The Best of American Heritage: New York

by Edwin S. Grosvenor

There is only one New York. It didn't make America, but it made possible the America we've come to know. Here - from American Heritage magazine and such historians as Nathaniel Benchley, David McCullough, and William V. Shannon - is its remarkable from Henry Hudson's historic voyage and the sale of Manhattan Island to New York's occupation by British forces during the Revolution and the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge, Central Park, and the Whitney Museum.

Genres: History

157 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 14, 2017

About the author

Edwin Grosvenor has been the Editor-in-Chief of American Heritage and Invention & Technology Magazines and President of American Heritage Publishing since 2007. He has published ten books and is best known for writing about his great-grandfather, Alexander Graham Bell, including two books and several magazine articles.

Early in his career, Grosvenor worked as a freelance photographer for National Geographic, completing 23 assignments in such countries as Belize, Canada, France, Greece, Iceland, Kenya, Spain, Tonga, Turkey and the U.S.

Grosvenor was President and Editor of Portfolio Magazine, the highest circulation fine arts publication in the U.S. at the time according to the Audit Bureau of Circulation, and a nominee for the National Magazine Award for General Excellence.

Mr. Grosvenor also served as president and editorial director of Hotel Magazine Network, Inc., a publisher of magazines for business travelers with a total circulation of 330,000 copies distributed in the rooms of Marriott and Hyatt hotels.

From 1991 to 1995, Mr. Grosvenor was the publisher of the literary magazine, Current Books, which published such authors as Norman Mailer, Bill Moyers, Garrison Keillor, David McCullough, Anne Tyler, and Vaclav Havel.

Mr. Grosvenor obtained his MBA and his MS (Journalism) degrees from Columbia University, and his BA from Yale University.

Reviews

[Helen Edwards · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book because I know virtually nothing about the history of New York City. I like that it was a series of essays by different authors as that made it easier to read. I could have read a selected few but I chose to read the entire book and I'm glad I did. Dirty politics is nothing new and this book proves it in spades. I was horrified to learn that Central Park was at one point almost destroyed by dirty politics. What a shame that would have been.

[Jase Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great book of essays covering diverse events in the history of the city of New York. As with any compilation, you can expect to enjoy some pieces more than others. Strong chapters for me were the stories of the colony of New Amsterdam, the building of the Woolworth tower, the foundations of Central Park, the Whitney Museum, and the New York Tenement Museum.

[DIANE Y. PETERSEN · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a Tour Guide

This book is best suited for someone with a historical interest in New York. I gained insight into how some events came to be, such as the Woolworth Building, The Whitney Museum and the Tenement Museum.

Each chapter can be appreciated as a separate entity and they do not have to be read in contiguity.

It provides some interesting tidbits about NY.

[Al Lock · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a series of short articles, each a take on a particular aspect of New York City, from the Dutch founding of New Amsterdam to the creation of the Tenement Museum. All are interesting and well-written, short and easily read. This is not a story of New York City, it is a collection of stories from New York City... and a worthwhile one.

[Peggie Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is a collection of essays from American Heritage magazine which tell the history of New York City through the people, places and events which may not be well known. The entire collection was both very informative and interesting. I will look for other books in this series of histories based on American Heritage.

[Ann E · Rating 5 out of 5]

Useful

Very interesting. Informative without being dry. Reading moved right along. Recommend for history information on New York City. A history book I enjoyed.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

I rarely give 5 stars, but will for this one. A collection of 18 essays about different things that made New York what it is today. All good reads, factual, and intriguing.