Product Description
New York churns at a relentless pace. It is constantly being rebuilt, torn down, and rebuilt again to make way for the next era of commerce and culture. It is truly the sum of its neighborhoods, all of which offer a different perspective on the history and attitude of the city, each of which is best explored on foot.

Secret New York delves below the surface of this vibrant city into the areas that shape New York, with walking tours that consider both the prominent buildings of the skyline and the hidden gems beneath the grid. Navigating a city on foot is the most tangible way to discover its secrets, and as a pedestrian city, New York lends itself to exploration more than most. As one of the first major cities of the United States, New York offers a glimpse of the country's early history, and as one of its most international cities, New York combines the best of the world's art, food, and way of life.

Secret New York offers a fabulous introduction to New York and its outer boroughs, as well as a deeper look at the areas that fall below the radar of traditional guidebooks. Full-color photographs capture the treasures tucked behind every corner, while clear, easy-to-follow route maps highlight places of special interest. For travelers and residents who want to gain familiarity with the city and know more of its peculiar hidden life, this book offers a rare perspective of a remarkable place. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Nothing secret about it
Within the "secret" NYC book, there is a chapter of "secret" places.These include the Brooklyn Bridge and Ellis Island.Also, the book is very focused on Manhattan, and I was hoping to hear about City Island, etc.Obviously, other people love the book, and it probably isn't a bad book, just disappointing if you're looking for "the City's hidden neighborhoods" rather than Grand Central Terminal.

A real hidden gem!
When I received this book as a gift a week ago I was reluctant to even open it, as I've become quite disappointed in the superficial nature of most guide books. This, however, turned out to be anything but that. A captivating collection of well-plotted walks through the city's best neighborhoods, "Secret New York" is also loaded with historical depth rarely found in this genre. Best of all, the prose is very well crafted and reminds one that even a guide book can and should be written by a talented writer.

This book is jam-packed with interesting information about New York. Who would have known that Dutch maidens used to wash clothing on what would become Maiden Lane? I didn't. Or that the Bryant Park hotel is meant to resemble a fiery radiator? News to me. How about the fact that a string quartet performs in the Ralph Lauren flagship store around Christmas time? I'll have to check that out.

Now living in London, I often think back to my days in New York with a sense of nostalgia. This charming book full of great pictures had brought the beloved neighborhoods back to life for me, with rich detail pouring off of every glossy page. My only reservation is that the book does not go into enough detail on the outer boroughs, perhaps due to limited space. Hopefully a second edition with more coverage thereof will soon follow.

Secret New York: THE gift for long-time New Yorkers or wannabes
I've now picked up 3 copies of Secret New York to give to friends who think they know everything about our adopted city - they don't! This book captures the essence of New York; it's neighborhoods and treasures that the average Joe would not find on his own. Also, it boasts original photography. If you're looking for a guide book with bullet points and stock photos, buy a Fodor's. If you want a really unique insiders look at our town, you'll love this book.

For those who love New York or who want to....
The greatest thing about this book is that it is engrossing and useful not only to people like me, who grew up in New York, but I imagine also to people who want to get to know and love New York. I can't think of a single restaurant or site or anything that this book did not capture -- both the classics and the hidden gems. It is also much more readable and entertaining than other tour guidebooks I have read. I like to read it just for the fun of reading it -- not just for walking tours. This book is a must-read!!

Great introduction to a new city
As a new resident of New York I was thrilled to find this book.The walking tours exposed me to neighborhoods that I probably wouldn't have explored otherwise, and the "secret" facts about more well-known locations made my visits to these areas even more enjoyable. ... Read more

Product Description
New York Then/New York Now—a collection of essays, memoirs, interviews, commentary, and plays—contemplates New York City’s history and future as a center for groundbreaking theatrical forms and ideas. Featuring the work of theater artists, producers, and critics, this special issue of Theater is concerned with the ideas and practicalities of making theater in and for New York within specific historical, political, and economic contexts. The first section, “New York Then,” reflects on the emergence, innovations, and import of the off-off-Broadway movement of the early 1960s, during the height of Cold War conservatism. The second section, “New York Now,” turns to New York’s recent and rapidly shifting artistic geography from the 1990s to the present.

“New York Then” includes previously unpublished manifestos, plans, and letters from the formation of the legendary Judson Poets Theatre and offers significant insight into the community, artistic impetus, and events that launched the off-off-Broadway movement. Excerpts from award-winning playwright Adrienne Kennedy’s unpublished memoirs provide a first-person account of this moment in New York’s theatrical history. In “New York Now,” contributors examine the significant ramifications for the city’s theater of such critical historical moments as the real estate boom of the 1990s, September 11, 2001, and the recent economic recession that has seen an exodus of arts organizations and artists out of the city. Included in this section are a roundtable discussion with leading New York artistic directors and producers about the imperilment of classical theater in contemporary New York; the young design collective CiNE’s illustrated proposal for a social, aesthetic, and architectural transformation of the Joseph Papp Public Theater; and the full text of Les Freres Corbusier’s play Boozy, a tongue-in-cheek fantasy that targets New York’s ruthless urban planner Robert Moses.

Contributors. CiNE New York Design Collective, Jeffrey Horowitz, Adrienne Kennedy, Richard Kimmel, Brian Kulick, Les Freres Corbusier, Charles McNulty, Tom Sellar, Rachel Shteir
... Read more

Product Description
Wickedly funny, Chasing Lightning: The Amorous Adventures of Scarlett Faye Turner tells a provocative tale of love and one girl's chameleon sexuality.Defiant and unconventional, the novel's protagonist takes the reader on a daring journey of personal discovery.

A seductive charmer, Scarlett Faye Turner leaves her poor, southern roots in the late sixties searching for what she calls The Big Three: power, fame and money.En route to fulfilling her ambitions, Scarlett has one erotic adventure after another.In time she realizes her affairs are nothing more than a way to avoid her true feelings about beautiful Gina Jamison, a girl she fell for in high school and later spent one unforgettable summer with in Paris.

Edgy.Erotic.Passionate.Chasing Lightning is a bold love story of a different kind. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

entertaining
Scarlett Faye is one of my favorite characters!I enjoyed this book because it's well-written, funny, and I cared about the characters.Well done.Have been looking for more by this author.

Good Read!
I read this book over the Christmas holiday of 2003.I loved the main character Scarlett, who is very similiar in personailty to her namesake from Gone with the Wind.The book follows Scarlett as she growns from a girl to a women.We follow her as she chases her dream of being a famous writer. I loved Scarlett's ambition, hutzhah (sp?) and fierceness. I didn't really feel that her relationship with the love of her life was persuasive enough for me to get into.Why did Scarlett love a woman who was hardly in her life for most of the book?? That's the reason why I'm only giving this book a 4 out of 5. I wish I would have gotten to know that mysterious love more so that their coming togehter would have been more heartfelt and real. I also would also have enjoyed a bit more love scenes.

I do look forward to reading more from Ms. York.

Really Good Read
When I bought this book, I was a little daunted by its 400+ pages.Too many lesbian novels of that length drag and have useless filler.Not this book.I read it in two sittings and loved it. It is literate and well-written. I chuckled often at the humor.

Scarlett Fay Turner is a fascinating character from the time we meet her as a child to the the end of the book where she is finally becoming a woman.The views of her romance with Gina from high school on show us a deeply complicated and sometimes conflicted young adult.

It seems odd that she doesn't have any qualms about using Sissy and Delores, because in many ways she is a very moral person.What she does seems to slide off an almost Teflon moral surface. Even though I didn't like her using other women to move ahead, I liked her at all times.

This was a real page turner for me.Clustered around Scarlett are a variety of well-drawn women. Even the snitch from the dormitory held my attention.What a pisser! And she got what she deserved.

That York had the courage to include Scarlett's heterosexual experimentation was important. All to often writers create characters who live in a world without men.That's not reality. Many of us do experiment with men when we're young; so this is true to life (though most of us don't do threesomes with our ex-lovers and their current lovers.)

My heart broke for Gina and Scarlett when Scarlett's anger forces her to end the relationship.I did get vexed with her when she allowed her stubbornness to end communications. Unfortunately, that is too often a part of maturation.

York left me wanting more and to me that is the mark of a good writer.

Not as expected it
Well let me tell you why I chose three stars for this novel. First of all I have been looking for lesbian novels and I found this one really interesting under the lesbian categories but sadly when I read it I found three different sexual encounters with men also so because of that I think it is not worth for us to read it unless you skip those pages: 34, 222-223, and 356. If the author did not include those encounters with men and that threesome in this book maybe it would have become one of the good ones. So in general is a good story tender and innocent at first and wild and sad at the end. It is well written and it involves you in a way that you actually want to know what is coming next.

Shake well and enjoy!
Take one part Jackie Collins, mix in liberal portion of Judith Krantz, add a dollop of Sex in the City--and oh,yeah, baste heavily withMargaret Mitchell--and you've got Chasing Lightning.
For anyone who loves a good "airplane", beach, or "curl up on your sofa and munch bittersweet chocolate read", this book is for you!
It's a non-stop, partying, around the world romp that will leave you exhausted, speechless, and spent. What a ride!
Rachel you've done it again.Can't wait to see the flick! ... Read more

Product Description
This brand new edition provides a comprehensive and highly visual introduction to New York; over 600 superb photographs capture the history, local people and variety of everyday life in one of America's most vibrant and cultural cities. The 'Places' section provides a detailed, district-by-district exploration of all the places to visit along the way, such as Greenwich Village, Fifth Avenue, Upper East and West Side, and Chinatown. All principal sites, including the Chrysler Building, Metropolitan Museum, Lincoln Center and Empire State Building, are clearly cross-referenced by number to the full-colour maps found throughout the guide. Expanded and updated restaurant listings feature the best eateries to suit all budgets within each area, providing the address, phone number, opening times and price range, followed by a useful review. The 'Editor's Choice' section illustrates everything you simply can't afford to miss, including lesser-known attractions, family activities and money-saving hints. Expert local writers provide authoritative essays on the city's history with chapters focusing on'The Making of New York' and'Culture and the City'.A fully-indexed street atlas enables instant orientation, helping you to navigate around the city with ease and also plots restaurants. The comprehensive 'Travel Tips' section provides all the essential information you'll need for a hassle-free trip, covering accommodation for all budgets, transport, activities and useful booking information, plus a handy A-Z of further practical advice and contact details. The unique combination of insightful exploration alongside practical advice makes this guide a fascinating background read and an invaluable on-the-spot companion. ... Read more

Product Description
The Unofficial Guides® are the Consumer Reports of travel guides, offering candid evaluations of their destinations' attractions, hotels, restaurants, shopping, nightlife, sports, and more, all rated and ranked by a team of unbiased inspectors so even the most compulsive planners can be sure they're spending their time and money wisely. Each guide addresses the needs of everyone from families to business travelers, with handy charts that demonstrate how each place stacks up against the competition. Plus, all the details are pulled out so they're extremely easy to scan.

Look no further than The Unofficial Guide to New York City for honest, streetwise advice that allows you to feel safe, comfortable, and at home in the Big Apple. We'll give you detailed reviews of all the top attractions and unbiased ratings of all the best hotels and restaurants, and clue you in on everything you'll need to know to get around like a local.

The Top 5 Ways The Unofficial Guide to New York City Can Help You Have the Perfect Trip:

1. The straight truth on all the attractions, from Central Park to the Statue of Liberty
2. How to get tickets to the hottest Broadway shows--and not pay full price for them
3. Hotels at every price level, ranked and rated for value and quality of rooms--plus proven strategies for getting the best rates
4. All the best New York restaurants, plus the inside story on shopping--where to get the best for less
5. How to plan and get the most out of your business or convention trip

Customer Reviews (6)

Not a reliable source of info for travel to NYC
My family recently went on vacation to a couple of cities, such as Washington D.C., Philadelphia, NYC and Boston. I really found the information in The Unofficial Guide to Washington, D.C. to be immensely useful in planning our 5 day stay there. The guide was filled with useful information about touring tips, and we planned our itinerary accordingly, saving much time and effort in the process.

"The Unofficial Guide to New York City" on the other hand was utterly disappointing - there were no touring hints or strategies, and the information also seemed all over the place. The restaurant guide appeared incomplete, not covering certain sectors of the city, and on the whole, this guide was not a reliable tour guide of NYC. I also used another guide, Frommer's, and found that much more useful. Pass on this one.

Official Disappointment
Unlike other titles in the series, the Unofficial Guide to New York City doesn't have suggested touring plans or "must see" lists.The restaurant desciptions are lacking (for example, there are NO restaurants listed on 9th Avenue Midtown and there are NO restaurants on the Chinatown map!).There is a brief introductory chapter on the history of the City and that is worth reading.

The Walt Disney World's guide is much superior
The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World is excellent, the best Disney guide, specially for it's details. I wanted a New York guide, so I guessed this would have the same quality. I was wrong. It doesn't comes close. Fodors is a better choice with more useful information. The Unofficial also needs a more careful update. It's written that I could find a Warner Bros store at Columbus Circle, but the Warner stores closed many years ago. Fortunately I was already well informed.

Not very useful
If you need a guidebook that will help you plan an itinerary, GO SOMEWHERE ELSE! This book, while chock-full of information, gives no practical tips whatsoever about how to arrange activities while touring. I read through it twice and came away with snippets of information but nothing that helped with actually planning how my family would spend each of our four days in the city. The index is incomplete and much of the information is sketchy at best. I would NOT recommend this as a resource, especially for first-time visitors.

Unofficially, it's inconsistent
Who wouldn't like to get the unofficial word on a big complex city?Who wouldn't like to feel that they were going to be able to find the places that make a city memorable, and that they weren't going to stick out as easy pickings while doing so?

These guide books promise, essentially, that you will know what you are doing before you've actually had the experience, removing some of the nasty anxiety of going horribly wrong as you set out to find urban magic.Some of their features are excellent.The hotel section, for instance, is comprehensive and gives several ways of looking for a hotel that might match your needs.Neighborhood overviews are also very fine.

HOWEVER! other aspects are both annoying and silly.Addresses are often wrong; hours of operation ditto; information about public transporation is (to be charitable) out-of-date.Nothing quite beats hopping confidently onto a bus with a pocket full of dollar bills, only to discover that busses only accept tokens or quarters.

They don't do badly at explaining what attitude you need to take to manage in New York, but neither do they do well.They hint, for example, at the importance of tipping, but do not convey the underlying fact that tipping in NYC is essentially small-time protection money.Not that that's a bad thing.Similarly, restaurant coverage was unimaginative, but maybe there is no way to predict whether a tourist would prefer a very very safe and bland experience, or is more adventurous and would prefer places where the locals eat.Even then, which locals?

This book helped us find a hotel that pleased us.Still, the other aspects annoyed us sufficiently that we left it behind in JFK before we took off. ... Read more

Product Description
Hiring the nation's top scientific consultant, Dr. Harry Stratton Trevelyan, Molly Abberwick, the trustee of her father's foundation for unusual inventions, is outraged when Harry falls in love with her and brazenly pursues her. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (33)

Absolutely, Positively, WOW!
I don't usually go for this type storyline but I was not disappointed. I'm an avid book listener and couldn't put it down! It was excellent!

Predictable but very good
This is a tiny paranormal plot that almost has nothing to do with paranormal stuff. The story will show you how to love and trust your partner no-matter what and that's a good lecture from the writer.

The plot is a wee predictable as you'll know the bad guy the first time you read his/her name but nonetheless is a good story.

P.S. Maybe JAK wrote too many times absolutely, positively in the book.

We love the nice guy!
Dr. Harry Stratton Trevelyan. A kind of alpha yet nerdy scientist/expert in discerning whether the applications for Molly Abberwick's science foundation grants are worth funding. One side of his family works in real estate; the other as carnies, flashy knife throwers, fortune tellers, people with second sight, and so on. Harry's in the middle, with each side of the family asking him to sort out endless squabbles. He refuses to cut off either side of his family, even under pressure. He loves them all, and wishes they could tolerate each other. He's also afraid to let himself go in his sex life. His last lover (now married to his cousin) called their sex life boring, with occasional moments of terror! Poor Harry. Molly Abberwick decides to get to know him better when he keeps nixing her grant applications. She's shocked when she realizes the humour, the huge intelligence and the intense hunger for love and intimacy hiding behind Harry's incredibly tight self-control. Harry, on the other hand, has a big secret. He also thinks if he shows Molly how much he wants her, he'll lose her. A nice suspense plot and a wonderful, nerdy hero. We're absolutely positive you'll love it!

Excellent!
I love the characters in this book! I don't often reread by this author, but have to keep rereading this one!Its that good!

Absolutely, Positively one of JAK's Best!!
I LOVE these characters! This is JAK at her best. She just does not get any better. Molly Abberwick owns a tea and spice shop, enjoying her life in Seattle until her father dies and leaves her in charge of his Foundation to help budding inventors. She is now facing a problem. The problem is Dr. Harry Stratton Trevelyn, who is the 'debunker' of fake inventions. He vets the applicants before Molly passes out the money grants. Molly gets very enthusiastic about all sorts of inventions, only to have Harry shoot them down time after time. So far, he has not approved one single invention.
Harry has his own problems. He is caught between the two sides of his family - the very rich socialite Stratton side and his carnival side Trevelyns. Harry is very rich, so the carnival family is always asking him for this and that, with both sides keeping a constant tug of war on Harry. This emotional battlefield has caused Harry to be very self contained, maybe too controlled. The one place his control is let loose is in the bedroom. Also around to cause him headaches is his ex-fiancé, a psychiatrist who thinks Harry might be slightly insane and is trying to warn Molly from to not get involved with him. The final mix to Harry's problem is his is psychic and does not want to admit it. Having been raised in a carnival part-time, he has seen this used as a game, so he does not like to let people know about it.

As Molly slowly gets involved with Harry and the whole cast of his family, someone starts to play dangerous pranks on her, and it is quickly evident someone wants her dead.

The characters are so warm, so loving and with that JAK razzle-dazzle that she has polished to a beautiful diamond finished.

Lets hope she soon gets back to this level of writing. ... Read more

Product Description
This book focuses on the work of African American artists during the Depression and the war years (1929-1945), when government-sponsored programs such as the WPA led to a general resurgence in artistic production throughout the United States.

The catalogue features the work of Robert Blackburn, Raymond Steth, Horace Woodroff, and Dox Trash, among others, with a smaller selection of paintings and watercolors by such notable artists as Horace Pippin, Romare Bearden, Jacob Lawrence, and Bill Traylor.Included are essays on the work in its cultural context and on printmaking techniques. Most of the works in this volume are recent acquisitions of The Metropolitan Museum of Art and have not been previously published. ... Read more

Product Description
High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Rachel York (born Rachel Lemanski 7 August 1971 in Orlando, Florida) is an American actress and singer. She is best known for her roles in City of Angels, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Les Misérables, Victor/Victoria, Kiss Me, Kate, Sly Fox, and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. She also has many film and television credits, including her portrayal of Lucille Ball in the CBS biopic Lucy. The youngest of four children, York's love for music and acting began at an early age. Influenced by her mother's love for the arts, she made her professional debut in a local production of Kiss Me, Kate in the chorus. That same year, she earned a scholarship to the American Center for Music Theatre at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. She moved to Los Angeles and began studying with acting coach Aaron Speiser, who then encouraged her to move to New York. ... Read more

Product Description
The book has no illustrations or index. It may have numerous typos or missing text. However, purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original rare book from the publisher's website (GeneralBooksClub.com). You can also preview excerpts of the book there. Purchasers are also entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Subtitle: Uttered by Miss Rachel Baker, in the City of New York, in the Winter of 1815, During Her Abstracted and Unconscious State ; to Which ... Is Prefixed, an Account of Her Life ... the Facts, Attested by the Most Respectable Divines, Physicians, and Literary Gentlemen; and the Discourses, Correctly Noted by Clerical Stenographers / by Several Medical Gentlemen; Original Publisher: S. Marks; Publication date: 1815; Subjects: Trance; Prayers; Juvenile Nonfiction / Religion / Devotional ... Read more

Product Description
Rachel is back with her pit bull partner Dashiell in a case as challenging as any she's faced before. Rachel lends assistance to a post-9/11 support group by providing canine therapy--Dashiell's presence has an undeniable effect in helping members of the group to open up and confront their feelings. But one of the members, NYPD Detective Timothy O'Fallon, remains quiet. Rachel, therefore, is understandably surprised when the detective, who she barely knows, names her as the executor of his estate before he dies in an apparent suicide. Intrigued, she investigates the circumstances of his death--only to discover that all is not as it seems and that a trail of clues leads to a life-altering sectet hidden in O'Fallon's past. ... Read more

Product Description
Les achats comprennent une adhésion à l'essai gratuite au club de livres de l'éditeur, dans lequel vous pouvez choisir parmi plus d'un million d'ouvrages, sans frais. Le livre consiste d'articles Wikipedia sur : Laura Harring, Shanna Moakler, Rima Fakih, Miss Caroline Du Nord Usa, Miss Teen Usa, Miss New York Usa, Rachel Smith, Kristen Dalton. Non illustré. Mises à jour gratuites en ligne. Extrait : Miss USA (ou Miss États-Unis en français), est un concours de beauté féminine, qui a lieu chaque année depuis 1952 pour désigner la représentante des États-Unis au concours de Miss Univers. L'organisation Miss Universe gère ces deux concours, ainsi d'ailleurs que celui de Miss Teen USA. Le concours national concurrent, préparant lui à Miss Monde, est Miss America. ...http://booksllc.net/?l=fr ... Read more

Product Description
Architect Horace Trumbauer (1868–1938) is well known for the wide range of residential, commercial, and civic structures he designed in and around Philadelphia. His works can be found along Old York Road and the Main Line, as well as in Philadelphia and Springfield Township, Montgomery County. During the American renaissance in architecture, Trumbauer masterfully interpreted the classical styles, designing many of the area’s most notable structures. Captured in stunning exterior and interior photographs, The Philadelphia Area Architecture of Horace Trumbauer highlights the architect’s most significant works, including the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Keswick Theatre, the Widener Building, Whitemarsh Hall, Lynnewood Hall, and Ardrossan. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Read every page!
Having been in the Philadelphia area all my life, and been fascinated with large estates for almost as long, this was interesting to realize how many of the mansions I know of, are Trumbauer designs.I was lucky enough to see some of them in their heyday and saddened to see some of them in their demise.Sorry to say, many are gone and a few more are on their way out.No one can maintain that lifestyle anymore (especially in today's economy).
These "Images of America" books are a window to the past we will never see, to this extent, again.

GILDED AGE PHILLY
I've always liked the Image of America series, it chronicles everything from the most obscure subjects to the most iconic.What really resonates with me are the archieval black and white images, they must be culled from dust laden old liberies, the text though hardly scholarly is informative none the less.These are short, simple books, but for what they are, they are excellent.This is one of the best of the series, Trumbauer was a master of the classic venacular in architecture, he designed some of the most spectacular houses of the Gilded Age, Richard Morris Hunt and Stanford White get more press, but the unheralded Trumbauer is their equal.If you have an interest in Gilded Age Splendor or Philadelphia history than I can image you not getting something out of this book. ... Read more