New York : An Illustrated History

by Ric Burns, James Sanders, Lisa Ades
 

reviews from Amazon

From Publishers Weekly
A companion to an upcoming PBS series, this lavishly illustrated history is an engaging and intelligent work in its own right, presenting a coherent overview without ever glossing over thorny historical or political questions. By supplementing their well-researched text with photographs, paintings, newspaper headlines and interviews with historians and social critics, Burns (The Civil War, with Ken Burns) and Sanders have produced a volume that is as attractive as it is perceptive. Arranged chronologically, the book manages to capture some of the diverse elementsAsuch as the immigrant communities, labor unrest, traditional and avant-garde cultures, crime and architecture, among other factors that continue to play important roles in the city's evolution. For example, the section on Greenwich Village, "The Republic of Washington Square," contains a succinct history of the area as a cultural engine, with rare photographs and illuminating quotes from Edmund Wilson and Floyd Dell. The section on the Harlem Renaissance provides a comprehensive analysis of the movement's development and importance, aptly illustrated and contextualized with an interview with David Levering Lewis. Burns and Sanders have successfully marshaled a huge amount of material into a format that is informative and highly entertaining. BOMC History Book Club selection. (Nov.) Cahners Business Information.

One of the Best of Its Kind, 2003
This is a huge book with plenty of text and hundreds of relevant, beautiful illustrations and photos. Just about the entire transcript of the multi-award winning PBS documentary, Ric Burns' NEW YORK is here, along with previously unpublished essays by the documentary's featured commentators. This alone makes the book worth the price and worth the time reading. And, if you don't feel like reading, just browse through the incredible photographs and graphics. That is why this is one of the best illustrated books on New York history out there.

And please pay no mind to the critics and reviewers who whine that there is no reference to the New York Yankees or "Why isn't this building discussed?" or "How can they have left out this museum and that park and those guys?" People, PLEASE! This is not a book about the history of West Orange, New Jersey. For Pete's sake, it's New York City! To have included everything would require volumes and volumes... and that still wouldn't cover everything. As I said, this book is one of the best of its kind. Buy it, read it, stare at the pictures, enjoy!

The BEST book about New York City's History, , 2005
This is the story of New York City, elegantly written and generously illustrated. Of all of the various books about New York's history -- this is the one to have.

Excellent book, but not without errors, 2004
Pros: very well organized, interesting to read. Cons: page 117 says that A. Lincoln was the "twelfth president of the United States". All my other references claim that he was sixteenth. How many errors like that does this book contain?

I'm a New York City Junkie, 2004
I read this textbook-like coffee table book from corner to corner and since I lap up New York history I loved it. Burns could have included so much more on Moses but didn't though. Still, and outstanding compilation of information. Plus, a beautiful book.