. What a great idea! Thank you.

more important when you get to the big apple
I just got back from new york city 3 days ago. Recived this guide about 4 weeks before I left and felt I had a handle on what to expect.Well it helped, but once you are in new york you feel how valuable this guide is. I live outside of chicago and thought I knew what a big city was. NEW YORK is another story all together. The book and enclosed map got a lot of use. This was well worth the investment.

Excellent guide to NYC
It's almost impossible to summarize a city like New York in only 486 pages.With this in mind, I think that this Frommer's guide does as well as any.I've owned 4 or 5 guides to NYC and this is the best one of the lot.I like the "Best of New York" section, and the sections on history and exploring the city are excellent.

I'm a stickler for good, easy to read maps, and these maps pass the test.There is a detachable folded map which for its size contains a lot of information clearly, but you'll need a different map for subway information.

I'm not clear on what the difference is in content between this guide and the Frommers "Gold Guides"-- dates and prices are the same but the Gold Guide has 50 more pages.

very helpful guide.
I am in New York City at the moment and have used the book all week.The map in the back is a tear-out and is sturdy enough to survive rainy days, and has kept me on track all week.The book is too large to carry all day, but we tear out the sections we need and it works well.

THE BOOK TO BUY IF YOU ARE GOING TO NY!!
can't say enough great things about this book, you will find all of the info you need and want! ... Read more

Product Description
Drawing on the same standards of accuracy as the acclaimed DK Eyewitness Travel Guides, each book in DK's Top 10 series uses evocative color photography, excellent cartography, and up-to-date travel content to create a reliable and useful pocket-sized travel guide.

Dozens of Top 10 lists provide vital information on each destination, as well as insider tips, from uncovering a city's most memorable sights to finding the best restaurants and hotels in each neighborhood. And to save you time and money, there's even a Top 10 list of Things to Avoid.

Each Top 10 contains a pull-out map and guide that includes fold-out maps of city metro systems, useful phone numbers, and 60 great ideas on how to spend your day. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Fantastic and Comprehensive
This book is handy for trip - light, comprehensive and sufficient for tour. Love it.

New York City (Eyewitness Travel Guides)
Great book with up-to-date information and pictures about NYC.Has relevant information about food, sights, accommodation, travel etc. Love the suggested walking tours. Generally speaking this range of travel books is good. I've used them before for other destinations, and that is why I bought this one about NYC.

Great guide for people who are visiting NYC
Buy this if you are visiting NYC! It gives you a great background and history of different places around the city. Great pictures!

New York City Eyewitness Travel Guide
Excellent travel guide for someone who is in love with New York City like myself. Very informative, with fantastic tips, to make you feel much more confident getting about this fantastic city. Also, thumbs up for the delivery and shipping service. Everything went OK, even sooner than expected :) Vesna

valuable reference
Eyewitness guides are the best. The area by area highlights and maps have never failed to exceed expectations. The restaurant suggestions and attraction suggestions are always good. ... Read more

Product Description
How much do you actually know about New York City? Did you know they tried to anchor Zeppelins at the top of the Empire State Building? Or that the high-rent district of Park Avenue was once so dangerous it was called "Death Avenue"? Lively and comprehensive, Inside the Apple brings to life New York's fascinating past.

This narrative history of New York City is the first to offer practical walking tour know-how. Fast-paced but thorough, its bite-size chapters each focus on an event, person, or place of historical significance. Rich in anecdotes and illustrations, it whisks readers from colonial New Amsterdam through Manhattan's past, right up to post-9/11 New York. The book also works as a historical walking-tour guide, with 14 self-guided tours, maps, and step-by-step directions. Easy to carry with you as you explore the city, Inside the Apple allows you to visit the site of every story it tells. This energetic, wide-ranging, and often humorous book covers New York's most important historical moments, but is always anchored in the city of today. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

Great for us history buffs!
Great, brief history to help us wander the streets.Would have liked to see more maps as I was reading, but I am still an info junkie and loved it!

Easily Digestible Snippets of Manhattan History
Excellent historical summary of Manhattan. The authors give you essential history behind the neighborhoods, street names, statues, and buildings that you're likely to encounter walking around NYC.

I found their accounts of 18th and 19th century historical events particularly valuable.

The walking tours at the end of the book are a bit confusing. The maps don't so much as guide you down particular streets as much as they show you key landmarks in a specific neighborhood (and then cite numerically back to portions in the book's primary text). Nevertheless, I'm going to New York in two weeks and fully plan to do both of the first tours centered in Lower Manhattan and the Financial District.

If the authors wish to improve this book, they could add a few more pictures, improve the walking tour maps, and add some additional post-1960's history. Otherwise, excellent book. I'm very happy that I pulled the trigger and bought this from Amazon.com.

Very cool find!
This is a great book for anyone moving to New York! I bought it for a friend who just got a new job and will be moving to New York. He's only visiting in the past but now as a new resident, this will be a great way for him to explore his new city.

Great Insight!
I didn't know what to expect when I purchased this book, but I was pleasantly surprised.It is a great insightful book on the history of New York through its buildings and monuments.I've been to many of these sights, passed them almost every day when I lived in NY, but I didn't really know the deep history behind them.You'll enjoy this book if you are interested in history and beauty!

Great as a History, Less as a Tour Guide
The book provides two pieces -- one is a historical accounting of Manhattan with some interesting anecdotes along the way and the other is a bunch of suggested self-guided tours.On the former, it succeeds quite nicely.I could have done without the later, but if you consider that a bonus, the book still works for me.In particular there are some interesting stories, corrections about common misconceptions and trivia about the people and places of Manhattan.

Also, I often deduct points from "New York City" guides of any sort that are really guides to Manhattan.In this case, the book follows the logical history of the city from a time when Manhattan had no peer boroughs.I would forgive this slight, but the authors try to incorporate a few things about Brooklyn, which is simply a distraction.Either cover everything or just Manhattan, but I hate lip service to the 'other' boroughs.

In summary, as a New Yorker, I value books about 'my' city that tell me things I did not know before.By providing historical tidbits from the point of view of tour guides, this provides some nice historical fodder that was new to me.I would certainly recommend it to City residents as well as visitors who want some flavor regarding NYC.

... Read more

Product Description
Fodor’s. For Choice Travel Experiences.

Fodor’s helps you unleash the possibilities of travel by providing the insightful tools you need to experience the trips you want. While you’re at the helm, Fodor’s offers the assurance of our expertise, the guarantee of selectivity, and the choice details that truly define a destination. It’s like having a friend in New York City!

•Fodor’s Family New York City with Kids is a new series combining the city's best experiences, restaurants, and hotels with the age-appropriate information, tips, and ideas you need the most when visiting New York with your family. Handpicked selections by local parents cover a variety of interests and tastes, so you make the choices for a perfect trip, every time.

•Plan your trip to New York City more easily than ever with key information at your fingertips: Detailed maps, age-appropriateness ranges, kids admission prices, family-friendly hotel amenities, and top five lists of the very best things to see and do in every neighborhood we cover.

•Where can you find the best ice-cream place in SoHo? The most worthy playground in Union Square? A public bathroom in the East Village? Our “Where Can I Find?” charts created by local parents give you the neighborhood-by-neighborhood inside scoop.

•See New York City in a different way with fun “Treasure Maps” showing you and your family the sometimes hard-to-find spots where famous movies were shot or where real history was made.

Visit Fodors.com for more ideas and information, travel deals, vacation planning tips, reviews and to exchange travel advice with other travelers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Reviews are spot-on!
I relied on this book for a hotel recommendation, which I booked six months ago for this past weekend.The hotel (Loews Regency) was exactly as described within the book.My four kids were comfortable, the staff was great, and we had a wonderful weekend; never before have we had such luck in finding a great place to stay!The descriptions of restaurants and places to visit were spot-on, too.
If you are traveling with children, this is the book about Manhattan for you!

Colleen Lanin, The Travel Mama
While some guidebooks seem to be written by someone on assignment, it is clear that the author of this book is passionate about New York and that she really knows the ins and outs of where to go, what to see, and where to eat with kids in the Big Apple. I especially like the "Bad Weather Plans" section that details fun indoor activities and the "If Your Kid Likes" section that tells you where to go if your child likes dinosaurs, princesses or techno gadgets, for example. For the various New York City neighborhoods, the book provides a quick at-a-glance listing of attractions and necessities, like fun stores for kids and even where to find public bathrooms with changing tables! The age guides for attractions are handy too - telling you, for example, that a visit to the Chrysler Building is best for ages 7+up.

Great Book
We were in NYC with our grand-daughter and referred to the book many times on things to do, places to go, etc. Well written and easy to follow. Great maps, etc. ... Read more

Product Description
2011 New York City Restaurants covers over 2,050 restaurants in all five boroughs. This handy guide contains Zagats trusted ratings and reviews for New York City restaurants based on the opinions of 38,000 avid diners like you. The trademark reviews and corresponding ratings for Food, Décor, Service and Cost are organized alphabetically in a user-friendly format. Use the indexes arranged by cuisine, neighborhood and special features, such as Winning Wine Lists, Celebrity Chef or Romantic Places to find the perfect restaurant for any occasion. ... Read more

Product Description
America’s #1 bestselling travel series

Written by more than 175 outspoken travelers around the globe, Frommer’s Complete Guides help travelers experience places the way locals do.

• More annually updated guides than any other series
• 16-page color section and foldout map in all annual guides
• Outspoken opinions, exact prices, and suggested itineraries
• Dozens of detailed maps in an easy-to-read, two-color design

Explore the city with a real New Yorker, who gives you inside tips on hotels, restaurants, attractions, and nightlife.

• The best places to eat, from vintage delis to pizza joints to power palaces.
• Off-the-beaten-path experiences and undiscovered gems, plus new takes on top attractions, and the latest news on the newest hotels, restaurants and hotspots in the City that Never Sleeps.
• The most frequently updated travel series on the market. Plus, online updates are available at Frommers.com so travelers don't have to worry about out-of-date information.
• Opinionated write-ups. No bland descriptions and lukewarm recommendations. Our expert writers are passionate about their destinations--tell it like it is in an engaging and helpful way.
• Exact prices listed for every establishment and activity--no other guides offer such detailed, candid reviews of hotels and restaurants. We include the very best, but also emphasize moderately priced choices for real people.
• All Complete guides offer user-friendly features including star ratings and special icons to point readers to great finds, excellent values, insider tips, best bets for kids, special moments, and overrated experiences.

Customer Reviews (14)

NY Book
Book was in excellent shape.Brand new!Pull out map still enclosed.Thanks!

Great value
This is a very inclusive guide. It has information on sights, restaurants, motels and much more. I liked that the author lists good choices of restaurants for any budget. I order this book used for just pennies and it was in perfect condition. I was so pleased with it for the price. It also includes various maps too. A great deal for the low price!

Fromer's New York City
This is the second review that I have done for this product.It arrived in a timely manner and in great shape.

a must if you visit New York City for the first time
I had this book to study for a couple of weeks before my first trip to NYC. It was invaluable. It gave information about how to get around on the subway, what to expect from a cab driver, information and ratings on many sites to visit, prices, hours of operation, phone numbers, and so much more. I took the book with me everywhere I went on the trip as a reference. The next city I visit, I will order a Frommer's book to plan the trip. It was a tremendous help.

NYC perfect
My brother had 2 weeks to kill in NYC!!!Frommer became his best friend.Very foreign visitor friendly!

... Read more

Product Description
This guide draws on the knowledge and familiarity of its resident author, naturally a New York expert. Highlights include the quintessential Village bookstore, vintage saloons, a cinematic tour of Brooklyn, a celebrity deli, and a Hasidic dairy bar above the city’s most famous diamond exchange. Also revealed are New York’s best-kept secrets, from a dockside fish restaurant where the famous rub elbows with fishermen, to the American Museum of Natural History as seen through the eyes of Holden Caulfield. Contributions from Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Michael Cunningham, neurologist Oliver Sacks, journalist Anna Quindlen, folksinger Pete Seeger, and dozens of other luminaries are also included. Beautiful comprehensive maps keyed to entries, a subtle "nonguidebook" look, and two ribbon markers make this a unique traveler's companion. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

The Best
I'm a true blue Southerner, always will be.But, as they say, "I love NY"!!!
After several dozen visits, I discovered this book and am happy to report it proves there is always something new around every corner of the most unique and exciting metropolis in the world.Makes you feel kind of smug, this book is the secret password, the all-access pass! Loved it.

Excellent but parts are outdated
I absolutely love this book-- I recently moved to NYC, and this book is by far the best at introducing me to the parts of the city that go beyond tourist-ville.

The only problem-- it was published in 2002, and it's high time for an updated version.I went out with the book today, and two of the places had new addresses and one had disappeared altogether.Yes, I should have confirmed ahead of time, but it was still annoying.

Still worth the buy-- just make sure you look up any establishments before making extra efforts to go there!

Once you've seen the Empire State, the Statue of Liberty, Times Square and all that...this is the guidebook you want
Almost every afternoon, as I go to collect the kid at school, I run into a foreign couple at the corner of Fifth Avenue and 94th Street. They have a guidebook in hand. And yet they are lost.

"Looking for the ICP?" I ask, meaning the Institute for Contemporary Photography.

They nod.

"It used to be here," I say. "Then a hedge-fund billionaire bought it and spent $50 million renovating it --- and adding a lead-lined room to protect against a chemical, biological, or dirty bomb attack. The ICP is now at 43rd and 6th Avenue."

They look glum --- they realize their guidebook is old and discredited, and the ICP is miles away --- so I tell them about the Frick Collection, a pleasant walk down 5th Avenue. "The most beautiful museum in the city," I say, "Turners. Vermeers. An interior fountain."

They look grateful, if still befuddled --- their guidebook didn't rave about the Frick --- and they dutifully head toward 70th Street. (They'll never get there. At 88th Street, the Guggenheim will seduce them. It always does.)

If they'd been carrying City Secrets: New York City, they'd know nothing about the ICP --- but they'd learn quite a lot about the Frick. They'd know you can see the entire collection in 30-45 minutes, or spend a lot more time with its pictures, atrium and fountains. They'd find praise from Agnes Gund, President of the Museum of Modern Art, and two painters. And they'd get an art historian's description of the "spiritual ecstasy" conveyed by Giovanni Bellini in his painting, Saint Francis in the Desert.

The City Secrets guides --- there are also ones for Books and Movies that make [...] seem positively lowbrow --- are created by a Manhattan architect named Robert Kahn. He knows a lot of smart people in the arts and media, and he leans on them for their best expertise. The rest: the most interesting guide to Manhattan since Hidden New York.

[Warning: "City Secrets: New York City" is not for first-time visitors to New York. If your itinerary is the Empire State, the Statue of Liberty, Times Square and Chinatown, a standard guidebook will do quite nicely. Buy a Zagat Restaurant Guide and a Metrocard, and you're set.]

Kahn's book is rich in lovely little facts that enhance a visit. Ellis Island, for example. As you enter, you must climb a flight of stairs. That was by design --- as a museum architect explains, immigrants who had trouble making that ascent were immediately led off to doctors for further investigation. Anna Quindlen recommends the Peking Duck House, where you can order the specialty without calling in advance; another suggests the Bridge Café, a charming old haunt of mine. A film producer urges you to ignore "a particularly American species, Frat Boy," who thinks he owns the Corner Bistro --- press beyond those tables and settle in for a great burger, fries and a beer. [You'll even learn about that great Village restaurant, Chumley's, which has no sign. Sadly, it's closed.]

Kate Spade needs 300 words to praise Bemelmans Bar sufficiently. The Metropolitan Museum of Art fills 16 pages --- I was happy to see that there's a full page about a small, magic room called the Gubbio Studiolo. The good news: These 550 pages make time for the hawks in Central Park and Nathan's hot dogs.

You don't have to come to New York to learn from "City Secrets: New York City" --- it's equally enjoyable as a glorious armchair travel guide. And, with a fast Internet connection, you can drop in at most of the destinations. Seen that way, this is a colossal bargain.

Great sourcebook for Manhattan
Even if you know the city, this book is an excellent addition to a guidebook collection.Lots of "insider" views, with good backstories for the places.Every time I open it, find a new place to check out, and not a dud so far.Good size and nice printing to boot

best kept secret
I have an armload of NYC guides and this one is a delight to read. It is a love affair with the big apple and a great addition to a standard get around the city type book ... Read more

Product Description
A completely revised new edition of Clara Hemphill's New York City's Best Public Middle Schools.

Reflecting recent changes brought about by Mayor Michael Bloomberg's reorganization of New York City's public school system, this Third Edition features all new reviews of 74 of the city's best public middle schools. Providing everything parents need to know in choosing a middle school that is just right for their child, New York City's Best Public Middle Schools: A Parents Guide features interviews with teachers, parents, and students to uncover the inside scoop on schools including atmosphere, homework, student stress, competition among students, the quality of teachers, gender issues, the condition of the building, and more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Good Resource, But Not Enough By Itself
This is a good resource to add information to help you navigate the labyrinth of the NYC public school Middle School process.It seems as if the career bureaucrats at the DOE purposely make the process as confusing and annoying as possible. As far as getting through that system, this book offers little of value.Instead, it offers good details on the various schools which will complement what you find online. Some of the detail in this book is what I would call "scuttlebutt" but it is valuable information nonetheless.

The organization of the book is fairly logical- by borough and by school.Some of the discussion on Middle Schools in general is quite valuable.The price is high, but to be expected for a book of this type with a very narrow readership.The bulk of school research is best done on the web, but this book fills in a lot of holes in that research.Well worth the price.

Smart City Kids NYC Educational Advisory Services
Smart City Kids NYC Educational Advisory service has served the New York City area exclusively longer than any other Advisory Company in NYC.We are The company that schools, non-profit organizations, corporations, and agencies that serve children and families go to in order to get in depth advice on Nursery -12th Grade admissions. Our educational advisors are former Admissions Directors, Nursery School Directors, Placement Directors and Clara Hemphill has served on a few workshops with our company for several years.Her guide is the first and currently the only available book resource that gives insights, opinions and ratings on New York City Public Schools.We highly recommend this very useful tool as a first step to understanding the very complicated world of Public School Admissions.

Valuable Resource
In this time and age when selecting a middle school can be very complicated this book is a godsend. Ms. Hemphill is very knowledgeable and is quite on point with her views and reviews. Totally trust her advice.

Great book but needs a little more update
If you brought one already, don't buy the following year, I noticed majority of it was just reprinted.They really need to go back and review the schools because some phone number and information of the school has changed.

She Knows How to Evaluate Schools
You simply don't have time to go around to all the schools your kid might be planning to attend. And if you did, it isn't ckear that you'd know just what questions to ask. Clara Hemphill does know. As the director of Insideschools.org she has spent years analyzing the public school system in NYC. She looks at the schools academically (of course) but also in other aspects such as friendliness, willingness of the teaching staff to work with the kids individually, social development and many more.

Note the title, this book discusses the BEST schools. And New York's best are very good indeed. These are not the warehouses where the kids are just putting in time. These are the places you would want your kid to go. ... Read more

Product Description

Whether you're digging into a slice of cherry cheesecake, burning your tongue on a piece of fiery Jamaican jerk chicken, or slurping the broth from a juicy soup dumpling, eating in New York City is a culinary adventure unlike any other in the world.

An irresistible sampling of the city's rich food heritage,Gastropolis explores the personal and historical relationship between New Yorkers and food. Beginning with the origins of cuisine combinations, such as Mt. Olympus bagels and Puerto Rican lasagna, the book describes the nature of food and drink before the arrival of Europeans in 1624 and offers a history of early farming practices. Essays trace the function of place and memory in Asian cuisine, the rise of Jewish food icons, the evolution of food enterprises in Harlem, the relationship between restaurant dining and identity, and the role of peddlers and markets in guiding the ingredients of our meals. They share spice-scented recollections of Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx, and colorful vignettes of the avant-garde chefs, entrepreneurs, and patrons who continue to influence the way New Yorkers eat.

Touching on everything from religion, nutrition, and agriculture to economics, politics, and psychology,Gastropolis tells a story of immigration, amalgamation, and assimilation. This rich interplay between tradition and change, individual and society, and identity and community could happen only in New York.

Customer Reviews (2)

The NY Food Voice as Finely Pitched Opera
If you have any opinion at all about food...and about cultural life connected to food, then you have a food voice. This well written and creatively constructed collection ofcultural food stories from many of our real-life, die-hard foodies tells the story of NY's food history from the very earliest times and picks-up speed quickly into the 21st century. This retrospective of NY's past foodways is truly enlightening and the stories about NY's multicultural foods and family-run businesses are not to be missed. As I said, the food voice in this book is like finely pitched opera as it starts out slowly with fascinating tones and reaches many highs...enough to have your food voice singing as you read. You'll love it for the stories behind the foods you eat and know well, and you'll be fascinated by all the things you didn't know about them as well.

Food Studies-New York Style
The editors of this volume begin by telling us that "New Yorkers have formed relationships with food that have helped shape the identity of their great city." You might find this statement unexceptionable: isn't it true of every city that its characteristic foods are part of its identity?
You would be right in saying that, but it's the nature and extent of New York's connection that is, as far as I know, unique. In New York, the food traditions of dozens of people wash up on the shore to be tasted by every citizen. Part of the mark of being a 'real' New Yorker is that you know, and have definite and unshakeable opinions about several ethnic cuisines. A real New Yorker can tell you where to find the best soup dumplings and also the best quesadilla. He probably has an allegiance to at least one fresh mozzarella maker and one sushisei. To be a New York foodie, the senza qua niente is that you have to be broad and deep.
This thoughtful collection has a judicious balance of reminiscence and cultural-study, a mix of first-person and footnote. You should read it, you'll sound like a New Yorker.

Lynn Hoffman, author of bang BANG ... Read more

Product Description
From the giant topiary of an airplane in the Queens Botanical Garden to the mannered space of the Frick Collection, this book tells the stories of more than 100 gardens in New York City. In addition to describing a variety of flora and fauna, it chronicles the events and personalities behind the green spaces visited by generations of New Yorkers. Also included are 50 color photos and complete visitor information for each garden. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Perfect little book about New York's greenery
If you're from out of town, gardens may not be the first word that comes to mind when you think of New York City.But "Garden Guide: New York City (Revised Edition)" will set you straight and take you to lovely spots, big and small, around all five boroughs. Some sites are relatively well known, especially those in Manhattan: The Cloisters, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, for example. But there are little hidden gems to be found everywhere, not to mention the can't-be-missed High Line, a converted elevated train line that runs through Downtown Manhattan. And then there are the marvelous sites in the Bronx (the County Courthouse green roof, Taqwa Community Farm), Queens (the Curtis "50 cent" Community Garden, Gantry Plaza State Park), Brooklyn (Brooklyn Heights Promenade, Red Hook Gardens) and Staten Island (Bayview Habitat, Snug Harbor Cultural Center.)

The size and complexity of the scores of gardens listed vary greatly: some cover acres of ground, are open to the public year round and attract tourists and residents alike. Others are tiny, protected by gates or difficult to locate, open only occasionally or to limited numbers of visitors. But each adds to New York's green spaces. Directions, hours, photos and a history accompany each garden listing. The book is quite complete yet small enough to tuck into a bag or big pocket.

Garden Guide: New York City (Garden Guides)
This thorough book organized gardens in New York city by location, gave subway and/or bus directions, and a wonderful description of each garden so it was easy to decide whether I wanted to go see that garden. It was amazing and I saw gardens big and small throughout my visit to the city in a short period of time. I'm going to check to see if the book is available for other places I tend to visit.

Garden Guide: A Gem
This book is filled with beautiful photos and short descriptons of gardens from all five boroughs of New York City. Leafing through it, once again I realized how special this city is. Garden Guide: New York City is a must for anyone who wants to know the city better; for those of us who live here and for those who are just visiting.

Small enough to carry in one's purse, it is concise and well researched. It is pleasure to read and makes you want to explore the city through its gardens. Be careful, if you are not already a garden lover it might make you one. From the Chinese Scholar's Garden in Staten Island to the Botanical Garden in Queens; from Rincon Criollo in the Bronx to The Conservatory Garden on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, evenin its gardens the diverstiy and creativity of New Yorkers is evident and that makes New Yorkers like me burst with pride. ... Read more

Product Description
Throughout the United States, there is no single major metropolitan area more closely connected to organized crime's rapid ascendancy on a national scale than New York City. In 1920, upon the advent of Prohibition, Gotham's shadowy underworld began evolving from strictly regional and often rag-tag street gangs into a sophisticated worldwide syndicate that was--like the chocolate egg crème--incubated within the confines of its five boroughs. New York City Gangland offers an unparalleled collection of rarely circulated images, many appearing courtesy of exclusive law enforcement sources, in addition to the private albums of indigenous racketeering figures such as Charles "Lucky" Luciano, Al "Scarface" Capone, Joe "The Boss" Masseria, "Crazy" Joe Gallo, and John Gotti. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Gangland Photographs Are More Than Meets The Eye
When I heard that "Bummy Davis vs Murder Inc" chronicler Ron Ross gave this title a 5 star rating, I knew I'd need to check it out; Ross is one of my favorite writers in the genre (if you haven't yet seen it I highly recommend his novel "The Tomato Can" which deftly mixes boxing lore with gangster lore). What I found after buying this little picturebook was that I'd actually been given a gift, and one I'd often wished for while poring over narrative titles like Bummy's lightly-fictionalized story, and also Tough Jews by Rich Cohen to name another -- it gave me names to put to faces! (the importance of which can't be understated) and it showed me what some of history's most powerful racketeers looked and behaved like inside their own habitats, rather than in Police mugshots alone. And I say "habitats" because a lot these crime figures were real animals, lets not deny it. Yet while absorbing these images it was hard not to notice that the author infused the collection with a human touch. Most importantly, I wasn't left standing at the threshhold of crime but instead toured the old neighborhoods, went inside the crime investigations, social clubs, living rooms of the most influential mobsters of generations past. Crazy Joe Gallo has been dead nearly 40 years so I never thought I'd "attend" a party in the basement of his President Street headquarters but a series of snapshots contained in the sixth chapter of Gangland transported me there -- or so it seemed. I give these photographs high praise for originality and thoroughly enjoyed the author's perspectives spanning a half century. As an earlier reviewer commented, its not your run of the mill book on the mafia - there's even more than meets the eye. My sole criticism is that I'd have liked to see higher resolution on the page but otherwise it was A++

New York Gangland
Art Nash's new book interweaves the history of organized crime in New York city with photos from his own extensive collection of images and artifacts related to organized crime.Many of the photos are previously unseen and come from the families of mobsters and law enforcement sources.It's a fascinating pictoral history which, if I may say so, nicely complements some of Arcadia's other organized crime histories.

Enjoy it (or else)!!!

Outstanding book through and through!
New York City Gangland by Arthur Nash is the most refreshing true crime book to come out in recent years.Unlike most books that are filled with recycled facts and photographs, NYC Gangland is stocked full of incredible never before seen photographs and riveting stories of NY's most infamous hoodlums as well as the lesser known, though equally captivating, characters that never quite reached the same notoriety as their notorious contemporaries.Using these rare photo's the author does a fantastic job at setting up moments in time where you as a reader can experience the struggles and accomplishments of many iconic mob figures and the gangbusters who pursued them.These fascinating previously unpublished photo's allow readers to finally place a face or image to names, locations, and events that many authors have written about in the past but were unable to depict.Also noteworthy is Nash's superb literary content that delicately mixes his extensive knowledge and research on the subject with personal anecdotes gathered from family and friends of the very subjects covered throughout the book.As an avid reader of 20th century organized crime I recommend this book to anyone with an interest in the history of the mob, NYC, or crime photography.Truly a must read and a wonderful addition to any book library!

Superb Documentation
I had been waiting for this book to come out for sometime.Knowing a lot of Mr. Nash's work and research, I can say this book is one of a kind, authentic and fascinating from cover to cover.He remains one of the authorities on the subject and has many of his artifact in the Crime & Punishment Museum in Washington, D.C. and has become a main contributor and expert to the new museum that will open in Las Vegas next year.A must read! ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (8)

Good for newbies
I really liked this book because its the perfect size and its very user friendly. Lots of maps and photos

Buy this guide!!
Fabulous concept for a concise travel book! This book gives you options for your trip based on its length or your area(s) of interest. The book has great maps in each section to identify areas being referenced and also includes a portable map that is housed in its own pocket at the back of the book. Using this book takes the guesswork out of planning by giving you pre-planned 1,2, or 3 day itineraries and overviews of neighborhoods, museums, dining, lodging and nightlife. If you don't have or don't want to spend alot of time reading or planning activities but still want to hit all of the top destinations, buy this book!!

Awesome Hand Guide for all Visitors; New and Experienced!
I absolutely love this travel series! These pocket guides are awesome, it gives you everything in a quick look-up format, and the book is JUST big enough. It gives you hours for museums and activities, and also websites to order tickets and such. I used the Copenhagen Day by Day guide on my recent trip to Danmark, and had an AMAZING experience with it's help! When I came home, I knew I wanted to get the New York City version, because I just loved the little exciting finds you get in these books. I live 20 mins away from the City, and go often, and this book is just a great trip planner/ idea finder for me and my friends every time. I highly suggest getting a different, clearer subway map though if you are a new traveler to the East Coast, the one in this book isn't so great, but the rest of the book, I give it a 4 stars! Also, do NOT be discouraged by the Star system, the author rates things very harshly, so do as much as you can! Also, from a NJ resident to our visitors, Welcome and have an amazing time!! (P.s come visit NJ ;)cause we're so awesome :D)

Great book for quick visits
Whether it's your first time going or you're going with someone for the third time and want to know what you really DON'T want to miss, this book is perfect for you. I've been in NYC a few times before and I always ended up seeing the same things, following the same people. This time, however, we actually saw a lot of things worth seeing, and it takes the planning pains out of it. All you need to know is this: Review/scan the book, decide on one of its pre-designed trips (could be full day, trips, romantic, museums, etc) and this book will tell you how to do it. Pressure is off!

I didn't expect the prices to be accurate 100% though, as times change, but it was surprisingly useful in giving us an idea of how much we would spend here and there.

Misinformation in Day by Day
Please note that the 2009 publication of Day by Day does not have up-to-date information for Fraunces Tavern Museum.The Museum's current admission prices are $10 for adults, $5 for Seniors, Students w/ id and children 6-18.Children under 5 are free.
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Product Description
$21.95 paperback· 1-58685-113-6

6 x 8½in, 432 pp, Black & White Photographs, Rights: W, Architecture

Francis Morrone has returned to the buildings of his original guidebook once again to detail additions and changes in name and usage, and the book has been modified to reflect post September 11th New York City. With its thoughtful detail and out-of-the-ordinary observations, this guidebook is a must-have for New Yorkers, tourists, and architectural lovers everywhere.

Francis Morrone is a lecturer and tour leader for the Municipal Art Society of New York, a nonprofit civic organization founded in 1893. His writings on architecture and New York history appear in The New Criterion, the City Journal, and other publications. His other books include An Architectural Guidebook to Brooklyn and An Architectural Guidebook to Philadelphia. He lives in Brooklyn.

James Iska, whose work has been exhibited all over the world and has appeared in the Washington Post, the Financial Times, the Chicago Sun-Times, and the Chicago Tribune, is currently on the staff of the Art Institute of Chicago. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

not quite
I was a bit disapointed by this book. There is information on a lot of NY buildings, but the information does not always concern architecture and is usually very limited. Gives you an impression of all there is to see, but does not do much more than that. Photographs are not impressive. Much more intersting is The Architecture of New York City, by Donald Martin Reynolds.

Not for a quick trip
This book is really good and best used if you have a fair amount of time to wander around New York.It is like trailing through the city with a friend who has lived there for a long time; Marrone has great excursive lengthy interesting descriptions of a number of buildngs, and that's great.The problem is that each chapter has its own tiny map, and they are never put together in a larger overall map anywhere, making navigation difficult.If you have a lot of time, and want to do just a few buidings per day, that's fine.If you want to storm through NYC and see as much as possible in a limited amount of time, if is difficult.

Great companion to see Manhattan with
The most obvious reason to replace the AIA Guide with this book is size.Dealing with only one borough enables the author to go into more detailwhile reducing the size of the book. The AIA Guide is about half the sizeof a large yellow pages. The Architectural Guidebook to NYC is about thesize of an average novel. That makes a big difference when you're stuffingit into your backpack or purse for a trip on subway or foot.

The moreextensive entries are very welcome. In Union Square with this book and aview of the surrounding buildings, I was able to spend a pleasant andinformative hour on a park bench, for free. That's a better bargain thanthe Staten Island Ferry.

Morrone keeps the architect's jargon to aminimum and knows his subject well. The historical insights and views onclashing aesthetics were skillfully presented. He pointed out a couple ofmuseums of very high caliber that I wasn't even aware of. A book like thisis a perfect jumping off point for thousands of topics, from neighborhoodsto cultures to politics to construction.

I would encourage him to writesimilar books on the other buroughs, or better yet, an even more detailedwork on each of the neighborhoods of Manhattan: each of them has at least athousand buildings worth writing about. ... Read more

Product Description
What are 1001 things you should treat yourself and your guests to in New York City? Be serenaded by Cole Porter's piano at the Waldorf, or hear Woody Allen play clarinet at the Carlyle. Drink champagne on the roof of the Metropolitan Museum, or discover the abandoned subway station at City Hall. Eat at America's very first pizzeria, or enjoy the most expensive cocktail in the country at the World Bar. Ride the Staten Island Ferry, or ride abike through Central Park. Go surfing out at Rockaway Beach, or relax in a Russian bath in the East Village . . . . Organized by theme–including Eating and Drinking, 24-hour New York, Shopping and Spending, Arts and Culture, Views and Sites, the Great Outdoors, and Classic New York–and packed with detailed, helpful indexes organized by neighborhood and by category, this is simply the most fun and comprehensive guidebook to New York City ever. The Best Things to Do in New York crosses genres and boroughs to explore every aspect of the most diverse and exciting city in the world. Written from experience by two people who love the city, and featuring priceless tips from expert contributors–from authors on their favorite bookstores to architects on the city's best buildings–The Best Things to do in New York is much more than just a guide. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (21)

Good little guide
I purchased a number of NY guides prior to a weekend trip and this one was interesting for folks who have never visited. I don't think we actually DID more than 1 of the suggestions but I still liked reading it.

best book on NYC yet
By far the best book on NYC ever.I have read many and there is just no comparison.However, I gave mine away after digesting it cover to cover and have recently ordered another one that doesn't seem to be shipping out too quickly??

Top Rated by a young, socially active New Yorker - December 2009
I gave this book as a gift - Christmas of 2009 - to my friend's daughter.

She could not stop reading it!!! She is in her mid-twenties - a professional - and very active socially. She has been in the City for three years.

After an hour went by - it seemed she had been to about 25% of the book's suggestions --- which I found quite amazing. I kept pressing her for recommendations she disagreed with and she could never came up with one. All I heard was "I have to try this".

There is little more than I can pass on to others beyond the fact that this book has passed the purview of a young, hard core, socially active New Yorker.

PS - my thanks to the other Amazon reviewers who helped me make this selection

It seems more like 500, but that is a lot
This is a pretty good book, even for long time New Yorkers. The one issue I have with it is that it is very heavy on the restaurants.If that is what you like, then definitely enjoy.If you're interested in filling in the space in between, there are lots of good ideas, but not nearly as many as the title would imply.

Still, it's not a bad purchase, and if you're getting it as a gift or for something to stir the pot of ideas, it would be one to consider.There are potentially a few others that are better if you are into more active adventures, or if you are willing to travel around the greater NYC area.

Great way to find local stuff in NYC
Generally a good book to have on any trip to NYC especially if you are the type of person who is looking for what the natives do. Of course it has all of the touristy locations in it but it also addresses the out of the way. ... Read more

Product Description

While it may seem that every possible topic about New York City's attractions has been written about, Off the Beaten (Subway) Track is the first book to focus on the hundreds of off-the-beaten-path destinations in the city. Some are small museums, others are historic places long forgotten, some are stores that sell only odd things, and some are distinguished for their claim to fame as the world's largest/smallest whatever. All of them are notable for the passion with which their proprietors and curators care for them, and all can be visited via the subway system as the author directs readers to which of the city's 486 subway stations will get them closest.

Customer Reviews (19)

Big deal
Mostly museums, nothing thrilling.If I had looked at it in a bookstore I would have left it on the shelf.That's the test isn't it?

Perfect as a gift -- even for a New Yorker!
I was given this book as a gift from my mother, which I had thought to be odd since I've lived in Manhattan for over 10 years and feel like I've got a pretty good handle on what there is to do in the area.Therefore I was very pleasantly surprised to see that the book was chock full of hidden gems all across New York City.It was a refreshing change from most city guides that focus primarily on well-known tourist spots and mostly stick within Manhattan without venturing out to Queens, Brooklyn, Staten Island, or the Bronx.

Since receiving the book over the holidays I've found myself exploring areas I would never have otherwise found myself.Even for a "hardened New Yorker" such as myself, I've been amazed at what fun, new sites the book has led me to see.Highly recommended - for yourself or as a gift for your favorite NYC resident!

Should be called NY museum guide
I was actually looking for places "off the beaten track" but this book had nothing you could not get off the net or regular tourist book. It's basically a listing of museums and churches. Very Very disappointing

Not good for travellers new to New York
This book is much more suited to people who live in New York or know the city very well.If you are new to the city is not a good way to get accustomed to the city, as the book doesn't really lay out general information and most of the attractions in the book are very odd.

One for even the locals
I was planning my third trip to NYC and purchased this to see if it may contain some things that might not have been in all the other travel books that I had purchased.I think there was one, maybe two things here that I heard about previously.I did end up taking the vertical tour at St. John the Divine that was mentioned in the book.It was a wonderful tour and a highlight of my trip that I would have never have known about.I think it you are a frequet visitor looking for new things to do or even a local, you will find something different here. ... Read more