Reviews
"There was Melville, Ahab, and the great white whale, and now Burrows and Wallace and this, the first of two massive volumes on what remains perhaps the last great leviathan of American history: New York. There has simply never been anything quite like this extraordinarily ambitious andcapacious history of the city. Analytically penetrating; indefatigably scholarly in its painstaking accumulation of detail and event; and for all its size written with remarkable energy and grace, it must stand as the definitive narrative reference work for scholars, students and anyone elseobsessed with the endlessly fascinating sprawl of New York's four-century-long history."--Ric Burns, director, New York: A Documentary Film, "Here is a book sure to bring us up to speed on what took place inManhattan before 1898, as far back as the ice age, when 'packs of glaciers creptdown from Labrador.... The authors...glide easily around town, peeking insidebrothels for working men in Five Points, then pressing noses to the gilt-edgedwindows of the uptown rich.... Burrows and Wallace offer a large-canvas portraitof a city they clearly love."--The New York Times Book Review, "Here is a book sure to bring us up to speed on what took place in Manhattan before 1898, as far back as the ice age, when 'packs of glaciers crept down from Labrador....The authors...glide easily around town, peeking inside brothels for working men in Five Points, then pressing noses to the gilt-edged windows of the uptown rich....Burrows and Wallace offer a large-canvas portrait of a city they clearly love."--The New York Times Book Review "Gotham is a masterwork--a great tapestry of a book that weaves a vast array of personalities, dramatic episodes and illuminating ancedotes into a rich and colorful whole. This is a work not just for lovers of New York, but for anyone who seeks a deeper understanding of American history....Happily, Burrows and Wallace are first-rate writers, fluid in their handling of the barebones statistics, enthralling in their handling of moments of high drama. Their vivid account of the draft riots of 1863, for example, is as blood-curdling as anything in a Stephen King thriller."--Baltimore Sun "A tome matching the size of its subject, this doorstopper more than justifies the 20 years Burrows and Wallace spent on it....Its massive size permits the inclusion of details, minor characters and anecdotes of everyday life that vibrantly communicate the city's genesis and evolution. The authors have synthesized histories from various perspectives--cultural, economic, political, etc.--into a novelistic narrative, providing the context for stories of the diverse denizens who shaped the city...[A] historical work that merits the term 'definitive' yet still manages to entertain....'Gotham' denotes a town of tricksters and fools, and this book is full of both....The rest will read with pleasure and await the companion volume's promised appearance."--Publishers Weekly "Massive, detailed and magnificently written...it reads as easily as a smoothly crafted novel...a book that will surely stand for a long time as an exemplar of urban history--social, economic, political, religious, cultural--and woven them into a seamless tapestry that covers every aspect of the long and colorful history of the city they so lovingly chronicle. This is no dry history; it is populated with thousands of people, hundreds of anecdotes and lots and lots of delightfully informative and entertaining vignettes. It would be difficult to imagine a more comprehensive or better written history."--The Chattanooga Times "A suitably vast, sprawling, and all-consuming history of the rapid evolution of New York City from primordial forest into the world's most fabulous city....Linking economic, cultural, demographic, and political history, the authors trace the city's development from a peripheral Dutch frontier post through its growth into a vital shipping point in the British mercantile system....Along the way the authors introduce a crazy quilt of characters from the political, industrial, cultural, and literary worlds, and from the underworld as well....Magisterial, colorful, meticulously researched, and richly detailed; destined to be the definitive history of early New York City."--Kirkus Reviews, "Here is a book sure to bring us up to speed on what took place in Manhattan before 1898, as far back as the ice age, when 'packs of glaciers crept down from Labrador....The authors...glide easily around town, peeking inside brothels for working men in Five Points, then pressing noses to the gilt-edged windows of the uptown rich....Burrows and Wallace offer a large-canvas portrait of a city they clearly love."--The New York Times Book Review"Gotham is a masterwork--a great tapestry of a book that weaves a vast array of personalities, dramatic episodes and illuminating ancedotes into a rich and colorful whole. This is a work not just for lovers of New York, but for anyone who seeks a deeper understanding of American history....Happily, Burrows and Wallace are first-rate writers, fluid in their handling of the barebones statistics, enthralling in their handling of moments of high drama. Their vivid account of the draft riots of 1863, for example, is as blood-curdling as anything in a Stephen King thriller."--Baltimore Sun"A tome matching the size of its subject, this doorstopper more than justifies the 20 years Burrows and Wallace spent on it....Its massive size permits the inclusion of details, minor characters and anecdotes of everyday life that vibrantly communicate the city's genesis and evolution. The authors have synthesized histories from various perspectives--cultural, economic, political, etc.--into a novelistic narrative, providing the context for stories of the diverse denizens who shaped the city...[A] historical work that merits the term 'definitive' yet still manages to entertain....'Gotham' denotes a town of tricksters and fools, and this book is full of both....The rest will read with pleasure and await the companion volume's promised appearance."--Publishers Weekly"Massive, detailed and magnificently written...it reads as easily as a smoothly crafted novel...a book that will surely stand for a long time as an exemplar of urban history--social, economic, political, religious, cultural--and woven them into a seamless tapestry that covers every aspect of the long and colorful history of the city they so lovingly chronicle. This is no dry history; it is populated with thousands of people, hundreds of anecdotes and lots and lots of delightfully informative and entertaining vignettes. It would be difficult to imagine a more comprehensive or better written history."--The Chattanooga Times"A suitably vast, sprawling, and all-consuming history of the rapid evolution of New York City from primordial forest into the world's most fabulous city....Linking economic, cultural, demographic, and political history, the authors trace the city's development from a peripheral Dutch frontier post through its growth into a vital shipping point in the British mercantile system....Along the way the authors introduce a crazy quilt of characters from the political, industrial, cultural, and literary worlds, and from the underworld as well....Magisterial, colorful, meticulously researched, and richly detailed; destined to be the definitive history of early New York City."--Kirkus Reviews"If New York is a great city, it certainly merits a great book, and one has just come along.... Burrows and Wallace have been working on this project for 20 years, and surely theirs is like no previous book about New York, not only recounting the town's history but capturing its audacity, creativity and variety--in a word, its spirit."--Parade, "Gotham is a masterwork--a great tapestry of a book that weaves a vastarray of personalities, dramatic episodes adn illuminating ancedotes into a richand colorful whole. THis is a work not just for lovers of New York, but foranyone who seeks a deeper understanding of American history.... Happily, Burrowsand Wallace are first-rate writers, fluid in their handling of the barebonesstatistics, enthrallin in their handling of moments of high drama. Their vividaccount of the draft riots of 1863, for example, is as blood-curdling asanything in a Stephen King thriller."--Baltimore Sun, "An epic narrative worthy of the world's greatest city, Gotham is amarvelously-written and sweeping book that is based throughout on the latestscholarship."--Kenneth T. Jackson, editor-in-chief of The Encyclopedia of NewYork City, "I was transported back in time. I was fascinated as door after door wasmentally opened as I turned page after page. I have never read a book thattells so interestingly who we are and how we got where we are."--BrookAstor, "Make no mistake: A comprehensive history of New York City is a bold undertaking, if not a foolish one. But Burrows and Wallace have pulled it off with style.... The authors are agile enough to bring to life the 'uppertendom' elite of antebellum New York as well as the world of the 'b'hoy,'the tough dandies who used to parade along the Bowery in the mid 19th-century."--The Wall Street Journal, "A suitably vast, sprawling, and all-consuming history of the rapid evolution of New York City from primordial forest into the world's most fabulous city.... Linking economic, cultural, demographic, and political history, the authors trace the city's development from a peripheral Dutchfrontier post through its growth into a vital shipping point in the British mercantile system.... Along the way the authors introduce a crazy quilt of characters from the political, industrial, cultural, and literary worlds, and from the underworld as well....Magisterial, colorful, meticulouslyresearched, and richly detailed; destined to be the definitive history of early New York City."--Kirkus Reviews, "Extremely well written, this compelling drama beats most fiction in itsability to enchant and surprise."--Kim Long, The Bloomsbury Review, "Massive, detailed and magnificently written...it reads as easily as asmoothly crafted novel...a book that will surely stand for a long time as anexemplar of urban history--social, economic, political, religious, cultural--andwoven them into a seamless tapestry that covers every aspect of the long andcolorful history of the city they so lovingly chronicle. This is no dryhistory; it is populated with thousands of people, hundreds of anecdotes andlots adn lots of delightfully infromative and entertaining vignettes. It wouldbe difficult to imagine a more comprehensive or better written history."--TheChattanooga Times, "If you thought you knew something about the city of New York, think again. Gotham is a page-turner, a fascinating, dramatic and compelling tale of the world's greatest city. You will not walk its streets again without calling to mind the stories that make New York what it is today. Theauthors have given us a history as real and palpable as if the events just occurred. It is a stunning work."--Jane Alexander, "Here is a book sure to bring us up to speed on what took place in Manhattan before 1898, as far back as the ice age, when 'packs of glaciers crept down from Labrador.... The authors...glide easily around town, peeking inside brothels for working men in Five Points, then pressing noses to the gilt-edged windows of the uptown rich.... Burrows and Wallace offer a large-canvas portrait of a city they clearly love."--The New York Times Book Review "Gotham is a masterwork--a great tapestry of a book that weaves a vast array of personalities, dramatic episodes and illuminating ancedotes into a rich and colorful whole. This is a work not just for lovers of New York, but for anyone who seeks a deeper understanding of American history.... Happily, Burrows and Wallace are first-rate writers, fluid in their handling of the barebones statistics, enthralling in their handling of moments of high drama. Their vivid account of the draft riots of 1863, for example, is as blood-curdling as anything in a Stephen King thriller."--Baltimore Sun "A tome matching the size of its subject, this doorstopper more than justifies the 20 years Burrows and Wallace spent on it.... Its massive size permits the inclusion of details, minor characters and anecdotes of everyday life that vibrantly communicate the city's genesis and evolution. The authors have synthesized histories from various perspectives--cultural, economic, political, etc.--into a novelistic narrative, providing the context for stories of the diverse denizens who shaped the city,..a historical work that merits the term "definitive" yet still manages to entertain.... "Gotham" denotes a town of tricksters and fools, and this book is full of both.... The rest will read with pleasure and await the companion volume's promised appearance."--Publishers Weekly "Massive, detailed and magnificently written...it reads as easily as a smoothly crafted novel...a book that will surely stand for a long time as an exemplar of urban history--social, economic, political, religious, cultural--and woven them into a seamless tapestry that covers every aspect of the long and colorful history of the city they so lovingly chronicle. This is no dry history; it is populated with thousands of people, hundreds of anecdotes and lots and lots of delightfully informative and entertaining vignettes. It would be difficult to imagine a more comprehensive or better written history."--The Chattanooga Times "A suitably vast, sprawling, and all-consuming history of the rapid evolution of New York City from primordial forest into the world's most fabulous city.... Linking economic, cultural, demographic, and political history, the authors trace the city's development from a peripheral Dutch frontier post through its growth into a vital shipping point in the British mercantile system.... Along the way the authors introduce a crazy quilt of characters from the political, industrial, cultural, and literary worlds, and from the underworld as well....Magisterial, colorful, meticulously researched, and richly detailed; destined to be the definitive history of early New York City."--Kirkus Reviews, "A tome matching the size of its subject, this doorstopper more than justifies the 20 years Burrows and Wallace spent on it.... Its massive size permits the inclusion of details, minor characters and anecdotes of everyday life that vibrantly communicate the city's genesis and evolution. Theauthors have synthesized histories from various perspectives--cultural, economic, political, etc.--into a novelistic narrative, providing the context for stories of the diverse denizens who shaped the city,..a historical work that merits the term "definitive" yet still manages to entertain...."Gotham" denotes a town of tricksters and fools, and this book is full of both.... The rest will read with pleasure and await the companion volume's promised appearance."--Publishers Weekly, "Here is a book sure to bring us up to speed on what took place in Manhattan before 1898, as far back as the ice age, when 'packs of glaciers crept down from Labrador.... The authors...glide easily around town, peeking inside brothels for working men in Five Points, then pressing noses to the gilt-edged windows of the uptown rich.... Burrows and Wallace offer a large-canvas portrait of a city they clearly love."--The New York Times Book Review "Gothamis a masterwork--a great tapestry of a book that weaves a vast array of personalities, dramatic episodes and illuminating ancedotes into a rich and colorful whole. This is a work not just for lovers of New York, but for anyone who seeks a deeper understanding of American history.... Happily, Burrows and Wallace are first-rate writers, fluid in their handling of the barebones statistics, enthralling in their handling of moments of high drama. Their vivid account of the draft riots of 1863, for example, is as blood-curdling as anything in a Stephen King thriller."--BaltimoreSun "A tome matching the size of its subject, this doorstopper more than justifies the 20 years Burrows and Wallace spent on it.... Its massive size permits the inclusion of details, minor characters and anecdotes of everyday life that vibrantly communicate the city's genesis and evolution. The authors have synthesized histories from various perspectives--cultural, economic, political, etc.--into a novelistic narrative, providing the context for stories of the diverse denizens who shaped the city,..a historical work that merits the term "definitive" yet still manages to entertain.... "Gotham" denotes a town of tricksters and fools, and this book is full of both.... The rest will read with pleasure and await the companion volume's promised appearance."--Publishers Weekly "Massive, detailed and magnificently written...it reads as easily as a smoothly crafted novel...a book that will surely stand for a long time as an exemplar of urban history--social, economic, political, religious, cultural--and woven them into a seamless tapestry that covers every aspect of the long and colorful history of the city they so lovingly chronicle. This is no dry history; it is populated with thousands of people, hundreds of anecdotes and lots and lots of delightfully informative and entertaining vignettes. It would be difficult to imagine a more comprehensive or better written history."--The Chattanooga Times "A suitably vast, sprawling, and all-consuming history of the rapid evolution of New York City from primordial forest into the world's most fabulous city.... Linking economic, cultural, demographic, and political history, the authors trace the city's development from a peripheral Dutch frontier post through its growth into a vital shipping point in the British mercantile system.... Along the way the authors introduce a crazy quilt of characters from the political, industrial, cultural, and literary worlds, and from the underworld as well....Magisterial, colorful, meticulously researched, and richly detailed; destined to be the definitive history of early New York City."--Kirkus Reviews, "Gotham is a masterwork--a great tapestry of a book that weaves a vast array of personalities, dramatic episodes and illuminating ancedotes into a rich and colorful whole. This is a work not just for lovers of New York, but for anyone who seeks a deeper understanding of American history....Happily, Burrows and Wallace are first-rate writers, fluid in their handling of the barebones statistics, enthralling in their handling of moments of high drama. Their vivid account of the draft riots of 1863, for example, is as blood-curdling as anything in a Stephen King thriller."--BaltimoreSun, "Here is a book sure to bring us up to speed on what took place inManhattan before 1898, as far back as the ice age, when 'packs of glaciers creptdown from Labrador.... The authors...glide easily around town, peeking insidebrothels for working men in Five Points, then pressign noses to teh gilt-edgedwindows of the uptown rich.... Burrows and Wallace offer a large-canvas portraitof a city they clearly love."--The New York Times Book Review, "Massive, detailed and magnificently written...it reads as easily as a smoothly crafted novel...a book that will surely stand for a long time as an exemplar of urban history--social, economic, political, religious, cultural--and woven them into a seamless tapestry that covers every aspect ofthe long and colorful history of the city they so lovingly chronicle. This is no dry history; it is populated with thousands of people, hundreds of anecdotes and lots and lots of delightfully informative and entertaining vignettes. It would be difficult to imagine a more comprehensive or betterwritten history."--The Chattanooga Times, "You'll want to read this book from front to back but even if you merely dip here and there you'll claw yourself with pleasure at the joys of discovery. The writing is as vital and throbbing as a New York City street at rush hour or as serene as a quiet corner of Central Park."--Frank McCourt,New York Times, "Here is a book sure to bring us up to speed on what took place in Manhattan before 1898, as far back as the ice age, when 'packs of glaciers crept down from Labrador.... The authors...glide easily around town, peeking inside brothels for working men in Five Points, then pressing noses to thegilt-edged windows of the uptown rich.... Burrows and Wallace offer a large-canvas portrait of a city they clearly love."--The New York Times Book Review
