Old New York in Early Photographs

Rating:
Summary: The Big Apple Box
Review: If one desires a book of page-size, sterile photos of substantial structures (with minimal captions) this volume will certainly fill the bill. If, however, one prefers historical snapshots of people amidst the buildings or scenes of shacks or tenements, be forewarned that these are few and far between. Also, in number, the later-in-time pictures tend to predominate. Thus, if the viewer is looking to gaze a la Gangs of New York, some of the wordier texts provide much more appropriate photographic fodder.

Rating:
Summary: The Big Apple Box
Review: If one desires a book of page-size, sterile photos of substantial structures (with minimal captions) this volume will certainly fill the bill. If, however, one prefers historical snapshots of people amidst the buildings or scenes of shacks or tenements, be forewarned that these are few and far between. Also, in number, the later-in-time pictures tend to predominate. Thus, if the viewer is looking to gaze a la Gangs of New York, some of the wordier texts provide much more appropriate photographic fodder.

Rating:
Summary: There are better collections out there
Review: The print quality of the photos in OLD NEW YORK IN EARLY PHOTOGRAPHS is quite good, better than most. And the quantity of the photographs is equally impressive. And that's about it for the positives.

Arranged by neighborhood, the photos have little else to do with each other. There is no unifying theme holding the photos together. Not that every collection ought to have a theme as powerful as Jacob Riis' HOW THE OTHER HALF LIVES, but these photos seem so haphazardly arranged. The scanty text doesn't even attempt to explain how the individual vignettes came about, or how it relates to the particiular time in New York's history that the photo was taken. And, of course, Manhattan is the only borough represented here. I suppose the citizens of the other four boroughs had yet to climb down from their trees and build fires, never mind operate cameras.

Rocco Dormarunno from ooog-ooog Brooklyn

Rating:
Summary: Excellent for historians and genealogists.
Review: This book features 196 carefully chosen photos from the New-York Historical Society, arranged by neighborhood from the Battery to the Bronx (though the emphasis is on Manhattan). These superb photos document the changing face of New York City -- not only the buildings (from mansions to shacks), but the people, clothing styles, and modes of transportation. A succinct description accompanies each, pointing out features of interest. Some focal points are presented in several photos taken years or decades apart. An excellent book for anyone who wants to really get a sense of the times.