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55th out of 535 books
—
557 voters
Gotham: A History of New York City to 1898
To European explorers, it was Eden, a paradise of waist-high grasses, towering stands of walnut, maple, chestnut, and oak, and forests that teemed with bears, wolves, raccoons, beavers, otters, and foxes. Today, it is the site of Broadway and Wall Street, the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty, and the home of millions of people, who have come from every corne...more
Paperback, 1424 pages
Published
October 19th 2000
by Oxford University Press, USA
(first published 1998)
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Nov 14, 2011
Dorothy
is currently reading it
I am loving this book. This is the way I always wanted to read history. Not just the battles or the politics but what were the people doing? Why did they think what they did? What were they reacting to? First hand perpectives give a real view of what it was like. How the power shifted back and forth over the course of history. How "the greatest city in the world" fit into the history of the world, from its very beginning. I can't even imagine the research that went into this 1400 page volume. Re...more
"Whew!", I have finally finished it.
I have been wrestling in my mind between whether giving this book 4 stars or 5 stars when I neared the end of this book (when I was around page 500 or so, I picked up steam in completing it during the last few days). The 4 star rating appeared appropriate at a time when I felt that I was never going to near the end of this book, that I have taken up a task of Sysiphian proportions. But then I realized I was rating a book not on it's merits, but on the attitude...more
I have been wrestling in my mind between whether giving this book 4 stars or 5 stars when I neared the end of this book (when I was around page 500 or so, I picked up steam in completing it during the last few days). The 4 star rating appeared appropriate at a time when I felt that I was never going to near the end of this book, that I have taken up a task of Sysiphian proportions. But then I realized I was rating a book not on it's merits, but on the attitude...more
No other history of NYC even comes close to this. And I don't just mean in thoroughness. The writing is so easy and smooth while at the same detailing complicated events and casts of characters. Those who write often know that to be able to write this way is extremely hard. If it weren't written this way, no one could slog through it. Also, the structure of the book could not have been better. To write something this huge it is necessary to compartmentalize, but keeping the compartmentalization...more
My son, Shannon, a resident of Chelsea gave me this book two years ago. As a Southern Californian, I was not in a hurry to read a "New York" book. I also put it off because of it's bulk(1236 pages!!). When I finally got around to it, I found it absolutely riveting. It is far more than merely a history of New York. It is a history of America from the perspective of New York, written with great humor. Unfortunately it only takes us up to 1898, and it took the authors Edwin G Burrows and Mike Walla...more
To the people who only gave this book two stars: I wish you would write a review and let us know why!
I read this book over a lazy summer, and have never been more fascinated by a work of non-fiction. Burrows and Wallace profile the city from its "discovery" by white men to the bustle of the 1890s. They discuss almost every conceivable aspect of the city with humour and insightful research, providing us with astonishing statistics, fascinating quotes from the time, and a comprehensive scope that...more
I read this book over a lazy summer, and have never been more fascinated by a work of non-fiction. Burrows and Wallace profile the city from its "discovery" by white men to the bustle of the 1890s. They discuss almost every conceivable aspect of the city with humour and insightful research, providing us with astonishing statistics, fascinating quotes from the time, and a comprehensive scope that...more
Jun 30, 2011
Susan
added it
I keep lolling over the illustrations in this book. They are making me pine for the architectural gumbo of Dutch tidiness, English restraint, and Victorian pomposity that is my childhood neighbourhood. I don’t mind living in Indiana but oh – to step into something old again. There are no illustrations of Fraunces Tavern in this book, but there are plenty of references to it. How I’d love to be there right now. Building began in 1719 by the De Lancey’s; in 1783, Governor Clinton hosted a banquet...more
Dec 24, 2009
Neal
is currently reading it
Started this book several years ago as a bedside book, it's too heavy to carry around. Picked it up a couple of months ago to try to finish. I'm determined to get through it so that I can get to all the books on my 'To Read' list.
Gotham is very well researched and covers a massive amount of material. Anyone interested in the history of NYC needs this book. Having said that, it is written in such a way that you can read it in 20-30 minutes segments. Last night I read a short chapter on the panic...more
Gotham is very well researched and covers a massive amount of material. Anyone interested in the history of NYC needs this book. Having said that, it is written in such a way that you can read it in 20-30 minutes segments. Last night I read a short chapter on the panic...more
The ambitiousness of this work is what I most noticed about Gotham. It covers the New York City area from pre-Colombian times to 1898, and those early years are fascinating. The author's prose isn't the best, but it's serviceable. What has stayed with me are the descriptions of Manhattan as a natural paradise, filled with bears, dolphins, whales, and countless other bounty that one doesn't normally associate with the Big Apple. It's a shame what civilization has done to this place. I haven't fin...more
This was a monumental book. I read it on Kindle so I can't say how long it was but it took forever to read. The parts of the book dealing directly with the City of New York, how it developed and what life was like were very fascinating. However, there was way too much on religion, services for the poor, union development, charities, vice prevention, etc. Those items all affect the development of the city but had too much emphasis and other topics were ignored. For example, the creation of Centra...more
I couldn't have planned it better if I'd tried: I ended my reading year with this Pulitzer Prize-winning tome, finishing the last of the 1,400-odd pages just a week before I hop a plane to NYC herself. Although there were times I despaired of finishing on time (or finishing at all - it took me two months to read this, which is unheard of in my world), I am SO GLAD I read it. It's deepened my appreciation for the history of NYC so incredibly much, and I learned so many random things - about the m...more
Burrows and Wallace provide the definitive account on the history of New York City up until the merge of the boroughs into present day Manhattan. Tracing history from its Dutch beginnings, to the English take over, as a seat of revolutionary power and finally finding its place as the financial capital of the United States and eventually the world. The book is detailed and focuses not only on the urban development and political development, but social and demographic changes as well. It is primar...more
The better part of six months later... I feel a little like I've survived a siege, and a little less like having finished a book. A 1236-page siege. This was the first book I read primarily on my Kindle. It was a significant reason for buying the Kindle. If I had to haul the book around on airplanes I wouldn't have gotten done nearly as fast as I did. Definitely a good investment.
The history itself was comprehensive, repetitive, and altogether corrupt. One political party to another. Prosperity...more
The history itself was comprehensive, repetitive, and altogether corrupt. One political party to another. Prosperity...more
The message of this huge book, about 1500 pages, is that everything old is new again. The current disagreements between labor and capital, immigration and closed door advocates, hawks and doves, have all happened before many times. The nonsense we hear from politicians today, on both sides, is almost identical to what they were preaching 150 years ago. The current economic crisis is reminiscent of the real estate bubble that caused the panic of 1857, and also of the European problems that caused...more
Incredibly detailed and well-researched. It is a massive book that is a little daunting to contemplate undertaking but reads very well and tells some incredible stories. Obviously it was a labor of love for the research that went into this definitive, sprawling volume.
The thing that I liked best about this book is that you can pick it up when you have some free time, flip to random page and read something very interesting about NYC's past that is pretty-much stand-alone. Read it over a week or...more
The thing that I liked best about this book is that you can pick it up when you have some free time, flip to random page and read something very interesting about NYC's past that is pretty-much stand-alone. Read it over a week or...more
Voluminous study of New York City, rich in anecdotal and detailed information, from its period as Dutch trading post to that of becoming one of the world's greatest cities. A must for any student of NYC history in particular or any lover of history in general. A superb reading, as well as learning, experience!
A truly monumental romp through the first 275 years of the world's most monumental city, although I'm probably biased, since I was born in Brooklyn and now live in Manhattan. I began reading this book several years ago, put it down for a while, and picked it up again a few months ago. The narrative thread is enlightening, although the book can also be used as a reference volume with respect to certain events, epochs, and personalities. And, oh, what personalities! Outsized, egomaniacal, visionar...more
I'm still in in the 1710's-1720's and it's amazing. The city has changed hand about 15 times and it's frankly a wonder that it didn't implode, and the American Revolution is decades away.
Just wanted to give a current-review for anyone interested in this wonder.
Just wanted to give a current-review for anyone interested in this wonder.
An absolutely riveting history of New York, covering political, social, moral, artistic, and cultural issues. Is there ANYTHING you wonder about the history of New York? Here it is, beautifully written. Lucky readers we are to have such a treat!
Dec 03, 2008
Kieran
is currently reading it
Slowly but surely getting through this monster book. Everything you ever wanted to know about the history of the world's metropolitan microcosm.
There should be some sort of prize for finishing this book. Perhaps admission to an elite society. I think you have to give a 5 to this book for being 1200 (not counting references and notes)dense pages of historical research that is actually entertaining and compelling to read. My one complaint would be that it felt repetitive at times - sanitation in 1800 wasn't that different than sanitation in 1820... Overall though, it was a compelling look at the history of a fascinating city and the peopl...more
Wow, have to say that I just loved this book. It's a narrative history, no depth analyses of finances or population studies. Just interesting stories about Manhattan (the incorporation of the five boroughs is the ending point of the book) and it's people, what they did, what they wore, where they lived... really a fancinating read for me. I can tell how good a book is by how many times I tell my wife about something from the book. She finally put me on a "one fact per day" diet to keep her sanit...more
A comprehensive history of NYC. Long, but well written and easy to read. Much more detailed than the casual reader might like.
I guess this book was ok....but so damn long! Some of the early stuff is really interesting though.
It's a long read, but is a excellent look at the history of New York City up to 1898.
Comprehensive history of NYC until incoporation of 5 boroughs in 1898.
Definitive, extraordinarily detailed, and exciting. Its a great read.
A wonderfully entertaining history of New York City to 1900.
Nov 02, 2011
Mattila
is currently reading it
interesting but too thorough. I read this when I need to fall asleep
Got to about page 450 or so and decided I'm going to put it down and pick it back up after my 100 book challenge. I thought 450 pages probably qualifies for a "book" :)
I actually have this in paper, great book
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Jun 10, 2012 09:17am