In each one of New York's Chinatowns, for example, there is a park where the elderly can go for “fresh air and ‘san san bu,’ leisurely walks.” The East Village still shows signs of the Yiddish Theatre District of the early 20th century. Throughout, the author and his guides never lose sight of the people who live and work in these communities. Kimmelman also devotes tours to specific streets (42nd Street) and buildings (Rockefeller Center, “New York’s Depression-era version of the pyramids…the largest private construction project in America between the World Wars”). We get street-level views of the culturally diverse neighborhoods of Jackson Heights and Forest Hills "America's first commuter suburb," Brooklyn Heights and "the fountainhead of American bohemia," Greenwich Village. Many were conducted virtually, but all can be strolled in person, book in hand. His tours around the city were led by architects, historians, and preservationists. “The walks would become my own way of coping with those first months of the pandemic,” he writes at the beginning of this lively book, which includes excellent photos. New York Times architecture critic Kimmelman originally published 17 of these 20 essays in the Times between March and December 2020. Twenty tours through New York City reveal a rich tapestry of architecture, urban living, and civic resilience.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |