The Other Islands of New York City: A History and Guide (Second Edition) [Paperback]

Sharon Seitz (Author), Stuart Miller (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 2001

This second edition features new information on Governor's and Ellis Islands.

Experience a New York City most tourists, and even most natives, never see. Within the city's boundaries are dozens of islands—some famous, like Ellis, some infamous, like Rikers, and others forgotten, like North Brother. While the spotlight often falls on the museums, trends, and restaurants of Manhattan, the city's "other" islands, each with its own personality, offer the day-tripper everything from nature trails to military garrisons to sailing excursions. This detailed guide and comprehensive history to forty islands tells their colorful, often lurid stories, and will give you a sense of how New York City's politics, population, and landscape have evolved over the last three and a half centuries. Full of offbeat stories and little-known facts and legends, this is much more than a travel guide. 22 black & white photographs, 10 maps

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Journalists and New York City natives Seitz and Miller have written an entertaining history of and travel guide to 40 of the human-made and natural islands that dot the waters around New York City. From famous tourist destinations such as Liberty and Ellis islands, to the infamous Rikers Island Penitentiary and the little-known North Brother Island, where Typhoid Mary spent nearly 30 years in confinement, the islands of New York City have a vivid and intriguing story to tell. Armchair travelers and regular visitors to the city alike will find this an enjoyable book. The authors indicate which islands can be visited, whether you can get there by car, bus, subway, or ferry, and, in a few cases, where you can eat. Recommended for public libraries.?Linda M. Kaufmann, Freel Lib., North Adams State Coll., Mass.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"a book that explores, in depth, those parts of New York City almost always left out of the usual books." -- The Island Current

"a well-written and comprehensive tale...a lively history of the people and events that forged modern day New York City" -- The Urban Audubon

"an encyclopedia of the archipelago that is New York." -- New York Post

"only occassionally does something new come along that I deem an important work. This book falls into this category." -- Bronx Times Reporter

"rescues for readers the history and legend that lie in the soil or rock of these oft-forgotten strands" -- New York Chronicle

This is definitely a book I want for my shelf. -- Mario Cuomo, former governor of New York State

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Countryman Press; Second Edition edition (June 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0881505021
• ISBN-13: 978-0881505023
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,046,517 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars New York City Rediscovered!, November 14, 2002

By 

Luis Hernandez (New York, New York, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Other Islands of New York City: A History and Guide (Second Edition) (Paperback)

As a native New Yorker, I heard of many islands that occupied the waters that surround the five boroughs of the city. As I flew back into LaGuardia and JFK airports I even began to notice them from above. Obtaining information about these islands was very difficult, even from local libraries, and therefore when I found this book at a local bookstore, I was delighted that someone came up with the idea of publishing such a book.

From Roosevelt Island to Cuban Ledge, the authors give a very thorough and well researched book on the many islands inhabiting the New York archipelago. Many islands which were once islands, but have long since been connected to the boroughs by artificial landfills are also covered here (e.g. Coney Island-Brooklyn, Hunter Island-Bronx, Battery Park area-Manhattan, etc..) are also covered here.

If you live in the city or plan on visiting, please make sure to pick up a copy of this guide, and make sure to visit the many hidden treasures found in this city.It makes an excellent companion book while aboard a plane or even in the subway.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining, thorough, liable to provoke you to go trespass, May 31, 2000

By 

Noah Green (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Other Islands of New York City: A Historical Companion (Paperback)

New York City is an archipelago of islands - this is a reality that has been paved under by centuries of development in this great city, but has been brought to light in this fun, excellent little book.

Besides Manhattan Island, Roosevelt Island, Staten Island, etc., there are a host of tiny lesser-known islands all around the waterways of the city, and this book describes them all. Each and every one of them has a unique history - most were settled at one time or another, most are abandoned now - as well as a unique ecosystem. The book does a great job exploring all these aspects, in prose that has just the right level of detail to inform and excite. The histories it relates are miniature, fractured reflections, serving to both highlight and contrast with the mainstream narrative of NYC history.

Here are a few islands you may never have heard of before - North Brother Island, Swinburne Island, Shooters' Island, and - my personal favorite - U Thant Island, named for a late U.N. diplomat. Yes, there really is a place within New York City limits called "U Thant Island!" Reading this stuff makes you want to go to these places. Most of them are illegal to visit, and unfortunately the authors are responsible, law-abiding individuals who won't tell you how to get to them. Too bad :)

For urban historians, this book is like a collection of lost pottery shards of NYC life. For ecologists, it is a testament to the resilience of wildlife in some of the busiest waterways in the world. And for aspiring urban explorers, it is a temptation to buy a raft, flashlight, and wire cutters....

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars New York City Rediscovered!, June 4, 2000

By 

Luis Hernandez (New York, New York, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Other Islands of New York City: A Historical Companion (Paperback)

As a native New Yorker, I heard of many islands that occupied the waters that surrounded the five boroughs of the city. As I flew back into LaGuardia and JFK airports I even began to notice them from above. Obtaining information about these islands was very difficult, even from local libraries, and therefore when I found this book at a local bookstore, I was delighted that someone came up with the idea of publishing such a book.

From Roosevelt Island to Cuban Ledge, the authors give a very thorough and well researched book on the many islands inhabiting the New York archipelago. Many islands which were once islands, but have long since been connected to the boroughs by artificial landfills are also covered here (e.g. Coney Island-Brooklyn, Hunter Island-Bronx, Battery Park area-Manhattan, etc..) are also covered here.

If you live in the city or plan on visiting, please make sure to pick up a copy of this guide, and make sure to visit the many hidden treasures found in this city.It makes an excellent companion book while aboard a plane or even in the subway.