Compass Guide to Manhattan (Compass American Guides) - Softcover

Reavill, Gill; Zimmerman, Jean; Fodor's

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1878867946 ISBN 13: 9781878867940

Publisher: Fodor's Travel Publications Inc.,U.S., 1996

Synopsis

With literary extracts, coverage of history, and colour photographs, this guide to Manhattan is designed to appeal to the resident as well as the tourist. It also includes practical information for the visitor, and details of restaurants and night-life.

About this title

Review

Each New York guide has a certain niche. Some provide comprehensive where-it's-at listings, others detailed budget information or directories of the best. This guide's area of excellence is its thorough examination of each neighbourhood of the city's most-famous borough. Written by locals with insiders' knowledge and enthusiasm, it is strong on social history, architecture and art.

Fodor's Compass Manhattan chronicles the islandıs story--from mountainous outpost inhabited by native tribes to British colony to its rapid urbanisation in the 1800s; from the first skyscraper in 1888 to the hard-partying jazz era. The story is told entertainingly and illustrated by a unique selection of paintings, etchings, posters and other ephemera, and National Geographic contributor Michael Yamashita's vibrant photography. A nice touch are the excerpts of classic literature from Langston Hughes to J.D. Salinger.

Manhattan is documented as the locals see it--a string of small villages. The authors examine the history and ethnic make-up of each in depth. It, picking out the borough's weird and wonderful quirks as they go--for example, the Whoopee Cushion and Used Restaurant Equipment Districts.

If you need a guide to choose where to stay or eat, Manhattan is not it, since the hotels/restaurants listing at the back doesn't provide enough details to be really useful to a newcomer. However, it makes excellent background reading and really captures the city's flavour. --Sarah Champion

Edition details

• Publisher: Fodor's Travel Publications Inc.,U.S.
• Publication date: 1996
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1878867946
• ISBN 13: 9781878867940
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 336