popsrocks's Full Review: James Spero - The Great Sights of New York: A Phot...
I love walking around New York City among the incredible structures that have been around for centuries and those that are new. This book not only provides photographs of many of these sights but also gives a concise description that provides great detail bringing another dimension to that of just observing photos of building's.
This book, that was first published in 1979, was again issued as a second edition in 1991, and updated again in 1993, by Dover Publications but with changes in sites and text by James Spero bringing NYC's fast changing historic buildings into new perspective.
This book is still easily available for purchase. I do recommend it for the traveler or New Yorker looking for information about many important NYC sites. This is not however a small pocket guide. It is printed in a magazine type format and the soft cover book is 8 1/2" X 11 1/2" that is also perfect for a coffee table.
The book highlights 102 buildings (one is now gone, more later)and sites that the author tells us in his introduction that were chosen because of "...how they figure in the history and fabric of the city...." he also notes that "...an attempt was made to present aspects of the city that would appeal to different interests - historical, social, financial and business, artistic and architectural..."
Spero's decisions for inclusion of these elements made for excellent all round choices. New York City is rich in all these points and he fills the pages with artistic quality black and white photographs of neighborhoods like Chinatown, Little Italy, Soho, Greenwich Village and more. Historic sites include Ellis Island, The Statue of Liberty, Federal Hall National Memorial, and Fraunce's Tavern among others.
New York's rise as the hub of sky scrapers has images of the Flat Iron Building, the Woolworth Building, The Chrysler Building, The Empire State Building and the Twin Towers. Many more are pictured too. Churches are in the mix with Trinity Church, St. Paul's Chapel, Grace Church, St. Patrick's Cathedral, and the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. Temple Emanu-El is also included in the many other houses of worship photographed and written of.
Many other structures are included like the Brooklyn Bridge, the George Washington Bridge and the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. The book spans into the different boroughs of NYC including sites like Belmont Race Track, Staten Island, the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, and the Botanical Gardens in the Bronx.
Gathering places are also noted with Coney Island, Carnegie Hall, Central Park, Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, Macy's, Madison Square garden, Union Square, Park Ave and many more. Many Museums also grace the pages of this book.
Just to give perspective, I have listed about thirty or so sites that are in this book. That's not even a third of what the book offers.
Format
A general alphabetical list of sites at the beginning of the book makes it easier to find each of the 102 photos without having to refer to the more detailed index in the back of the book.
There are two pages dedicated to a simple map with circled numbers showing where many of the 102 choices can be found. The map indicates the sites running up numerically from lower Manhattan to Upper Manhattan. The other boroughs are listed in the highest numbers. The text of the book along with the photographs move from the downtown to uptown sites.
Photographs
The book consists of 103 photographs including the frontispiece that is an aerial photo of midtown to lower Manhattan with the Statue of Liberty and the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge in the background.
Each of the other photographs, all taken by Edmond V. Gillon, Jr, are set on the page or opposite the page of text referring to it. The photographs dominate the pages and are presented in different sizes and use the pages of the book in different ways. Some photos fill a full page or a page and a half. Others use just a third of a page. Except for a very few images, most are taken in bright sunlight with interesting shadows.
Text
James Spero excels in his ability to give much information in an interesting and captivating, yet concise so as to not have to scale down the size of the photographs. His words describe the history and changes of the designated site and how it fits in with the rest of the city.
Each landmark has about 200-250 words dedicated to it that are full of facts and of the authors thoughts that can be useful to tourists and historians.
My Thoughts
First I do want to mention that this book, that is still quite current in its facts and images, does have the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center on its cover and another image within. Whenever I look at these photos I am filled with anger and sadness because of the loss of life on 9/11. I am also filled with pride knowing that men and woman serve us with so much bravery that they gave their lives to help other human beings. Though the buildings in the photographs no longer exist I am grateful to have them in this book. I shall never forget.
The other photographs represent the feel, grandeur and in some cased the intimacy of the structures and sites. I also like images in black and white that give a sense of the past and history.
It's the text that accompanies the photos that can be exceptionally helpful to anyone whether tourist, history buff or New Yorker who is interested in learning more about particular landmarks. The natural flow of the book takes the reader from downtown sites and directs the way uptown. This happens to reflect much of the history of NYC in that it was the lower end that was first inhabited and developed. As the years progressed the city expanded uptown.
Though this book has many facts of sites this is not a tour guide. You will not find hotels, restaurants, and theatres in this book unless they fit into the elements, that I mentioned earlier, that Spero set for inclusion in this book.
I find that I pick up this book from time to time to thumb through to view the interesting photos and at other times as a reference to most of NYCs many important, imposing and impressive sites.
A few of Popsrocks many reviews of sites covered in this book.
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