Insight Compact Guide New York (Insight Compact Guides)

As a lifelong student of New York City's history, I've always been intrigued by what these guidebooks say about my town's history and present attractions. Some have been dismal. One made mention that Houston Street was named after the Texan, Sam Houston. WRONG! Another had Times Square still listed as a "dangerous place--a must to avoid", as late as 1999, four years after the area had been totally rehabilitated and became the No. 1 tourist attraction in town.

Editor Martha Ellen Zenfell has done a fine job of keeping the city's history straight, and keeping its current tourist (and not so tourist) spots up to date. I recommend that you recommend this book to anyone who has just moved to or is visiting the greatest city in the world.


Handy Simple Guidebook, Good For NYC Newbies   July 31, 2003
 3 out of 3 found this review helpful

I bought twenty-five of these and gave them out to twenty-five out-of-town (Midwest) couples that I hosted for a bus tour of NYC on the day after my daughter's wedding. I wanted something nicely printed and not too expensive with good photos that would serve to help my guests remember their day in the City. There were lots of choices on the shelves of .... , where I made my selection before ordering from Amazon. This book seemed to fit my needs best. Insight publishes a larger version of this same guide; and I had that in my pocket as I played tour guide.