The Secret City

Rating:
Summary: Guide to dem' who wuz famous
Review: Compelling stories of several NYC movers and shakers, who ain't movin' or shakin' no more. Each chapter introduces a new individual (mayor, journalist, sculptor, railroad magnate, etc.) and opens up their world, their time, and shows how they made their mark.

This book is crammed with well-researched details and intriguing references. I loved learning of the connections to people who are still famous (Caruso, Whitman, Chester Allen Arthur, etc.) and listening like a fly on the wall to the imagined conversations.

Secret City is an enjoyable view into NYC history -- even the bibliography is fun!

Rating:
Summary: Misleading and undependable
Review: I wonder why this book was published, since it seems to have received little attention or care in the process. I seriously doubt that it was edited. proofread, or checked at any stage. First and most glaring, there's no index. While it's hardly a typical nonfiction book, surely there are enough proper names for an index that would interest the reader. Second, beginning on page 6, the book is riddled with typos. The worst (so far) is Olmstead for Olmsted, a frequent but inexcusable error. Then I learn at the end of chapter 1 that Woodlawn (which is not mentioned till page 20) has 400 acres and 300,000 graves, only to read it again in the first paragraph of chapter 2. One or the other? Similar lack of line editing is conspicuous from time to time. And it would appear that Fred Goodman, not Woodlawn Cemetery, is at the center of the book, making a more accurate title something along the lines of Fred Goodman Discovers Woodlawn.

I'm quite interested in New York history and Woodlawn Cemetery, but the book is a real disappointment.

Rating:
Summary: There are NO PICTURES if that is your expectation!
Review: If you purchase this book expecting pictures of the gravestones you'll be very disappointed. There are only about 6 black and white photos in the entire book, and they're not even that good. The reading is interesting, but keep in mind; NO PICTURES!

Rating:
Summary: Some people should never be forgotten
Review: This is a great book for anyone who wants to learn more about the beauty that lives in cemeteries. They are great repositories of love, collections of monuments to people who were loved. The book shows those of us who may never get to see Woodlawn the peaceful beauty that is to be found there and lets the world see it in a new way.

Rating:
Summary: The quiet stories.
Review: When you drive or walk by a cemetery you are used to hearing silence, this book loudly proclaims the interesting stories behind the walls. Fred Goodman encourages us to consider the past and it was an enjoyable trip. Thanks for the journey.
(If you're looking for pictures-there are plenty of sites online for that)
Randi Woods