Customer Reviews

Washington Heights, Inwood, and Marble Hill (NY) (Images of America)

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

 

 

As a 'history buff' I was initially pleased when I received this book as a gift. But as I went through the book I was incredibly surprised at the poor quality of the this book. It is supposed to cover 3 neighborhoods in upper Manhattan and the book does have 3 sections. But the 2nd one is entirely devoted to the George Washington bridge! Last time I checked it is not a neighborhood. Inwood and Marble Hill are lumped together in 1 chapter. The quality of the photos selected for this book is terrible and oddly enough some of the worst ones are those of plaques and other stationary items, that still stand. They are out of focus and/or blurry. I have located better pictures while doing my own research, and I haven't been appointed "local historian" as this guy has! The sequence of photos do not seem to flow in any particular order and seem to jump here and there and back again. And the repetition of almost identical photos is mind-numbing! The captions and brief descriptions that accompany some of the photos is almost child-like in its writing style. He states the obvious such as pointing boats in one photo, which are clearly visible but does not identify other items that should be. In another instance he points out newly constructed apartment building then goes on to state the obvious that "they will be rented to neighborhood residents to live in". The book seems like something put together by a novice, like one of those home-grown recipe books sold to raise funds. Very dissappointing, especially that the publisher would allow something like this to go to print.

I really like this book, but wanted to see more early 20th century photographs. In fact, each of these neighborhoods could have had their own books. But I feel that readers want to see photographs older than the 1960's.

As a native of Washington Heights, I know every street in this book. I loved the older photos (trolleys, horse-drawn carriages, farmlands, bowler hats, etc.) and was hoping to see more. Washington Heights is a great slice of under-documented Americana, and this book helps to fill that void. I enjoyed it, and certainly recommend it.

This book gives the appearance of being slapped together quickly. The captions are rather abrupt and poorly written. The area deserved better.

PURCHASED BY ME FOR MYSELF. FOUND IT FASCINATING AND INFORMATIVE. RECOMMENDED TO SEVERAL OF MY FRIENDS WHO ALSO ENJOYED IT.

Book is rather poorly written.

Vague pictures, little history. Could have been so much more interesting.