Lost New York

by Nathan Silver

Photographs of residences, churches, and other public and private buildings provide a pictorial survey of the significant architecture of a bygone New York

Genres: History, New York, Nonfiction, Architecture, Photography, Cities, Urban

242 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1967

About the author

Nathan Silver was a British-American architect and architecture critic. He is best known as the author of "Lost New York" (1967), which chronicled the loss of New York City's architectural heritage.

Reviews

[carol.]

I'm quite intrigued by black-and-white photography, particularly older city-scapes. When NYC Public Library put many of its collections online, I was hooked.

New York Subways, 1977: https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/c...

Check out this policeman and building from 1896: https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/i...

Or these window installers, likely from 1957 (zoom in for a good look at one's face and clothing): https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/i...

Or this one from Armistice Day, 1937. Swap out the cars and the nice coats, and it could almost be 1997. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/i...


At any rate, you get the idea. So when I saw the title "Lost New York" and understood it to be a photography collection that included some things that were no longer in existence, I got a little excited. I knew it was building focused, but I thought it would include people:
Men and women outside a Hosiery store (note the furs!): https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/i...

I shouldn't have, however, because this is an architecture and historical preservation book through and through, written by a professor of architecture. His perspective is one of an academic, and though he injects witticisms into the writing, it is by no means engaging. And, significantly for me, there are no people, so the sense of time is lost unless one is intimately familiar with architectural details (who do you think I am, Art Vandelay?)


This is a building book, but everyone knows, NYC is also its people http://www.humansofnewyork.com/

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

While there's a fair amount of text, I mostly skipped over it looking for pictures of smaller commercial buildings and residences. There were a few, but not many. The emphasis is more on mansions and grand civil buildings and with little of working New York shown. Still a fun skim for those of us who like historic architecture. Printed on matte paper with OK black and white reproductions.

[Roddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

What feels like an endless yet addictive dive into the abyss of New York City history, complete with fascinating anecdotes and facts about the great city. As you read it, you're transported to a time apart from your own. Not just temporally, but also what you may consider the "American" experience of wide open spaces, forests, the revolution, the old west, the civil war and reconstruction... the years that made the USA into 'Merica - that is the backdrop of this account, but told as if a placard could precede it: "Meanwhile in New York..."
This is a gritty, dirty city, dark and deplorable, fascinating and fearful. An experience apart from the history we've come to accept, and deeper, more three dimensional than most that I've ever read. Incredibly detailed and almost impossibly sourced, we hear the voices and see the faces of actual characters through quotes and photographs that make this about as close to a two-pound time machine as one may ever find.

[Anna L · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really wanted the photographs to be of better, clearer quality. Some of the building stories were new to me, and I can imagine in 1967 this exhibit and the book caused quite a stir. I enjoyed the analysis of WHY buildings, specifically in NYC, historically would be destroyed and replaced by others.

[Angie Rizzo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book full of beautiful architecture and incredible history on NYC's past! 10/10 recommend!!

[Shane Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful read about Old New York and some of her famous buildings......Great pictures as well!!

[Viridian5 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is an illustrated and often witty ride through NYC buildings and building interiors that were destroyed over the years, many of them making the author and often the reader ask, "Why?!?!!!"

This book is haunted by our future as well as our past. This new edition was published in 2000. Thus, the photo of the Twin Towers during the Bicentennial means something different now and some of what Silver has to say about the time a plane hit the Empire State Building made me wince.

But I would recommend this book to anyone.

[Roy Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are two versions of this topic with identical titles. Both the Nathan Silver and Marcia Reiss versions are excellent. The advantage the Silver book has is the pithier and more knowledgeable commentary, while the Reiss book is more straightforward and its photographs are of a higher quality.

[Monica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the big weenie published in 1967 and other editions covering other cities have followed. I remember the hub-bub around the house about the demolition of Penn Station. This book made me strain to remember the old Penn station, which I couldn't do because our station was Grand Central. It was a defining moment for me. I surfed to Ireland to find the original (proper) book jacket.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I requested this book after watching the movie Cinderella Man. I was blown away by the images of the "Hooverville" which was set up in Central Park during the Depression.

This book has a ton of really great photographs of buildings, parks, hotels, museums and theaters. There are stories about demolitions and building. Can't wait to go to NYC and look at some of the buildings I read about.

[Andy · Rating 4 out of 5]

As close as you can get to using a time machine! The photographs are wonderful, and the text is very extensive. Beautiful book.

[Monica · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took moving away from New York to fully appreciate it's architecture. I can read this book every few years and still be touched by it. NY is still the greatest place on earth.

[Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love anything New York (City) and here is the chance to see really amazing old buildings of New York that has been torn down.

[Lynn Calvin]

Amazon preorder,Amazon received

[Dan Lollis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about buildings that no longer exist in New York...I wish I could have seen them.