New York, New York: A History of the World's Most Exhilarating and Challenging City [Hardcover]

Oliver E. Allen (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Allen, a former editor and writer for Time-Life Books, spans in one entertaining volume New York City's history, from its earliest days as a bustling port to its recognition as financial capital of the world. Using as his leitmotif the great harbor, which has shaped New York from the start as a port of entry for people, money and power, he covers noteworthy aspects of the city from the 1700s to the present--prominent citizens, political figures, scandals and crises, financial organizations, immigrant groups, cultural institutions and majestic buildings. Telescoping so much history into fewer than 500 pages, the narrative is as fast-paced as New York City itself, as Allen conveys the energy and excitement that have enabled the city to thrive and prosper. Photos not seen by PW.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Allen, a former editor and writer for Time Life Books, offers a narrative history of the city from its establishment in 1624 to the 1990 mayoral election. He attributes the prominence of present-day New York to its financial power, symbolized by Wall Street, and to its harbor, which contributed to its economic clout and served as the destination for a diverse immigrant population. Though promising a description of the 375-year history of New York, Allen concentrates mainly on the Colonial/Revolutionary era and the Gilded Age, and summarizes the findings of books published during the last half century. Writing in an offhand, journalistic style, he focuses on the more visible, popular elements of New York and seldom explains the dynamics of the city or the people who have lived in it. Useful only as a basic introduction to the complex history of a paradoxical city.
-David Szatmary, Univ. of Washington, Seattle
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 365 pages
• Publisher: Atheneum (January 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689119607
• ISBN-13: 978-0689119606
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.4 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,562,229 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very interesting study of the Big Apple., January 8, 2000

By 

John Margaritis (Floral Park, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: New York, New York: A History of the World's Most Exhilarating and Challenging City (Hardcover)

After finishing Allen's book, I found I knew little about the city I've lived in for 32 years. This book is chock full of interesting facts about the city's history from Dutch control in the 1600's, to British colonization in the 1700's, and independence through the 1800's and 1900's. The author skillfully brings to life many of the colorful characters, both good and bad, who have stirred the mixture that makes NY so exciting. Men like Stuyvesant, Boss Tweed, JP Morgan, Lindsay, and LaGuardia, are all given the attention they deserve for shaping the city of today. This a terrific overview and will push me to a more detailed study of particular aspects of this unique city.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Vibrant, dynamic history of the great city. A must., January 18, 2000

By 

Dan Lubin (New York City.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: New York, New York: A History of the World's Most Exhilarating and Challenging City (Hardcover)

Oliver E. Allen's "New York New York" is an outstanding account of the growth and development of New York City from the small Dutch settlement of the 1600's to the international powerhouse of the 1980's. All major influences, people, and incidents that played roles in the shaping of the metropolis are describe with compelling and cohesive clarity. Factual and scholarly research that reads like a page turner. A must for any historian, urban politician, or literate New Yorker. Should be a required text for New York Colleges or elite High Schools, as well as the private libraries of politically involved urbanites of any city. Even as a jaded New Yorker I give it Five stars.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Compelling history of the Big Apple., December 25, 1999

By 

John Margaritis (Floral Park, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: New York, New York: A History of the World's Most Exhilarating and Challenging City (Hardcover)

First let me preface my review by stating that this is thefirst book I've read on New York, so I am by no means an expert on thecity's history. Therefore, I found this book to be a good introduction for the beginner(me), because it encompasses much of the overall development of the city while not getting bogged down in unneccesary details, which keeps the book moving fluidly throughout. The book covers over three hundred years of material, ranging from Dutch settlement in the 1600's through English colonization in the 1700's and up to the present day 1990's, and does so in a way that most people will find interesting. Now that I've read Allen's book I'm stirred to read more on the city's wonderful history, something I've been neglecting even though I've lived here for 32 years.