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Brooklyn Then and Now
Celebrating America's favorite cityscapes, this series combines historic interest and contemporary beauty. Then and Now features fascinating archival photographs contrasted with specially commissioned, full-color images of the same scene today. A visual lesson in the historic changes of our greatest urban landscapes.
144 pages, Hardcover
First published May 13, 2002
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
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June 17, 2019Many old photographs, and the same street scene today, with brief, lucid historical accounts. Anyone who lives in Brooklyn or who knows it well will find this book fascinating.
March 21, 2010
I love books of historical pictures. This collection places historical pictures of Brooklyn (where I live and work) with contemporary pictures of the same location.
It's really fascinating, and helps explain some things about Brooklyn that I didn't even realize I was wondering about. For example, if you walk from Fulton Street, past Borough Hall, towards Cadman Plaza, there's an odd bit of curving street. Apparently, there used to e an elevated train line there until 1941, that was replaced by the subway.
A few other interesting bits:
* The Fulton Ferry Terminal, which was very ornate and impressive, on what's now a mostly open space (where the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory is located, pretty near Grimaldi's Pizza). It was torn down in 1926, after it became pretty clear that people were going to use that newfangled Brooklyn Bridge instead of good old ferries.
* Another elevated line at Flatbush and Atlantic Avenues (think BAM and the Atlantic Terminal / LIRR station). There's a small Beaux Arts building in a little triangle in the middle of the street that buses stop in front of, but I've never seen used. Apparently, it used to be the entry to the subway.
* Ebbets Field. The rightful home of the Dodgers.
And of course there are lots of interesting historical facts, people in interesting clothing, and other views of life from as far back as the late 1800s. Very cool.
It's really fascinating, and helps explain some things about Brooklyn that I didn't even realize I was wondering about. For example, if you walk from Fulton Street, past Borough Hall, towards Cadman Plaza, there's an odd bit of curving street. Apparently, there used to e an elevated train line there until 1941, that was replaced by the subway.
A few other interesting bits:
* The Fulton Ferry Terminal, which was very ornate and impressive, on what's now a mostly open space (where the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory is located, pretty near Grimaldi's Pizza). It was torn down in 1926, after it became pretty clear that people were going to use that newfangled Brooklyn Bridge instead of good old ferries.
* Another elevated line at Flatbush and Atlantic Avenues (think BAM and the Atlantic Terminal / LIRR station). There's a small Beaux Arts building in a little triangle in the middle of the street that buses stop in front of, but I've never seen used. Apparently, it used to be the entry to the subway.
* Ebbets Field. The rightful home of the Dodgers.
And of course there are lots of interesting historical facts, people in interesting clothing, and other views of life from as far back as the late 1800s. Very cool.
June 9, 2019
Anyone who’s ever lived in Brooklyn, and anyone who loves the history of this country will enjoy seeing these photos and reading the stories/descriptions. I just wished it were longer!
May 16, 2013
This is part of a series. The gist of it is that each folio shows two pictures—on the left is a historic photograph of something (or occasionally a painting or drawing), and on a right is a modern photo that matches the original as closely as possible. And then of course there's explanatory text on each page. I'm not explaining it very well, but you can use Amazon's "See inside" thinger to see what I mean.
I've always been really interested in NYC history, and this was a novel way to approach it. At times it's interesting to see how much things have changed—some of the photos of the Brooklyn & Williamsburg bridges, for example, and several places (like Ebbets Field, or the Brighton Beach Hotel) that have simply been replaced by housing projects. In other places, it's amazing to see how little things have changed. Prospect Park South looks almost just the same, except that the trees are fuller. And Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Stand is virtually identical in its two pictures.
I learned quite a bit about the city, and this led me to do a lot of auxiliary reading. The McCarren Park Pool, for example, has become a subject of interest. I've also read up on the bridges quite a bit. And of course I've become much more familiar with the neighborhoods. I had never heard of Greenpoint before this book, and I didn't know much about neighborhoods like Williamsburg or Bay Ridge or Brighton Beach.
About 80% of the folios were interesting, but there were a few that just didn't seem to have much point. I suppose they would if I lived in Brooklyn, or especially in the area where the photos were taken. But I don't. The book was about history, to some extent, but it didn't tell me much or give me much to think about. The biggest exceptions were the McCarren Park Pool (though I found much more thought-provoking material elsewhere) and Coney Island. I would recommend it, though, because it's such a cool idea and it's pretty well executed. I might recommend starting with a different city, but I very well might not. How many cities have a more interesting history than Brooklyn, after all?
I've always been really interested in NYC history, and this was a novel way to approach it. At times it's interesting to see how much things have changed—some of the photos of the Brooklyn & Williamsburg bridges, for example, and several places (like Ebbets Field, or the Brighton Beach Hotel) that have simply been replaced by housing projects. In other places, it's amazing to see how little things have changed. Prospect Park South looks almost just the same, except that the trees are fuller. And Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Stand is virtually identical in its two pictures.
I learned quite a bit about the city, and this led me to do a lot of auxiliary reading. The McCarren Park Pool, for example, has become a subject of interest. I've also read up on the bridges quite a bit. And of course I've become much more familiar with the neighborhoods. I had never heard of Greenpoint before this book, and I didn't know much about neighborhoods like Williamsburg or Bay Ridge or Brighton Beach.
About 80% of the folios were interesting, but there were a few that just didn't seem to have much point. I suppose they would if I lived in Brooklyn, or especially in the area where the photos were taken. But I don't. The book was about history, to some extent, but it didn't tell me much or give me much to think about. The biggest exceptions were the McCarren Park Pool (though I found much more thought-provoking material elsewhere) and Coney Island. I would recommend it, though, because it's such a cool idea and it's pretty well executed. I might recommend starting with a different city, but I very well might not. How many cities have a more interesting history than Brooklyn, after all?
August 20, 2007
Truly a wonderful coffee table book filled with scores of then/now pictures of our nation's largest city-turned-borough. Excellent captions, too.
When it comes to photographs, I melt.
When it comes to photographs, I melt.
May 14, 2016
I like seeing how Brooklyn looked, back then. (1860's-1920's). It was nice seeing how much this city developed into what it is today.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews