By T.M. Rives
Jon Glez Publishing, $19.95, 430 pages
Readers of this non-traditional guidebook can skip the usual crowded and expensive tourist attractions in New York City – Times Square, the Empire State Building and what’s left of Little Italy. Instead, both tourists and locals alike should go straight to see a fragment of George Washington’s tooth, the Blessing of the Bicycles at the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine and a panorama of the city in miniature at the Queens Museum of Art. Begin your own New York tour at the tip of Manhattan Island with a visit to the ruins of a pre-Revolutionary War POW facility. Wind through the historical streets of downtown, midtown, uptown and the outer boroughs. End with a look at Staten Island’s ship graveyard. A directory of hidden or little-known sites throughout the city is engagingly presented. A color photograph and brief, breezy text written by a local author accompanies each suggestion. Longtime residents of the city as well as first time visitors will all find something unexpected. One caution: Hurricane Sandy did extensive damage to parts of Manhattan and its environs. Before venturing out, visitors should confirm access to listed sites. This guidebook is highly recommended.
Reviewed by Linda Frederiksen
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