New York Characters [Hardcover]

Gillian Zoe Segal (Author), George Plimpton (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 2001

A celebration of the personalities that make New York City unique.

Every year millions of people flock to New York City, drawn to its unparalleled theaters, museums, restaurants, and sights. While much has been written about these topics, one of the city's greatest attractions has gone largely unheralded: its characters. Among the masses, there are some who stand out from the crowd, a special group of New Yorkers who give the city its flavor and make it a vibrant, exciting, and unique place. New York Characters is a tribute to these people. Celebrated in both photographs and words, Gillian Zoe Segal's subjects include neighborhood fixtures, prominent celebrities, famous personalities, and the truly eccentric. Among the extraordinary New Yorkers you'll meet are Guardian Angel founder Curtis Sliwa; Ken Krisses, the president of the Coney Island Polar Bear Club; the "real" Kramer, on whom the Seinfeld character is based; sports fanatics Dancin' Larry and Fireman Ed; restaurateurs Elaine Kaufman and Sylvia Woods; Dr. Jonathan Zizmor, the "subway" dermatologist; and Jimmy Breslin, the legendary newspaperman. Segal has photographed sixty-six such characters in their own distinctive environments. Accompanying the striking portraits are colorful profiles of each individual. The foreword by George Plimpton, a "New York character" himself, is a tribute to Segal's extraordinary work and her fascinating collection of New Yorkers.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

lenty of books feature New York City's famous landmarks, but what about the Big Apple's famous or notorious, or merely interesting citizens? Former mayor Ed Koch, Carlyle Hotel crooner Bobby Short, bearded lady Jennifer Miller, Chinatown's Egg Cake Lady and The Oldest Cabbie are just a few of the folks Gillian Zoe Segal highlights in her book of photographs and biographical sketches, New York Characters. It's not a comprehensive gathering ("Woody Allen dissed me and I got in a fight with the "Soup Nazi," she writes), but that's part of its charm: after all; a unique city deserves a quirky cross-section. All author proceeds from the sale of this book will go to the families of the victims of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11. Foreword by George Plimpton.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Review

This energetic, eclectic collection cries out for a sequel. -- Miami Herald, Connie Ogle, 2 December 2001

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company; 1 edition (November 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0393041964
• ISBN-13: 978-0393041965
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 6.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,520,468 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars More Reasons to Love New York, November 16, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: New York Characters (Hardcover)

This book should appear along with Giuliani and Pataki in the promotional campaigns to bring people back to New York City. The author has obviously captured the flavor of what makes New York City so special. The range of interesting and vibrant characters is displayed with affection and amusement. She has unearthed some real treasures. A light and enjoyable portrait that arrives at a perfect time . . .

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Must read for any New Yorker.....or anyone who just loves NY, November 18, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: New York Characters (Hardcover)

As evidenced by the Sept. 11 disaster, what makes New York such a great city are it's people (it's characters)... New Yorkers are extraordinary people and have really shown this in light of recent events...Gillian Segal really captures the energy and heart of this wonderful city and really helps the reader experience what makes New York tick.....

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For New Yorkers and Non New Yorkers Alike, December 2, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: New York Characters (Hardcover)

If you admire great photography and exquisite prose and feel the slightest attachment (or wish you did) to New York, then Gillian Segal's book is for you. I moved from New York a little over ten years ago and was determined to keep in touch with the city I love. However, it was only a matter of time before I lost touch with what really made New York special: the people's unique personalities. Gillian's book has allowed me to reestablish contact with the city that I still like to call home. Now, when my colleagues in Providence ask me what to do in New York, I no longer provide them with a mundane and outdated list of restaurants and sites. Instead, I refer them to Mrs. Segal's book. I inform them that in its pages is where they can find the real New York. Everything from great food, The Egg Cake Lady, to a wonderful opera on 57th street, performed by Opera Man, to a great jogging partner, the Mayor of the Reservoir (he is featured on the cover) can be found in "New York Characters".