Review by Library Journal Review
While many excellent books have addressed the endlessly fascinating history and lore of New York City, the staff of the New-York Historical Society (N-YHS) library has entered the fray with this wonderful new offering. This compendium of both popular and more obscure questions and answers is filled with colorful, quirky historical threads that combine to create an extraordinary tapestry depicting New York's story. For example: What's the oldest cemetery in New York City? The answer might surprise (hint: it's not in Manhattan). While some questions concern a story or place, others pertain to famous New Yorkers, e.g., Peter Stuyvesant, the last governor of Dutch New Amsterdam, and his famous peg leg. All answers are thoroughly documented from sources including secondary histories, original pamphlets, and accounts in newspapers or magazines. These sleuths also consulted private documents and correspondence in the N-YHS collections. VERDICT This is an almost addictive read, and when readers reach the last question, they'll hope for a sequel. Whether one is a serious historian or a hobbyist, there is much to enjoy here. Importantly, it's also a resource that public librarians will find eminently useful. Don't be surprised if "New-York Historical Society Fun Facts" becomes a regular category on Jeopardy. Highly recommended. [See Q&A with N-YHS reference librarian Mariam Touba, p. 86.-Ed.]-Richard Drezen, Brooklyn, NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
