Customer Reviews

New York City: A Short History

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If you are looking for a thorough and well-organized history of New York City this book will suit your needs. Sure, it may not be as detailed as "Gotham" but most of us will not want that level of depth. This book is wisely broken into sections that mirror the terms of the various governors and mayors of the Big Apple-and, really, why wouldn't that be the best way to present this story. The reading is quick and clear and you'll know everything the average person would want to know about NYC.

Having just moved to NYC I bought this dog expecting to get a quick brush up on the fascinating story of America's Greatest City. Instead I was burdened with endless trivia about who was mayor or who ran Tammany Hall at any given moment in New York's history.

Obviously this angle is part of the big picture of The City, but it comes off the page very flat and, sadly, uninteresting. There is scant attention paid to the million and one other details about New York life that one really wants to hear about: art, culture, social life, transportation, etc.

The writing is intelligent enough. The author is clearly a smart person with a lot of interest in his subject. It's just that enduring this book is more like watching someone's vacation slides and less like the inspiring, terse and revealing story you hope you'd get when you bought the thing.

A Short History is exactly that. Succinct and to the point, structured around the political evolution of the city, using New York's succession of mayors as its main vehicle.

Editing: Four Stars. Simple structure and well managed.

Copy Editing: Four Stars. One or two things slipped by. James, Duke of York, after whom the city is named, is called, oddly, Duke James instead of the Duke of York, or more properly, York. Otherwise clean copy.