The Handy New York City Answer Book

by Chris Barsanti

Overview

The hustle. The bustle. The Big Apple, its people, history and culture!

New York is the largest city in the United States. This self-proclaimed capital of the world is known as a melting pot of immigrants, Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, Central Park, Wall Street, Broadway, bridges, bodegas, restaurants, and museums. The “city that never sleeps” is bustling with people, cultural and sporting events, world-class shopping and high fashion, and other tourist attractions that draw in millions visitors from all over the world. The Handy New York City Answer Book explores the fascinating history, people, myths, culture, and trivia, taking an in-depth look at the city so nice, they named it twice.

Learn about the original Indigenous peoples, early Dutch settlers, the importance of the port, the population growth through immigration, the consolidation of the boroughs, the building of the subway system and modern skyline, and much, much more. Tour landmarks from the Brooklyn Bridge to the Rockefeller Center to the Stonewall Inn, and Central Park to the 9/11 Memorial. Learn about famous sons and daughters, including Woody Allen, Jay-Z, J.D. Salinger, and Donald Trump. The government, parks, and cultural institutions are all packed into this comprehensive guide to New York City. Find answers to more than 850 questions, including:

Who were the first New Yorkers?

When did the British invade New York?

Why are Manhattan’s streets laid out in a grid?

Why is there a windmill on the New York seal?

How did New York help elect Abraham Lincoln president?

What were “sweatshops”?

Did the Nazis plant spies in New York?

How did the Brooklyn Dodgers get their name?

Who started the gossip column?

What soured many New Yorkers on Giuliani?

What is “stop and frisk”?

How many trees are there in New York?

Illustrating the unique character of the city through a combination of facts, stats, and history, as well as the unusual and quirky, The Handy New York City Answer Book answers intriguing questions about people, events, government, and places of interest. This informative book also includes a helpful bibliography, an appendix of the city’s mayors, and an extensive index, adding to its usefulness.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781578596553
Publisher:	Visible Ink Press
Publication date:	04/17/2017
Series:	The Handy Answer Book Series
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	464
File size:	80 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Chris Barsanti is the author of Filmology: A Movie-a-Day Guide to the Movies You Need to Know, The Sci-Fi Movie Guide, and the Eyes Wide Open annual film guide series. He is co-author of the forthcoming Monty Python FAQ, and he has written articles for a variety of publications, including PopMatters, the Chicago Tribune, Playboy, The Millions, the Virginia Quarterly Review, Publishers Weekly, and Where New York. He earned a master’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University, and he resides in New York City.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments vi

Photo Sources ix

Timeline xi

Introduction xvii

The Basics 1

Climate, Flora, and Fauna 3

People 10

Government and Politics 15

Business and the Economy 21

Transportation 27

Pre-Colonial Times Through the Revolutionary Era 33

Pre-Colonial New York 33

The Dutch and British Colonial Years 36

The Revolutionary War 55

After Independence 66

The Civil War Era Through the Gilded Age 91

Slavery and the Civil War 91

Industrialization and Immigration 97

The Gilded Age 116

The Great Depression to a New Century 137

World War II and the Postwar Era 146

The Sixties to 9/11 155

Rebuilding and Moving Forward 182

Manhattan 191

Financial District/Battery Park/Civic Center 192

Chinatown/Little Italy/Lower East Side/Tribeca/SoHo 206

Greenwich Village/East Village 211

Union Square/Flat-iron/Madison Square/Gramercy 218

Chelsea/Garment District/Hudson Yards 225

Times Square/Midtown West/Hell's Kitchen 231

Midtown East 236

Central Park 244

Lincoln Square/Upper West Side 247

Upper East Side 250

Morningside Heights/Harlem 255

Upper Manhattan 261

The Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island 267

The Bronx 267

Brooklyn 273

Queens 286

Staten Island 291

Sports and Night Life 305

Sports 305

Food and Dining 316

Bars and Nightlife 330

The Arts 339

Theater 339

Music 347

Film and TV 354

Art 359

Writing 363

Mayors of New York City 399

Idioms, Slang, and Expressions 403

For Further Research 407

Index 409

Editorial Reviews

“The Handy New York City Answer Book” by Chris Barsanti, which will explain (almost) everything you ever wanted to know about The Big Apple but didn't know who to ask.” – The Bookworm Sez

“… a comprehensive guide to the history and contemporary attractions and neighborhoods of New York City boroughs the Bronx, Manhattan, Queens, Staten Island, and Brooklyn.” – Protoview Book News

“Students wanting to brush up on all things New York City will want to read this comprehensive guide from this popular question-and-answer series. ...an entertaining overview of one of America’s most distinctive cities.” – VOYA

From the Publisher