Greenwich Village: A Guide to America's Legendary Left Bank (New York Bound Books) (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "Taking a walk through Greenwich Village is also taking a walk through time..." (more)
Key Phrases: Greenwich Village, New York, John Sloan (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

A wonderfully dressed up and beautifully illustrated tour of America's most beloved bohemia: Greenwich Village. Jaunty and informative, this book includes four walking tours that illuminate the lives and times of some of America's most famous artists and writers. Each itinerary is illustrated with photographs, paintings, maps, quotes, and ephemera that bring to life different aspects of the Village, past and present. Beautifully packaged as a gift book, yet handy, practical, and inspiring, Greenwich Village is of equal interest to tourists, newcomers, native New Yorkers, or anyone captivated by the history and culture of New York. Author Judith Stonehill has composed an excellent, indepth introduction to the culture and history of one of America's cultural treasures.

About the Author

Judith Stonehill's fascination with Greenwich Village began when she and her family moved into an 1834 house in the Village. A longtime president of the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, she has lectured on the Village's architectural and cultural history.

Stonehill was the co-owner of New York Bound Bookshop, which specialized in antiquarian and new books about the city. Prior to that, she had been a vice-president of the South Street Seaport Museum and the director of the Corporate Fund at Lincoln Center.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 96 pages
• Publisher: Universe (August 3, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0789307022
• ISBN-13: 978-0789307026
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #719,242 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Fabulous Gift, November 17, 2002

By	Bob Arby (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

Ms. Stonehill's book has opened my eyes to this wonderful neighborhood. At first glance, the book appears as a quick read, yet the amount of detail and research that has gone into this small book is astounding. Over the years, I have spent much free hours walking about Greenwich Village, but now with the book in hand, I have come to appreciate this historic neighborhood even more. This Holiday Season, many of my friends will be getting a copy of this fabulous gift.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exquisite and Excellent, November 16, 2002

By	HeyJudy "heyjudy" (East Hampton, NY USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

"Exquisite" is not a word one often gets to use about a book, but GREENWICH VILLAGE: A GUIDE TO AMERICA'S LEGENDARY LEFT BANK truly is an exquisite little gem of a book.

Obviously, books are bought only by people with an interest in their subjects, whatever that subject may be. Thus, I purchased this book due to my affection for New York City and, specifically, for the neighborhood which is featured. Before I read this GUIDE, I had thought that I had a fairly thorough knowledge of Greenwich Village--and, actually, according to this volume, I do know quite a bit. Yet my own knowledge is but a small fraction of the information that author Judith Stonehill presents.

Without question, Greenwich Village is the most fascinating corner of a fascinating city. Its history goes back to the earliest colonial times, and its impact extends right into the present. Stonehill covers all of the Village's incarnations, from the time that Washington Square was "the" address for the Knickerbockers, those worthy Dutch burghers, through the creative energy of the late 19th Century, right up to today.

Like the city for which it started as a suburb, and of which it became an integral part, Greenwich Village has led many lives. In four separate tours, Stonehill covers all of them.

According to my search on Amazon.com, this is the only book of walking tours to focus exclusively on Greenwich Village. The small size of the book makes it perfect to tuck into a pocket or a purse when one sets out on a walk--though, to be fair, this small size requires the use of such a tiny typeface that the book can be difficult to read without magnifying glasses.

Nonetheless, this work is excellent as to its concept, its scope and its execution--and the artwork and photographs chosen for illustration are, indeed, exquisite.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great guide to a great neighborhood., June 30, 2004

By	Rocco Dormarunno (Brooklyn, NY) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Originally, Greenwich Village was settled by the rich and merchant class of lower Manhattan as an escape from the recurring ravages of yellow fever and cholera. For this reason Greenwich Village was, essentially, never really mapped out; never really settled in accordance to any public plan. Perhaps this haphazard beginning is what gave the area its combined refined yet anarchic flavor that exists until this day.

And this was also the reason for the area becoming attractive to free-thinkers and artists, which is the focus of the valuable book, "Greenwich Village: A Guide to America's Legendary Left Bank" by Judith Stonehill. Complete with maps, illustrations and a walking tour of the four sections which make up Greenwich Village, the guide reveals the extraordinary number of famous artists, writers, performers, etc who made the place their homes. Artist Edward Hopper, poet Walt Whitman, playwright Eugene O'Neill, and novelist Willa Cather, are just a few of the famous names who lived and created work here. But more important, as the subtitle to this guide suggests, they created something uniquely American.

"Greenwich Village: A Guide to America's Legendary Left Bank" is a great book for people who will visit the village, and is great for New Yorkers, themselves, to learn about this neighborhood that they thought they knew so well.

Rocco Dormarunno, author of The Five Points