Forgotten New York: Views of a Lost Metropolis

by Kevin Walsh

Forgotten New York is your passport to more than 300 years of history, architecture, and memories hidden in plain sight. Houses dating to the first Dutch settlers on Staten Island; yellow brick roads in Brooklyn; clocks embedded in the sidewalk in Manhattan; bishop's crook lampposts in Queens; a white elephant in the Bronx—this is New York and this is your guide to seeing it all. Forgotten New York covers all five boroughs with easy-to-use maps and suggested routes to hundreds of out-of-the-way places, antiquated monuments, streets to nowhere, and buildings from a time lost. Forgotten New York No matter if you are a lifelong New Yorker, recent resident, or weekend visitor, this magical book is the only guide to true New York.

Genres: New York, History, Nonfiction, Travel, Cities, Architecture, American History

384 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 2002

About the author

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Reviews

[Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book 'reads' more like a walking journal almost and not a walk through history. I would suggest you pick up this book and find areas in the city of interest to you and then go out and discover what he has found.

It is not a traditional writing in the sense where you sit down and read it cover to cover. It is written for you to just browse at your leisure and discover some things you may never have 'seen' before. He has defintely done his research.

A good rec for any history lovers of the city.

[Vicky · Rating 5 out of 5]

such a great book. every new yorker should have this book. this book just proves the fact that you can live in new tork all your life and you will never see everything, because this is such a big city with so much to discover. love it.

[MissBecka Gee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This has a bunch of touristy things you can find in most books and a few that you won't.
The issue I had with this is that there is not much information on how to find the interesting new things.
A small general paragraph without much detail on each item in each area.
I wish it had been more informative.
I would say it's more a list of things you might like to check out while in NYC with a some pictures.

[Erin]

I completely geek out over lost subway stations, forgotten streets and thoughts of what buildings used to be. It's one of my favorite things about living in a city. I can't wait to read this book.

It provides fairly meaty information about some very interesting spots. Really making me feel like a NY insider. Particularly good about including the outer boroughs whereas most NY books focus solely on Manhattan.

[Virginia · Rating 5 out of 5]

My husband and I have been searching out some of the places mentioned in this book. And then we feel totally superior to people who have lived here all their lives and never heard of any of it. :)

Although, having read this book, I have started to sound like Rainman when I'm walking around the city with friends and co-workers. "This mark on this building was put here in 1929 by a bunch of blah blah blah..."

snort.

[Thaddaeus · Rating 4 out of 5]

This volume is chock full of informational tidbits, even though my hardcover copy is quite out of date. Something like this is tailor-made for a mobile web app, so that each nugget of history could be tied to its geographical location and found as each spot is approached.

[Kate Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

For such a storied and historied city, there’s a gem to find every few steps - and this book lists them all. Would be super fun for someone who lives in NYC and wants some destinations for their explorations, but too minute and mundane for those traveling to the city for less than a month.

[Rachel S. Herman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed this history throughout the city.

[Viridian5 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I checked out Kevin Walsh's Forgotten New York: Views of a Lost Metropolis from being a fan of his Forgotten NY site, yet that actually detracts from the book a bit. The website is jam-packed with details and information, while the book has to leave things out. I felt that parts of Queens in particular were really shortchanged in the book, especially the Metropolitan Avenue strip and Ridgewood, while Manhattan could really be a book of its own, much larger than what's represented here. The book also, by its very nature, is a frozen snapshot of the time when it was published, while five years is an eternity in New York real estate.

It's good and filled with information, but it really makes me want to browse the website!

[Armand · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an awesome book. Going on my "Must Own" list. The only negative thing that I can mention is that, at the beginning of each chapter, (each borough has its own chapter), there is an uncaptioned photograph of a scene in the corresponding borough. Every one of these photos is remarkable and I couldn't find a single way to identify any of the places portrayed in the book. That really pissed me off. How the fuck are you gonna write a book like this and leave so many interesting pictures uncaptioned? Aside from that, I absolutely love this book.
More at www.forgotten-ny.com.

[Rowan · Rating 3 out of 5]

so far, so good. like his website, Forgotten NY, only in book form with handy maps and subway/bus info. a great way to explore new york city's forgotten side. with nice weather coming up, the weekends can be spent visiting some of these places.

**update**
put it on hold for other books. am discovering it is better to read this like a guidebook, rather than cover to cover. though a guidebook where you open the book to look something up and continue to read well beyond the section you wanted.

[Joseph Schlesinger]

For years, I've been captivated by Kevin Walsh's ForgottenNY Web site ( http://www.forgotten-ny.com ) & have gone out of my way not to miss newly-added pages & new "Slices." (This week's feature is about New York's hidden subway & el relics.) What a delight to learn the long-awaited distillation of Kevin's offerings is now available in hard copy!

[Babs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yo, Yvie - it's all dere, well, here..everything that is forgotten about NYC - including all the boroughs..from painted advertising that's fading to lamp posts- the things we passed by in school and said, what the hell is that thing in the street, on the sidewalk.

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

An utterly staggering work. Equal parts roadmap, historical primer and ode, Forgotten New York is a must-have guide to those still-visible snippets of historical New York, in all five boroughs, that you never knew existed.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very special Christmas gift. Also an amazing reference and so much fun to read.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

An essential guide for any bona fide urban archeologist.

[Alison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Got this book from my library and skimmed a few chapters and reviewed it a bit. Wonderful historical info, pics and grouped together really really well.
Will purchase this one.

[James Nevius · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this book is a wonderful guide to NYC. I just wish it was as fascinating as Walsh's website, which is one of the best NYC web resources around.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative and fascinating.

[Randy · Rating 2 out of 5]

A better web reference than book.

[Peter B Creedon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is unbelievably awesome. I've always been a fan of FNY. There's something about it that attracts me to it.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Makes me miss the city.
Felt like I got to take a stroll back through my old neighborhood. :)

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you love learning about and exploring New York there are tons of great things to do in this book.

[Zedder · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best tour guide to NYC that I've come across so far.