I have read this book each time I take a trip to NYC. I love to carry this book with me and take walking trips on Manhattan to look at the buildings described so vividly. Now that I live in Washington DC Im going to order the AIA Guide to DC....Time to explore a new city!
This is a wonderful guide to many of the thousands of buildings in New York City. It is not, however, strictly an architectural piece. A study of the significant edifices in Manhattan this is not, since the photographs are mostly the size of postage stamps, and the text is limited. What it is is likely the most complete guide to the significant and not-so-significant buildings and monuments in New Yorks five major boroughs (Manhattan, Queens, the Bronx, Brooklyn and Staten Island). The most surprising aspect of this book is its sheer size and complexity. There are hundreds of small photographs (all in clear black-and-white) of nearly every building mentionned, and dozens of others of a more substantial size. There are also over 100 maps of each area, in sufficient detail to be useful for navigation, and a compehensive glossary and index. Overall, this is a monumental book, and one which is definitely worth the price for anyone who is interested in the landscape of one of the most exciting cities in the world - New York. For the type of book it attempts to be, The Forth Edition AIA Guide to New York City is virtually without flaw.
I am going to be straightforward: the book is written in a slightly overblown language, which is not easy to understand for non-native English speakers. If you are a non-native English speaker, think twice before getting this book.
