Product Description
A complete, pocket-sized, small-scale map of Manhattan and its outlying areas, which includes: bus and subway routes; museum and gallery plans; selected shops, clubs, restaurants and general places of interest; and drawings of the main buildings to give an impression of their shape. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

Great, easy-to-read guide
The New York Mapguide: Fifth Edition
This map, part of a series published by Penguin, is in booklet form, making it easy to handle (no yard-long foldouts).Even better, it is easy to read, with large-enough print and clear color demarcations, so one can find a location without eyestrain.I always use these maps for London, Paris, New York.I just wish Penguin would cover more major cities.

Nice Guide to Enjoy NYC
Of the four items I purchased to help me navigate NYC, I would rate this as my second choice.It bills itself as a unique publication with information to enjoy Manhattan, Brooklyn and the Bronx and it lives up to it's promise.
This would be my number one choice it I were staying in NYC or visiting with my family. It has tons of tourist information, is very easy to use and very detailed.It has a section titled "Interesting Walks" which is very nice for anyone who would like to stroll the city and take it all in.

Great!
I used this to travel to NY for the first time and it was great.It was also shipped fast.

Excellent Guide
I have used this book twice when I have gone to New York City for a week at a time. The maps are accurate, the restaurant guides and entertainment tips help a great deal. This is the second edition of this book that I have purchased. If I go back to NYC again and there is another newer edition, I will definitely buy it as well.

A Must Have In NYC
Every year I go to NYC for a couple days vacation and this book comes with me everytime. It is small enough so it can fit anywhere and small enough that you can have it out and nobody could tell it is a map.It looks as though you are just reading a book. I have bought other guides but they never compare. I would recommend this mapguide to anyone visiting the best city in the world. ... Read more

Product Description
Frans Gunnar Bengtsson’s The Long Ships resurrects the fantastic world of the tenth century AD when the Vikings roamed and rampaged from the northern fastnesses of Scandinavia down to the Mediterranean. Bengtsson’s hero, Red Orm—canny, courageous, and above all lucky—is only a boy when he is abducted from his Danish home by the Vikings and made to take his place at the oars of their dragon-prowed ships. Orm is then captured by the Moors in Spain, where he is initiated into the pleasures of the senses and fights for the Caliph of Cordova. Escaping from captivity, Orm washes up in Ireland, where he marvels at those epicene creatures, the Christian monks, and from which he then moves on to play an ever more important part in the intrigues of the various Scandinavian kings and clans and dependencies. Eventually, Orm contributes to the Viking defeat of the army of the king of England and returns home an off-the-cuff Christian and a very rich man, though back on his native turf new trials and tribulations will test his cunning and determination. Packed with pitched battles and blood feuds and told throughout with wit and high spirits, Bengtsson’s book is a splendid adventure that features one of the most unexpectedly winning heroes in modern fiction. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (70)

Blue Tongue, Red Jowl and Long Ships
From my perspective, the mark of a really good book is fear that it will soon end.That was my feeling when reading, "The Long Ships".While I long for a successor work, there will be none from the now-deceased Frans G. Bengtsson, whose outstanding tale of the Vikings with its epic hero in epic adventures is, quite simply, one of the best examples in the long-standing tradition, one which extends from Homer's "Iliad" and "Odyssey", through "Beowulf" and "The Nibelungenlied" to mention only a very few of the very finest.Red Orm is now resting in Valhalla just as Odysseus lies in the Elysian fields and Siegfried's "strength had ebbed away, for in the field of his bright countenance he now displayed Death's token.Soon many fair ladies would be weeping for him."

Bengtsson's hero "goes a-Viking", initially as a captive of the marauding Krok on his long ship and later on his own adventures. He sails as an oar-slave for the Moors; roves ashore in the guard of the Moorish potentate Almansur in Cordoba; returns homeward in a captured ship; returns home where he establishes himself as a sober-minded chieftain; humorously and pragmatically engages with and accepts Christianity; quests for Bulgarian treasure; battles with sword and club and finds domestic contentment at voyages' end.

The writing style is heroic, but not overwrought.Here is an example with Orm talking to his companion, Toke: "I know what I am leaving behind but the wisest of men could not tell me to what I am returning or whether things will turn out as I fear they may."Another example, "But sometimes he was visited by evil dreams, and then he would become so agitated in his sleep that Ylva would wake him to ask whether the night mare was riding him, or whether there was any trouble on his mind.When he had awakened and had fortified his courage with strong ale, she would hear, perhaps, that in his sleep he had returned to the Moorish galley and had been rowing his heart out as the whip snaked across his shoulders and the groans of his fellows filed his ears and their wealed backs bent painfully before his eyes; and on the morning after such a dream he loved to sit beside Rapp, who never dreamed, in the carpenter's shed and exchanged memories with him of those far-off days."What could be more perfectly evocative?The playful and pragmatic engagement of the "heathen" Vikings with their gods and the Christian god was also brilliantly rendered.For example, Orm remarks, "Whether any of our gods have done anything for me, though, I do not know, certain it is that I have not done much for them."

If there are any authors who are currently writing with the verve and epic sweep of "The Long Ships" I am unaware of them.If there are any other modern adventure tales that can stand equal with "The Long Ships" I know nothing of them, either.This is, I say without hesitation, an immortal masterpiece.NYRB deserves immense credit for resurrecting it.If you are searching for another book that embodies the same virtues, I unhesitatingly recommend (if you can find it),the wonderful textual rendering of ancient poem, "The Nibelungenlied" by A.T. Hutto, found in an early (1965) Penguin edition.

The Long Ships
This book covers an amazing period of history that is basically neglected.It was fantastic and very well written although it was a translation from the original. This would appeal to men and women alike as well as teens that are history buffs....Can't say enough about the "saga" as Norse stories are called...

Long Ships is Long on Drama
A wonderful adventure saga.I was engrossed by every chapter following the exploits of Red Orm.Why are there not modern authors like Bengtsson?

Great old yarn
If you liked Michael Chabon's Gentlemen of the Road, you will love this, which I believe was the inspiration for that first book.Published in 1954, it is by turns, epic saga, straight forward, historical, engaging and sly, and generally a satisfying old yarn about the Vikings in Scandinavia in the 10th century. Adventures on the high seas, romance, and kidnapping abound. Released as a New York Review Books Classic. Enjoy.

great book
Another "Count of Monte Cristo"It is that good, it really has it all.What surprises me is that know one has ever heard of it. ... Read more

Product Description
This work features: maps pinpoint locations; comprehensive listings for each region; and, diner styles and manufacturers. From Long Island to the bordering Great Lakes, the Empire State is brimming with diners of every ilk and era. It is home to many classic stainless steel models, as well as newer retro diners. This handy book is a complete guide that will take travellers through heavy concentrations of diners in New York City, the Catskills, and the Hudson Valley to the more sparse regions in the western part of the state, pointing out what makes each one unique. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Happy dinering!
The authors obviously spent a great deal of time traversing NY State - which is the "ultimate" for diners - and they've included a great selection.I've visited several of them and it's been fun seeking them out.I really enjoyed reading this book and looking at the photos.

Nice book!
I got this book as a gift for my father and he really liked it. All the pictures were great.

A must-buy for the informed diner fan
If you're a diner fan who likes solid information more than pretty pictures this is a book for you. Full of facts and opinions with useful maps this is a requirement for anyone who plans to hit the roads of NY State searching out classic factory-built diners. ... Read more

Product Description
With a cast of characters ranging from Malcolm X to 50 Cent, this is the first detailed account of the movement inextricably linked with black empowerment, Islam, New York, and hip-hop. Including coverage of Brooklyn turf gangs, the Attica prison uprising, 1980s crack empires, and the stars of Five Percenter rap, this fast-paced investigation uncovers the Five Percenters' icons and heritage, and examines their growing influence in urban American youth culture. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Informative however chapters lacked structure
This book was extremely informative from a historical account however my only beef is that it bounced in and out of stories too rapid.The book is packed with historical information.Peace!

the most thorough and academic approach to documenting the phenomenon of the 5% that I have ever come across...
The author takes us into the lives and times of those who lived amongst the 5%ers founder in the ghetto of New York City amidst a hotbed of political turmoil and the changing of both the tide and the guard. From the likes of Sweet Daddy Grace Divine to Marcus Garvey to Harlem street youth who would not conform to the dietary regime and dress code of the NOI but were attracted to its self empowering, esoteric lessons in catechismal format...the author introduces you them all and shows you the world through their eyes.He brings it up to current times at Parliamentary sessions, and he details happenings and conversations he encounters as Moors, thugs, intellectuals and others engage him...a White, Orthodox Muslim...walking the streets of Harlem and absorbing the story and history of the NGE.

Being familiar with the intricate origins of the 5% Nation as well as many of its more obscure moments in history, I am quite taken back by this work.It is to date the only reliable, academically approached, work of cultural anthropology on the 5%ers that extends beyond the length of an academic essay.Covering everything from its inception in Newark, NJ with Duse Ali, Timothy Drew, the NOI and extending into the undocumented & shadowy world of the Black Angels and the nuances of young puerto rican and white urban youth (in addition to the black youth) from NJ & NYC who were brought under the tutelage of Clarence 13X (an incredibly complex and self contradicting icon who held down his square and mixed at ease amidst the City Hall social circles just as he did in the underworld of Harlem), this book even covers the interaction with Malachi Z. York's sect in Bushwick, Brooklyn.The approach is one of entrenched neutrality...laying the facts (both good and bad) out on the table for the reader to discern.Especially interesting is the information provided on the origin of the Supreme Mathematics and its author 37X as some have distorted this story in oral tradition as having been one and the same person as 13X.By far, the prize buried in all this substance is the detailed account of the relationship between Allah, Barry Gottehrer & Mayor Lindsay.This book reads well, and it is a far cry from the all caps attempts at capturing this movement's history in book form that have preceded it.It is hard to put down.

A Remarkable Achievement
A remarkable achievement combining voluminous detailed research and a skilled writing style. a very honest recounting of the extremely complex history of the five percenters--from its founding by clarence smith in new york city in the l960s who believed he was Allah and the survival and growth of his group of followers nationally following his violent death nearly 40 years ago. as an author myself ("the mayor's man" is one of my eight books)and one who knew Allah personally and was in new york city government when the five percenters were founded, i highly recommend this book. ... Read more

Product Description
Most historians have credited New Deal initiatives in economic regulation and social welfare policy with bringing about the modern American state. Michael Fein now reveals the surprising story of how road building paved the way to the modern state during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and how public works policy emerged as a third critical pillar in support of state building.

Paving the Way shows that the growing transportation needs of a steadily industrializing nation reconfigured state politics, bringing about a revolution in governance as it reshaped the landscape. Examining state and local policy developments from half a century before the New Deal, Fein describes how the transition from rutted wagon trails to smooth highways shifted road-maintenance responsibility from local residents to state engineers. Focusing on New York State, a national leader in infrastructure development, Fein demonstrates that its citizens gradually became more comfortable with state bureaucracy because it resulted in better roads.

This conferral of political legitimacy on state engineers by the general populace proved instrumental in the consolidation of engineers' power, translating their professional expertise into a new kind of politics. Fein charts five distinct road-building policy regimes to explain how a basic function of governance--providing public ways--evolved from 1880 to 1956. He also explores the contested nature of these regime changes, as cycling and automobile clubs, construction and real estate interests, hard-nosed agrarians, urban bosses, and professional engineers sought to shape highway policy to their advantage.

Fein argues that these state-local power negotiations were important rehearsals for the overall centralization of bureaucratic authority in the mid-twentieth century. Although other traditionally local policy concerns such as education and social welfare would undergo similar transformations, road building was the first major policy area in which older relations between citizens and governing institutions were replaced by modern intergovernmental arrangements.

Paving the Way reminds us that what we take for granted today as a basic function of government bureaucracy was once an open and even controversial question. It offers a new perspective on federal power, arguing that the modern American state rested on the rise of a more complex federalism than has been supposed. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (8)

wonderful
I wanted to get my christmas shopping done early and I'm glad i did as i now know what to get everyone i know, this book
its so beautiful and charming and a prefect gift for anyone. I'm hoping a new one will come out soon!

Huge Disappointment
The title is misleading and the illustrations and text are so simplistic that I don't know anyone ver 6 years of age that would want to read beyond the first few pages.

This magic kingdom consists of five boroughs

Here is an ideal holiday gift for anyone who has ever visited the New York City area during the holiday season because it will evoke so many fond memories. For others who plan to visit the area for the first time as well as for residents who are eager to explore new sources of magic and delight, this book offers dozens of suggestions of where to go, what to see and do, etc.in the five boroughs...especially Manhattan (e.g. Radio City Music Hall, Rockefeller Center, the Wollman Rink in Central Park, and Washington Square Park) but also the Bronx (e.g. the New York Botanical Garden and the Bronx Zoo), Brooklyn (e.g. Grand Army Plaza and Dyker Heights), Queens (e.g. Flushing Meadows-Corona Park), and Staten Island (e.g. Historic Richmond Town). Michael Storrings provides a brief but eloquent Preface to his series of exquisite watercolor drawings, including those that are devoted to 39 different special treats that extend from the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade that employees of R.H. Macy & Company started in 1924 and concludes with a tradition that has continued since 1907 as each New Year is welcomed in Times Square.

Relevant historical information supplements must of the illustrations, followed by brief personal comments about the seasonal events and locations. Here are a few representative examples:

"New York City, where I live, is impressive at any time, but as Christmas approaches it's overwhelming. Store windows blaze with lights and color, furs and jewels. Golden angels, forty feet tall, hover over Fifth Avenue. Wealth, power, opulence...nothing in the world can match this fabulous display." (Norman Vincent Peale, "A Gift from the Heart," 1968)

"The Christmas trees are almost all sold
And the ones that are left go cheap.
The children almost all over town
Have almost gone to sleep."
(Langston Hughes, Christmas Eve: Nearing Midnight in New York," 1965)

"The magi, as you know, were wise men - wonderfully wise men who brought gifts to the Babe in the manger. They invented the art of giving Christmas presents. Being wise, their gifts were no doubt wise ones, possibly bearing the privilege of exchange in case of duplication." (O. Henry, "The Gift of the Magi," 1906)

"When the ball dropped on New Year's Eve, I have to tell you - I was elated and enormously pleased at the tremendous progress that the city has made, and at the fact that New York was the center of everything when the world welcomed the new millennium." (Former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, in his "State of the City" address, 2000)

This little book comes as close as any book possibly could to suggesting what a magic kingdom New York becomes each holiday season.

A Winter Wonderland
This is quite simply the most charming Christmas book ever written about New York."A Very New York Christmas" is theperfect holiday gift for New Yorkers and those who love New York.Each page reveals a vignette of people and places that reflect the vibrant and colorful neighborhoods of the world's greatest city.

A great gift for anyone
I was totally surprised at all the detail in the illustrations in this book.This is remarkable art work that should be shared with anyone.I have never been to New York City at Christmas time, but I will definitely want to go and see it now after seeing it through the eyes of Michael. The details are in everything in this book from the illustrations to the history. A wonderful gift for yourself or anyone. Kudos to Michael on creating a chance for anyone around the world to "visit NYC" anytime! ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (2)

Twenty Minutes in Manhattan
Twenty Minutes in Manhattan is a must for anyone interested in the architecture and social fabric of life in New York.My son and I found it fascinating and although a bit dry n places - well worth the time.Can be read in small chunks as time allows.Twenty Minutes in Manhattan

Walk Man
Michael Sorkin has written the best book on architecture and cities I have read in thirty years.

The groaning tables of books on architecture and its vulgar opposite, real estate, have been near collapse from useless piles of theories, career promotions, trashing old houses, freezing relics, flipping toxic properties, making tidy fortunes by deceiving yearning home buyers, and most of all boosting the pathetic dreams of new urbanists out to out-do Disneyesque fantasists.

Sorkin shows that cities are far better than they have been made out to be by defilers of the landscape who want to ruin them in order to sell new, improved cleansing soapsuds.

By walking daily from his home to studio along a small chunk of lower Manhattan, historicized Greenwich Village to tonified Tribeca, Sorkin has gestated thousands of eye-widening insights about what works in cities and what doesn't.

He gives little credit to aggressive professional planners in thrall to rich developers, instead he bestows awards on street entrepreneurs and neighborhood believers. He wonderfully and informatively describes details of large failures and small successes in New York City, the United States, Europe, Asia and elsewhere he has traveled to lecture and study -- many sure to start as headshaking before erupting as in belly-laughs.

Incivil discourse -- urban warfare -- gets special attention, the worst and the best, the enduring homicidal threat of infernal vehicles against pedestrians fighting for their lives. The cellphone yakkers, the widebody baby strollers, the second-hand smokers, the Formula 1 jerks in from Jersey, the national security bollards, the the homeland security aggressors, the corporate haters of trees, the venal, cruel, landlords at home and work, the fancy architects without scruple, what else have you always wanted somebody to challenge, ridicule and perfectly plan for extinction.

Sorkin handily provides tips for winning exclusive use of an elevator, what to enjoy in cities no tour guide knows, who to be forever angry at for damaging our habitats, what each of us can do to contribute to -- demand of our elected representatives, designers and educators -- places to live and thrive under our own guidance, free of orchestrated interference by exploiters of cities and their covert lobbyists and financiers.

Get this heart-warming, mind-stretching book, take a hike with Sorkin, dodge insane traffic, dump garbage in front of your landlord's office, pray for rent control to spread around the world.

... Read more

Product Description

In Pagan Theology, Michael York situates Paganism—one of the fastest-growing spiritual orientations in the West—as a world religion. He provides an introduction to, and expansion of, the concept of Paganism and provides an overview of Paganism's theological perspective and practice. He demonstrates it to be a viable and distinguishable spiritual perspective found around the world today in such forms as Chinese folk religion, Shinto, tribal religions, and neo-Paganism in the West.

Customer Reviews (9)

Very informative
I purchased this book initially because as a Solitary Eclectic Wiccan I have found precious little material exploring Wiccan theology and wanted to condense my own ideas with the help of some good reference material.

This book does help me in that regard, but not as much as I had hoped.I would say the vast majority of the book deals with what Isaac Bonewits referred to as "Mesopaganisms" and their comparison/contrast with "Paleopaganisms", with Neopaganisms being the extreme minority of the topics under discussion.There, he uses somewhat odd definitions and lumps all of Witchcraft into the same framework as Wicca, which isn't accurate or fair, but may be a useful enough construct to form sweeping theories with.Basically the most of the text is dedicated to creating definitions.

That said, the book gave me lots to ponder that wasn't on my original shopping list so to speak, and the final, shortest, chapter DOES handle theology more directly.The presentation is generalizing and nonspecific but still helpful.I was most taken by his idea that the New Age movement, which he characterizes as Gnostic, is essentially at odds with the Witchcraft religions in their basic worldviews (Paganisms envisioning the world, the Gods, and the human race as codependent, while Gnostic philosophy sets apart the idea of the One from all lesser emanations; in the one, Nature is sacred, while in the other, Nature is illusion).He surmises that these two incompatible philosophies form loose alliances due to the shared experience of Christian condemnation.

All in all I recommend this book for advancing Neopagans who are looking to help firm up their definitions of broad terms and identify themselves with the religious movements around the world that share common themes with their own.

Does Not Fulfill What It Says It Will From Title
Michale York's 'Pagan Theology' does a horrible job of doing what it says it is going to do based on the title. It exemplifies the problems most Western scholars have in coming to terms with the concept of polytheism and paganism. Divided into three parts, the first two are substantive, though the focus is not at all on theology. The first section introduces non-monotheistic traditions under the rubric of paganism from the purview of a Western scholastic mindset and not from an internal one. The second focuses on the specific practices of paganism, not theology. Then the final section which is on theology is only 13 pages in length and focuses on historical ideas rather than crafting a theology. Thus if you want to read a book on Pagan Theology no religion per se, the only current book out there that does this in my opinion is The Deities Are Many by Jordan Paper.

great treatise!
I strongly encourage anyone interested in this topic to give this book a try.An excellent monograph on the subject.The author has something interesting to share, and does it in a succinct way.Not a casual read, but very good nonetheless...

An interesting description and defense of Paganism
There are plenty of books about theology.But not all that many on Pagan theology.That means that a book like this one could be pioneering, but it might also be trivial.

In spite of all that has been written about monotheistic theology, I find the concept of a "perfect Creator," let alone a just, good, omnescient, or omnipresent one rather silly.In my opinion, real Goddesses and Gods are perfections of attributes.Now, is that what most folks think?Is it what the author of this book thinks?

Well, it isn't something everyone agrees on.As York says in his preface, the associate provost of Boston University finds neopagans "confused, deluded, frivolous, and devoid of intellectual seriousness."Hey, that's what I think of the Christians, Jews, and Muslims!Anyway, the provost's point is that Pagan religions offer no ethical guidance.And there is something to that.Pagans often try to learn how to contribute as best they can in areas they feel are of value.Monotheists worry more about what it is they ought to value.But to claim that monotheists offer ethical guidance is something of an exaggeration, as is the suggestion that Pagans offer less ethical guidance.

So I can see why York wrote this book.He's quite properly defending the claim that Pagan religions are serious.

York begins with a chapter on Paganism as religion.He starts by leaving out the monotheists, the Buddhists, and even the Hindus (huh?) as Pagans.And he discusses folk religions of China, Japan, and elsewhere.The focus is on supernatural aspects.

Next comes a chapter on Paganism as behavior.That means the commitment that Pagans display.But just what is that commitment to?There is some description of some Gods and Goddesses, but I don't think York really answers this question well.There is also some description of ritual.But is ritual a mere display of commitment?Or does it have an independent significance in making one a different person? At least, this chapter devotes a great deal of space to Hinduism.As well as Buddhism and monotheism.

At the end of the book, the author has a chapter on Paganism as theology.He tells of the difference between Paganism and Gnosticism.And he addresses the charge that Pagan religions can be reactionary, fascist, chauvinist, and racist (actually, this charge can be made against monotheistic religions as well).

This is a pretty good book.But I think we're still awaiting a serious and pioneering work on the topic.

Bold and Fresh.Not without difficulties, but well-argued.
Michael York's book attempts to resurrect a category of cross-cultural religious understanding once thought to be irredeemably imperialist, archaic or Eurocentric. In examining Paganism, he is not concentrating on contemporary forms referred to as Neo-Paganism, but rather drawing thematic continuities to forms of worship across times and spaces. From Greco-Roman times onwards, York sees Pagan gods as essentially having an kindred affinity with Humans--different in degree rather than in kind. Fundamental "animism, polytheism, idolatry, corpospirituality, local emphasis," geosacrality, apotheosis, devotional reciprocity, regeneration, circular history, vitalism, phallicism, and most of all, celebration---these are the salient forms York finds in Paganism as a root religious type. Earth and Nature are the sacred texts for Pagan religions.

There is typically an "otherworld," but not a transcendent one. Rather, for York, Otherworlds in Paganism are earthly paradises, or at least realms that intersect with with this world and immanent, sometimes co-terminous, even "co-dependent" with this realm. Again, often a difference of degree, rather than kind. The flexibility and innovations of dioscuric triads and Shaman-Tricksters are common as well, and York connects this theme again across spaces, from the Norse trickster Loki to Hermetic Sacred Magic in the Western Tradition. Behaviorally, York draws on Peter Berger to claim that natural, spontaneous worship directed in this world is characteristic of Paganism, as well as the idolatrous bhakti devotions of vernacular Hinduism. Even Thai Theravada Buddhism is examined for its devotion to relics, veneration of images, and tradition of geolocal domestic spirit houses.

A number of different religious expressions are examined for these forms of devotion. Chinese folk religion (including but not limited to ritual Taoism), Japanese forms of Shinto, and vernacular (but not speculative or Brahmanical) Hinduism. Afro-Carribean and contemporary Western Paganisms are also examined as part of these ways of approaching sacrality.

This not to say that all Paganisms are the same. York makes sub-typological distinctions, such as geopaganism, recopaganism, and neopaganism. York actually places Neopaganism on the fringes of the typology, due to its alleged lack of actual polytheism. And he is careful to include significant doses of humanism, from Epicurus to Confucian ideology, that accompany different forms of Paganism. York also does not shy away from the "darker" aspects of Paganism. For if Paganism works by enhancing/restoring environmental equilibrium, sometimes both offensive and defensive modes are needed. Contrary to what some would argue, this makes Paganism more of an ethical religious stance for York than the transcendental or gnostic religious modes, as he later points out.

The first part of the book is largely devoted to fleshing out the typology, while the second section covers examples from these many cross-cultural traditions that exemplify parts of the typology. Thirdly Paganism is contrasted to what he calls 'gnostic' modes of religiosity or 'transcendental' modes, although all of these are found as modes within individual large religious traditions. Yet York sees 'world-denying' religions such as Christianity, Zororastrianism, and speculative Buddhism as more properly transcendental or gnostic religions. Some of these non-Pagan modes are found within the heritage of Western occultism. For example, York considers Platonism, Theosophy and New-Age more gnostically oriented than Pagan.

Its a bold book, and one that has merits. Some volumes work by claiming large amounts of ground, which is then refined and modified/challenged over time. This may be one of those volumes. There are some vocabulary archaisms, such as the terms "primitive," "cult" and "Lamaism," which communicate some of the unease associated with what some may see as imperialist throwback. I think there is significant merit in York's argument, although I see concerns as well. But York is to be commended for his boldness in articulating a major field of study. In closing, it is perhaps important that York himself closes with a mention of Pagan ethics, naming "honor," "trust," and "friendship" as an ethical triad. Paganism, after all, since it is at heart concerned with relationality and relationships, is an ethical religious stance before it is anything else. ... Read more

Product Description
GREAT HOUSES OF NEW YORK, 1880-1930 presents the stories of 43 most elegant houses built in New York. With over 300 archival photographs and floor plans and a decade of research, Michael Kathrens profiles New York houses known only for their magisterial presence on the city s most elegant boulevards, some of which still exist today. IN the book the lavish rooms are brought to life again polished black and white columns reflect in the marble floor of a grand entryway, Dutch master paintings line damask walls in the second floor reception room, a crystal chandelier softly lights a dining rooms whose boiserie glows with paintings by Boucher evoking the elegant private life that has become a trademark of the wealthy New Yorker. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Acanthus Press second place prize winner
I own a number of the Acanthus Press series, as well as numerous other books on great estates and mansions, some more than 100 years old. So I'm a tough critic.I agree with the other reviewers that this is a very good volume and in my opinion second only to the House of Los Angeles ( two volumes) set. The author has published many of the period photos in full page format.But what I would have liked in this book was more homes. There are a number of well photographed equally grand and important mansions that are missing. The jaw dropping Yerkes mansion for one was extensively photographed at the time.I am pleased however that the author did include the wonderfully gaudy Clark mansion, heretofore overlooked in other books on this subject.
This volume definitely should be part of your collection.
4.5 stars.

superb book
Kathrens' book is simply superb and is the only one I know of that pretty much thoroughlly documents the now almost lost domestic architecture of the Gilded Age.Not only are the descriptions of the houses outstanding, but the history of families that built them and under which circumstances is also given, and to completely understand a work of architecture, be it a commercial building or house, this is necessary, though not always included but it is in this book! It's a pity that these great houses of New York are now, for the most part, gone, but at least one can get a wonderful, visual documentation from his wonderful, rare, archival photos of the houses, not just exterior, but interior as well.I reccommend this book to anyone interested in great houses or in New York.It's a book that one must have and will enjoy reading and looking through forever.Lee Govatos

Architectural Joy
A fascinating book, covering the now mostly demolished great homes of New York, during the extraordinary flowering of wealth and enterprise in the late C19th.
All the famous families appear together with Edith Wharton style stories of scandal and excess...
The book boasts beautiful photographs, attractively reproduced, and fascinating floor plans.
Great Houses is exceptionally well written and a joy to the eye. One for architecture enthusiasts everywhere!

awesome book
A must read for design, architecture and house enthusiasts. Well written and althought all pictures are in black and white they are fabulous. An easy read full of great backgound and rich in history.

Gilded Age New York
I have been waiting for a book like this for some time, and this one does not disappoint. It is well researched with wonderful historic black and white photos.The book is of the finest quality and the text is well put together.This is such an interesting subject and the authors are very thorough in their research, the book really feels complete.I highly recommend it to anyone with any interest in wonderful Gilded Age residental architecture or just an interest in the rich history of this great city.I can't imagine anyone being disappointed in this book and I commend the authors on doing such a fine job on a most worthy subject. Thank you. ... Read more

Product Description

Listeners will encounter the Word of God in short, practical devotional segments designed to listen to on the go.

The Word of Promise™ Inspiration for Today, Volume 1 is a two CD-set packaged in a designed swing tray jewel case. There will be 40 three-minute devotions, equaling two hours of inspired listening time. The devotions will include an excerpt from The Word of Promise™ New Testament Audio Bible, an insightful reading by Michael York, and meditative music from composer Maestro Stefano Mainetti.

Customer Reviews (1)

Great Audio Bible - but with some problems
I have been listening to "the Word of Promise" for a few weeks now, and really like this dramatic presentation of the Bible.I have many different productions of audio Bibles, this would be the best - except for a couple of VERY annoying things.(1) This product does not announce the chapters of the books of the Bible, except for the introduction a book.This presents a real problem, if you are trying to keep up with where you are in the Bible.I have never heard of an audio Bible that does not announce each chapter.This alone, will cause me to set your production aside, when I finish listening to it once.I listen to the Bible in the car, at home, while walking, and occasionally in the office - which REQUIRES you to know what chapter you are in, at any given time, so you can pick it up from another source, or to pick up the Bible and read, from that point.What where the producers thinking?(2) I love your special affects, except that constant scratching when the letters of the Bible are being read.We know that Paul's books are a collecion of letters that he wrote, having hours and hours of audio scratching to duplicate writing a letter does nothing but annoy the listener.It is ok for a few minutes, but hours of scratching is not necessary.I am a minister, and often recommend these products to people, but these two things will prevent me from recommending this audio Bible. ... Read more

Product Description
The streets of New York are full of characters-eccentrics, tourists, and residents-who don't care who's around to hear them. This collection offers some of the most bizarre, hysterical, and mysterious conversations overheard on the sidewalk, in the subway, or from the next table.

The website overheardinnewyork.com has been featured in many publications, including The New York Times, Time Out New York, the Chicago Sun-Times, the San Francisco Examiner, and the New York Post. Now site creators S. Morgan Friedman and Michael Malice have compiled the greatest moments caught in passing, to create a hilarious panorama of the unique people who populate the city. The book features an introduction by Marc Shaiman, the Tony and Grammy award-winning composer of Hairspray, as well as a foreword by bestselling author Lawrence Block. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Laugh out Loud funny!
I scared a few people with my laughter as i read this at a coffee shop one day.

It is hard to believe people are so absurd, but this book will prove the point over and over again.

Easy read and fun with a group of people to read aloud.

If your a New Yorker you'll get it!
Overheard in New York

This book is so true to form if your a New Yorker.If you don't know your way around then you may not "get it".

The Bi-Coastal Brooklynite Seal of Approval!
This book makes an excellent gift for that displaced New Yorker friend of yours who gets all misty-eyed and nostalgic at the thought of slogging through slush while chewing on a greasy slice of pizza.

I purchased this book for just one such dear friend.She really, really enjoyed her gift (which of course made me very happy) - enjoyed it so much, in fact, that she called me not once, but twice to read it aloud to me on the phone in her inimitable Brooklyn accent.She seemed to really feel that this book gave her a taste of home.And for that I will gladly give the book five stars.

The little snippets of overheard conversation are brief and easy to read, making this a potentially great bathroom book.Enjoy!

A Good Gift
This small volume, a highlighting of what is found on the website, makes a wonderful gift for anyone with a quirky sense of humor or who has come home with a story about what they heard on the subway.The book can quickly be read completely or in short snippets.It is a wonderful pick-me-up and a source of endless humor.

pop culture meets the streets
Overheard in New York provides an eclectic view into the thoughts, fears, and fantasies of everyday people of our pop culture. Similar to the Post Secret series created by Frank Warren, Friedman has creatively provided a voyeuristic atmosphere for the reader to enjoy. ... Read more

Product Description
This delightful, vividly detailed book takes you out "on the town" in New York from the American Revolution to today's Food Revolution. Michael and Ariane Batterberry, founders of Food and Wine magazine, detail a magnificent journey through the streets of New York, exploring the customs in eating, drinking and entertainment of both high and low culture. They take you into the dives of the Tenderloin and to the elaborate banquets of the Gilded Age. Whether they are talking about a saloon or the famous Astor House, they provide the most fascinating details from New York's richly diverse culinary history.

First published in 1973 when New York seemed to be a city in decline, the original edition of On the Town in New York saw very little hope in the city's culinary future. Who could have known that New York was on the brink of a Food Revolution and a total reinvention of the American dining experience? Conceived to redress that miscalculation and to celebrate the thriving growth of dining out in New York, this anniversary edition of On the Town in New York contains a new afterward that picks up where the Batterberrys left off.

All of the wonderful details of the original edition remain. We still find the vivid picture of the reception for Lafayette in 1824, the interesting birth of the cafeteria, as well as the description of an 1897 costume ball that cost $350,000. Even the recipe for the Algonquin's Famous Apple Pie is here for the traditionalists.

What's new is the interesting tale of how New York came to be the restaurant capital of the world at a time when no one thought it possible. The Batterberrys combine their keen sense of New York's social history with their insider's knowledge of how the food and beverage industry reconceptualized itself to take advantage of the changing social fabric following the turbulent 60s. Here we find details of how the changing role of women, the influx of new immigrant communities, and the focus on nouvelle cuisine combined in unique ways to create a thriving dining industry rich in talent and celebrity.

Delicious and irrisistable, this social history of New York will please anyone whose tasted the specialties of Chinatown, had a steak at Keen's or basked in the luxuries of the Rainbow Room. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

My Compliments to the Chefs
Michael and Ariane Batterby have given us, in ON THE TOWN IN NEW YORK, a fairly comprehensive look at New Yorkers doing what they do best: eating and partying. I appreciate the earlier reviewer's complaint about historical inaccuracies--he's right, they are BIG errors. However, as a serious investigation into what New Yorkers put in their stomachs, I was pleasantly enlightened. Turtle Soup?! Turtle Soup?! What the...?

I loved the reprints of the menus of hoidy-toidy restaurants. It really gives you a sense of extravagance bordering on gluttony that went on in 19th Century NYC. And then there are the vivid chapters of New Yorkers at play: The Stork Club, The El Morocco, etc. The all-night bashes of the 20th Century, as well as extravagant somber dinners of the 19th Century are wonderfully described. (Note: The number of eateries that were brought down by organized crime seemed a little inflated. I know it ruined many a joint, but all the joints presented in the book? I had a hard time swallowing that. Pun intended.)

As a History, no, I would not base a dissertation on it. As a thorouhghly enjoyable look back at a world now long gone and what the people ate and did in it, I wish to pay my compliments to the chefs. Delicioso!

A Plate of Rehash
One would have thought that the authors would have corrected their earliermistakes when re-issuing a 25th anniversary edition but the kindest wordfor their research is "haphazard" at best.Rather than attemptthe most elementary primary research, they have instead relied upon triteretellings of events with no regard for veracity.One example - theyinsist that the Bradley Martin Ball of 1897 requested attendees (and therewere 900 documented - not 700 as the authors allege) attend "ascourtiers of Louis XV."Copies of the invitation abound at severallocations and would have revealed the wording, "Costumes of the 16th,17th, and 18th centuries de rigueur."Further, the Martinsdid not"flee America forever and seek asylum in England" as a result ofthe dinner.They had lived primarily in England and Scotland for threeyears PRIOR to the Ball - their only daughter, the Countess of Craven,lived there as well with the Martins' then-only grandchild. The finalinsult is the authors' allegation that Mrs. Martin "with her legendarygrace ... bawled" at visitors to a dinner she later gave at theWaldorf.That charge is pure fiction and the authors cannot possibly layclaim to having been there more than 100 years ago either to hear such asupposed exclamation nor to observe how it was delivered. The authors needto spend more time in a library and less in a kitchen. ... Read more

Product Description
National Geographic brings 112 years of incomparable travel expertise to today's sophisticated globetrotters in this internationally acclaimed, award-winning series of comprehensive global guidebooks. Now revised and updated, these superbly practical and portable guides are a must-have.


"A winning formula of in-depth reporting and breathtaking photography." —Atlanta Journal-Constitution


"High production quality…detailed information… can be read as much for pleasure as practicality." —Library Journal


"Succinctly written text and marvelous photography." —Chicago Tribune


"Rich with photography, maps, and historical context." —Los Angeles Times


"Sure to push some competing titles off book counters." —The Oregonian


"A thorough, intelligently presented, well-illustrated guide, it will probably give you the basics of what you need more clearly and compactly than any other book." —The Independent (London) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great Book
I think these Nat Geo books are the best.Not for hotels or restaurants, but outstanding for deiscovering sights that appeal to you with their fantastic photos of each place they review. ... Read more

Product Description
From 1906 to 1934, Eugene de Salignac shot over 20,000 stunning 8x10-inch glass-plate negatives of New York City. As sole photographer at the Department of Bridges/Plant and Structures during that period of dizzying growth, he documented the creation of the city's modern infrastructure--including bridges, major municipal buildings, roads and subways. For years, de Salignac's remarkably lyrical photographs have been featured in books and films, but never credited to their author. New York Rises, which will accompany a traveling exhibition, is the first monograph to present this unprecedented work as an aesthetically coherent oeuvre by a photographer with a unique vision. As meticulous in his record keeping as he was creative in his photography, de Salignac left five handwritten logs that identify each negative by place and exact date. This information is complemented throughout the book by narrative captions expanding on themes such as accidents, bridges, workers and the Depression. Essayist Michael Lorenzini unearths primary sources to reconstruct de Salignac's biography and Kevin Moore explores the photographer's work in the context of other masters of the period, including Eugene Atget and Berenice Abbott. Copublished with the New York City Department of Records/Municipal Archives. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Notes of a Jazz Riff Playing Above the Skyline
If I endorse this book as a monograph showcasing the photos of a man who worked for New York's Department of Bridges/Plant and Structures for 28 years, I'll be lucky to get a polite, uninterested smile.

But if I could share one of photographer Eugene de Salignac's extraordinary shots with you, you'd be hooked. Just look at the book's cover, showcasing painters nonchalantly draped on the rigging of the Brooklyn Bridge. (They are described in THE NEW YORKER as looking like "the notes of a jazz riff playing above the skyline.")

Thanks and kudos to Michael Lorenzini, who scoured New York's Municipal Archives and looked over about twenty thousand glass negatives to compile this retrospective of de Salignac's work. The photographer had the opportunity to record the astounding construction in New York that took place in the first third of the 20th century. That means much of this material has to do with transportation, and so we are treated to vintage shot after shot of subway tunnels, ferries, bridges, and trolley lines, as well as landmarks like the Municipal Building.

An extraordinary career is retrieved from anonymity here, and Kevin Moore's notes do a good job of putting the images into context. Highly recommended.

NEW YORK PIX
A work of great interest from three viewpoints: you-are-there history of Nrew York 1905-1935, architecture and engineering of bridges and buildings and striking photographs by an expert cameraman.

Good but not Great
The images in New York Rises are historically entertaining and informative. They are of high quality, but, few rise to the level of photographic art. Nevertheless, it is fascinating to travel back in time and experience what life was like during this dynamic period in New York's history.

New York Rises: Photographs by Eugene de Salignac
A wonderful book showing the amazing work of an apparently self-taught photographer with a great eye for form and light on mundane subjects.His ability to portray people in some works speaks volumes on his insight into personal lives during the early 1900's.

This book gives a good sample of Eugene de Salignac's fine work.

New York Rises.
This is a wonderful book showcasing the beautiful work of an unknown city photographer. It documents an early New York City that few would have been able to see. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description

Customer Reviews (3)

A distracted dog, separated from his family, explores New York City from top to bottom
While Pete and his family are vacationing in New York City with Larry, the beloved family dog, Larry is left behind when he jumps out of a subway car to steal a bite of discarded pizza. Larry sets out in search of his humans, embarking on a journey that takes him to Grand Central Terminal, Times Square, Yankee Stadium, Columbus Circle, and many other places. His family is nowhere to be found, however. Fortunately for Larry, a young girl and her mother join him on his search, and the family is ultimately reunited, romantic-comedy style, on the roof deck of the Empire State Building.

Larry's determined quest is only part of what makes this book--and the other books in the //Larry Gets Lost// series--so engrossing; there are also sidebars with fun facts about the New York landmarks Larry encounters, such as that the Metropolitan Museum of Art contains over two million artworks and that traders met on Wall Street as far back as the 1800s. Readers who haven't yet visited the city will finish this book with a pleasant bite from the travel bug.

Reviewed by Margo Orlando Littell

Love This Book
What a wonderful book!!!If you are planning a trip to NYC or want to teach someone about it, this is the perfect resource!All of THE places to see and go to are highlighted along with a cute story about a boy and his dog.The author has similar books for a few other cities.I hope he continues to write more- I'll certainly buy them!

A dog's eye view of New York City
Larry, a geographically challenged pup, has gotten lost in cities such as Seattle, Chicago, and San Francisco. You'd think his owners would know by now to put him on a leash, but lucky for us, they don't! On a trip to the Big Apple, the hapless pooch hops off a subway when he spies a slice of discarded pizza. Quicker than you can say 'fuggetaboudit' he's on his own, searching for his family at the various landmarks of New York City. Part travelogue, part adventure, this beautifully illustrated book may be aimed at children (my seven-year-old goddaughter loves it) but adults will appreciated the well-researched information givenabout the many points of interest of this fascinating city. ... Read more

Product Description
Today, New York stands as the stronghold of American culture, business, and cosmopolitanism. Its size, influence, and multicultural compostition mark it as a corner-stone of our country. The rich and varied history of early New York would seem to present a fertile topic for investigation to those interested colonial America. Yet, there has never been a modern history of old New York--until this lively and detailed account by Michael Kammen.

Elegantly written and comprehensive in scope, Colonial New York includes all of the political, social, economic, cultural, and religious aspects of New York's formative centuries. Social and ethnic diversity have always been characteristic of New York, and this was never so evident as in its early years. This period provides the contemporary reader with a backward glance at what the United States would become in the twentieth-century. Colonial New York stood as a precursor of American society and culture as a whole: a broad model of the American experience we witness today.

Kammen's history is enlivened by a look at some of the larger-than-life personalities who had tremendous impact on the many social and political adjustments necessary to the colony's continued growth. Here we meet Peter Stuyvesant, director of New Netherland and an executive of the West India Company--a man facing the innumerable difficulties of governing a large, sprawling colony divided by Dutch, English, and Indian settlements. Ultimately, history would view him as a failure, but his strong, Calvinist approach left such an indelible stamp on the burgeoning colony that readers will be tempted to do a little revisionist thinking about his tenure. Looking at a later governor, Lord Cornbury, gives us the very opposite example of a man despised by his contemporaries as the most venal of all the colonial governors (he was an occasional public cross-dresser, wearing the clothes of his distant cousin, Queen Anne), but who forcefully guided the colony through a transition to Anglican rule. The book culminates in chapters that investigate New York's strategic role in the bloody French and Indian War, and the key part it played in the economic protests and political conflict that finally led to American independence.

The intricate and tangled web of alliances, loyalties, and shifting political ground that underlies much of colonial New York's past has clearly daunted many historians from taking on the task of writing an understandable account. Michael Kammen has accepted this challenge and gives us much more than a mere chronicle. Rather, he paints a compelling portrait of colonial life as it truly was.Although this important book is thorough and informed by primary sources, Colonial New York's clear and vivid prose offers a delightful narrative that will entertain both general readers and serious scholars alike. It pays special attention to localities and contains numerous illustrations that are attentive to the decorative arts and the material culture of early New York.

Surprising and enlightening, Colonial New York is a delight to read and provides new perspectives on our nation's beginnings. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Comprehensive and Accessible
Michael Kammen has put together an extraordinary amount of research into a fairly readable and swiftly paced book. Tracing New York City's history from the days of the Native Americans to its transformation to a Dutch trading post through its last days as England's colony, Professor Kammen's COLONIAL NEW YORK: A HISTORY is one of the more exhaustive studies on the subject ever written.

For me, the best parts of the book center on Peter Stuyvesant (whom Professor Kammen refers to as a "loser"--which he is, in ways). His study of the struggles between Dutch and English cultures in Section 7 is among the best I've ever read. While the book tends to sag during the sections about economic growth, it makes up for it in terms of valuable information. I shouldn't even mention that here: this isn't a novel, after all. In fact, it is a treasure trove of information which was all but lost to us until Professor Kammen wrote this book.

Rocco Dormarunno, author of THE FIVE POINTS CONCLUDED, A Novel ... Read more

Product Description

Here is New York was founded in response to the events of September 11, and to the flood of images that resulted from it. The idea was simple: to present images of the event by as many different people and from as many different perspectives as possible. In the days following September 11, the organizers asked for pictures and were inundated with slides, negatives, prints, and digital files from photographers of every description, not only top photojournalists and other professionals, but rescue workers, firemen, police officers, school children, and amateurs of every kind. In order to underline that it was the images themselves that mattered, rather than their makers, the photographs were all digitally scanned, printed out in exactly the same format, and hung from wires without attribution or frames in a Soho storefront in downtown Manhattan.

The book Here is New York will be the most comprehensive and authentic document of what occurred.It will bear witness to what seemed unimaginable, memorialize the people who perished and the rescue workers who served so heroically. Most of all, the book will be a testimony of people speaking directly to each other about their fears, their emotions, and their desire for community.This desire is one of the strongest by-products of the horrible events of September 11. It is also what distinguishes Here is New York from any and all other books about the event.

Proceeds from the sale of the images and the book benefit The Children's Aid Society's WTC Relief Fund. To date, Here Is New York has donated over $600,000.00 to the Society. The democratic nature of the exhibiton has allowed it to expand to simultaneous exhibitions including shows at The Museum of Modern Art, New York; the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs, Chicago; and The Daytona Beach Community College’s Southeast Museum of Photography. To continue to express the magnitude of this event and expound upon the democratic message of this project, exhibitions will be mounted simultaneously throughout the world this summer and fall to memorialize September 11th. The exhibitions will open in London, Tokyo, Zurich, Arles, as well as several other American locations including Washington, D.C. The pictures communicate where words are insufficient, each tells one part of this tragic story.

The Here Is New York exhibition has been featured in all of the major New York newspapers and by many local and national television networks, including CBS, PBS, NBC, ABC, CNN, and National Geographic, Oprah Winfrey, Rosie O'Donnell, Dateline, and 60 Minutes . International press from the following countries have covered the exhibition: the United Kingdom, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, The Netherlands, and Japan. The book Here is New York will receive extensive press coverage as well.

Slipcased hardcover with dust jacket, 864 pages, 12 x 8.25 inches, 720 color and 160 duotones ... Read more

Customer Reviews (43)

Book was never received
never received book... not sure if order was canceled or no longer available.Seller never notified me... book just never came and my money was refunded.

A Big Hit
I bought this for someone new to our family circle that I really wanted to welcome.It was number one on his Amazon wish list.I am told he was so enthralled with it that they finally had to take it away from him so they could eat Christmas dinner.

History
I thought this was an excellent idea for all those who were affected by 9/11 and wanted to never forget how the nation was united. We stood in shock at such a castrophe and horrendous action, but instead of standing apart we stood together as a nation; putting religion, race, and political views aside. Six years later, here we are still fighting the war on an enemy that has no face only hate- hate not just for Americans but anyone outside their beliefs.

A little piece of history...
I remember exactly what I was doing, where I was and who I was with when I first heard about the September 11th attacks on the United States of America. Everyone I know remembers too. As time went on, we all realized that our world would never be the same.

I saw this collection of photographs on a t.v. special and I had to have it. Although, I didn't loose anyone special that day...I knew I wanted to have a memento of September 11, 2001. This is perfect just for that. There is over 800 pages of pictures collected from everyone from photographers to tourists to citizens of New York in a very classy box to protect it. The collection is both glossy, colored photos and black and white photos. The pictures range from when the planes first hit the towers to the aftermath- our fallen towers, our fallen heroes, our fallen people.None of the photos have been censored, which I appreciated because it shows the truth of how devastating 9/11 really was. So, some of the photos are explicit.

If you want a little piece of history to show your children when they are older, your grandchilden, your unborn children or just to look back on...this is exactly what you should invest in.

This book of pictures tells the entire story without saying a word.

loved this book
I am always facinated by any book that has to do with 9-11.This book was no different.I was so engrossed in it because the pictures make you feel like you were there.This was the worst tragedy and I just feel for all of the families so I read everything that I can.Like I said this book made me feel like I was there and at least half of the photos I had never seen before. ... Read more