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You're very welcome! I learned most of what I know about New York City history by reading as much as I could about it. It started off as an interest, became a passion, and over the past few years I've been able to turn my love of city history into a career.

There are definitely some fabulous blogs and websites about NYC that are a good place to start if you're interested in learning more, such as Forgotten New York, Daytonian in Manhattan, Untapped Cities, Ephemeral New York, and The Bowery Boys, to name a few. The New-York Historical Society, The Museum of the City of New York, The Brooklyn Historical Society, and The New York Public Library are all great places to visit, and their respective blogs (here, here, here and here) have a ton of valuable information. Other organizations and groups have websites and social media feeds that are worth checking out. Here is a list with some amazing websites and resources to check out.

In terms of books, I recommend starting with Gotham: A History of New York City to 1898 by Edwin G. Burrows and Mike Wallace. It is comprehensive, informative, and incredibly well written. I have read it numerous times over the years, and I reference it constantly. Empire City: New York Through the Centuries by Kenneth T. Jackson and David S. Dunbar is also a good introductory book to get yourself up to speed. I have compiled a list of books for /r/nychistory, which you can view here, and it has plenty of other good choices to pick and includes different categories.

In the event that you enjoy what I do and want to learn more, feel free to check out my Twitter page (you don't need an account to view it), where I have shared over 7,000 unique historical images and photos from the city's history. I also have an Instagram account, where I am able to provide more in-depth stories about the events, buildings, views, and people that have helped make New York City the place that it is today.

The last excellent work of fiction I read was City of Dreams by Beverly Swerling. The book that I feel best captures the feeling of New York City, however, is Winter's Tale by Mark Helprin.

I mostly read nonfiction books about New York City history, and I'll share a few of my favorites with you. The definitive tome, of course, is Gotham: A History of New York City to 1898 by Mike Wallace and Edwin Burrows. Another favorite of mine, as I love the history of New Amsterdam, is Island at the Center of the World:The Epic Story of Dutch Manhattan and the Forgotten Colony That Shaped America by Russell Shorto. One of the most fascinating subjects I have been learning about is Native American history at the period of first European contact, and I really recommend checking out Adriaen Van Der Donck's A Description of New Netherland (The Iroquoians and their World), which many scholars agree is just as much of a significant work as William Bradford's Of Plymouth Plantation, and would be the definitive guide to the new world if it had been written in English. Evan Pritchard's Native New Yorkers: The Legacy of the Algonquian People of New York also offers an incredible look at native culture.

If you are interested in the subway system, check out Stan Fischler's fantastic Uptown, Downtown. One of the most underrated books I have picked up recently explores the construction of the amazing Grand Central Terminal, and I learned an incredible amount from it: Grand Central's Engineer: William J. Wilgus and the Planning of Modern Manhattan. If you are interested in urban planning, I would also suggest The Measure of Manhattan: The Tumultuous Career and Surprising Legacy of John Randel Jr., Cartographer, Surveyor, Inventor.

At this point I've read a ton of nonfiction books about the city, so if you have any questions or want any other recommendations, feel free to ask!

For anyone genuinely interested in what crime was really like in New York City when it was mostly of the "European ancestry" /u/senseofdecay keeps going on about, I highly recommend Luc Sante's excellent Low Life: Lures and Snares of Old New York. Link It's meticulously researched and reads like the historical background to Gangs of New York. Fascinating stuff.

That is an awesome idea! I would love to see a documentary like that!

In the meantime, you might want to pick up this book.

Clearly this right-wing libertarian dude doesn't have to commute through Penn Station.

He's just wrong. Honestly, if there was a reasonable argument against historical preservation, it is not present in this blog post. Does he really think that Grand Central would still be standing if it didn't have landmark status? GCT was bought for a measly $80 million in 2006 because it's worth nothing to real estate developers as a train station (contrast that with the tiny footprint of 432 Park Ave. which has >$1B in value), but it has an incalculable benefit to New Yorkers.
He doesn't even make the case that landmarks increase rent prices (which could be worth discussing). He just wants to build things faster and without obstruction. Which is EXACTLY how they built things between the 1920's and the 1960's.

The beauty of NYC is that it's total chaos. That is something to dive into. People try to re/make NYC as kind of cleaned up Toronto. Doomed.

For in the middle of chaos, well that the secret of it all I guess. If you can't handle. Well I guess you can leave. No one will notice. It's a tough town. No tears will be shed. NYC is in/different to your suffering. Sorry.

But the good news, as they say (updated): "If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere, even on Mars."

Friend has an amazing rooftop view of Manhattan from Greenpoint. At night he points to the glimmering Manhattan skyline and says to us gathered there:

"We're all pirates here, we go to Manhattan and we plunder their gold and silver created from unfettered capitalism, and we bring it back to Brooklyn. That is our goal. To plunder Manhattan and bring those riches back to Greenpoint. Our true home, where the artists live and thrive. For this is what pirates do."

He is kind of a sane guy, thought that was an insightful observation of all things NYC.

OH, HIGHLY recommend this book, it's really a great read about the history of NYC, of all people, Charles Schumer pointed it out to us at a conference, and said "Read this book. It's cool." He was right. :-)


The Island at the Center of the World: The Epic Story of Dutch Manhattan and the Forgotten Colony That Shaped America (on amazon of course!)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1400078679/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_sZkACbVX4PEDT

First of all, we don't say "y'all" here. That's a stereotypical Texas/Southern United States thing. We're hardy Northeasterners. If anything, you would use "youze" for the regional accent stereotype.

If you're an architecture student, you should pick up the American Institute of Architecture Guide to New York City to help you plan an itinerary of interesting buildings to look at.

Beyond that, you'll need to specify things like a budget (we can send you to Per Se for the restaurant you must go to, but that would perhaps be impractical) and your interests. New York is diverse and expansive, and you're basically asking us to tell you about "stuff" (i.e., someone is visiting Brazil and he's asking to be shown coisas, just coisas). That said, you can look at this thread for a prospective visitors very complete itinerary, along with helpful suggestions.

I can't find the actual text, so I'm paraphrasing from Shorto's excellent Island at the Center of the World

Since the basic needs of living were far exceeded for a small subsection of people living in colony of New Amsterdam, that cultural section could afford luxuries. And so the luxuries sprang up, including fine women's clothing and pastry shops creating non-essential sweets, such as cakes - in 18th century dutch, "koek." The smaller versions became known as "koekje" or "koek-yees" or any of the other spellings. Yada yada yada, that's why Americans call them "cookies" and Britons call them "biscuits."

Amazon.com. Their prices are better than most hardware stores and Home Depot, and if you have Prime or sign up for the trial you can get it shipped 2-day for free, or 1-day for $3.99. Then you just have to get it upstairs and into the window.

This Frigidaire 5,000BTU unit is pretty highly rated and is only $115.

Try to get your hands on this book and dig in a little bit. Super readable and amazing history.

You can get this at amazon .. i love this mug. Please note the "related items" silicon covers do NOT fit at all ... =)

http://www.amazon.com/Island-Center-World-Manhattan-Forgotten/dp/1400078679

You're welcome. Amazing book.

Don't know if this book will tell you how, but it definitely has some cool pictures.

I was thinking about cards! I definitely want to pursue that! and of course - book's not out for a while (2014) but pre-orders are happening here http://www.amazon.com/dp/0062303112 - good news is I am going to continue to make conent and post it here: https://www.facebook.com/NYCBASICTIPSANDETIQUETTE

Welcome, mate! Glad to have you. This will help.

I really love Luc Sante's "Low Life." It tackles the true grit of the LES from 1840-1919.

Forgotten New York: Views of a Lost Metropolis is a really interesting book. The author's website is awesome too. He basically just goes exploring different parts of the city and talks about their history. In his book and on the site he talks about places in all the boroughs, not just Manhattan.

If you are considering upgrading, I have this little guy.
http://www.amazon.com/Frigidaire-FRA052XT7-000-BTU-Window-Conditioner/dp/B003F4TH6G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1333637053&sr=8-1
For the price, it's been great and cools off my bedroom enough to hide in there without spending the money it would cost to cool off my whole apartment. Also, check with coned because you can switch your payment plan to a level plan that will spread the cost over the whole year rather than getting slammed for 2 or 3 months.

Please read the short essay Here is New York by E.B. White. Written during a heat wave in the late 40's. It's stunning.

There's a book on the progression of the NYC Subway system: 722 Miles. It's less about the actual construction and more about the politics behind it all, but a good read nonetheless.

If you want more, there's a 1300 page Pulitzer-prize winning book about Moses

https://www.amazon.com/Power-Broker-Robert-Moses-Fall/dp/0394720245

Here's the Amazon link for those interested: https://www.amazon.com/Power-Broker-Robert-Moses-Fall/dp/0394720245

the kill-a-watt meter is your friend. http://www.amazon.com/P3-International-P4400-Electricity-Monitor/dp/B00009MDBU

http://imgur.com/VUceyGe better resolution photo here

Photo was by Martha Cooper, 1981, found in this book: https://www.amazon.com/Subway-Art-Anniversary-Martha-Cooper/dp/0811868877

If you liked this there's a fantastic book on the subject titled The Island at the Center of the World.

> those high rises in LIC are multiplying like rabbits in heat though.

That's a reason why Queens is "still safe;" a larger supply of units reduces the price per unit, rather than vice-versa.

Sort of in the same vein, if you are interested in this sort of thing... I bought Forgotten New York about a year ago and it has remained one of my favorite coffee table books to this day. You will learn an insane amount of New York's history. amazon

/u/nathanwpyle may be able to provide more links but here is the Amazon link:
http://www.amazon.com/Basic-Tips-Etiquette-Nathan-Pyle/dp/0062303112

I used to be a big fan of box fans, but they can use more power than you'd (I'd) expect.

http://www.amazon.com/P3-International-P4400-Electricity-Monitor/dp/B00009MDBU

24/7 boxfan usage can be easily calculated. AC is more difficult since it cycles on and off. The description for the $20 kill-a-watt says that it can handle 15A. Maybe I have an older one, but mine overloads above ~900W. Not a problem for smaller ACs.

Get one of this and find out how much electricity your appliances are using. I recently replaced my old refrigerator with a new one and saved about $10 a month. Your bill is high, but no so high that it couldn't be accounted for if you have old appliance or energy hogging light bulbs.

Yglesias writes about this stuff all the time, in fact he wrote a great book about it : The Rent is Too Damn High. He's against rent control of all sorts, but thinks the issue has a lot more to do with zoning / density regulations.

I hope you're not being ironic/sarcastic because that's a great question. You can use a Kill A Watt. Plug it into the wall and plug his electric eater or whatever on the other side and you can measure electricity usage in kilowatt hours. Then look on your bill for the kWh rate you're charged by Con Ed (or alternate supplier) and calculate the cost. The Kill a Watt might even do this automatically for you.

Printed book:
http://www.amazon.com/Basic-Tips-Etiquette-Nathan-Pyle/dp/0062303112

Animated ebook:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/nyc-basic-tips-and-etiquette/id838645454

Questions: [email protected]

BuzzFeed 27 page preview:
http://www.buzzfeed.com/nathanwpyle/do-we-need-to-be-touching

All illustration, animation, music, cinematography by Nathan W. Pyle

The Works; Anatomy of a City

Just finished this and enjoyed it https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0801880548/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Here is New York by E.B. White. Short and timeless.

>How do you mount an airhorn?

The one I have was made for bikes. You can recharge it it using your tire pump.

And one thing I forgot, get fenders, even if it's a racing bike, because it's probably urine.

Oh, and in case you didn't know, google maps will show you all the bike lanes and bike-friendly streets (example), you can even get directions for bikes.

Why the hell are you downvoting this guy? It's not EXACTLY what OP wanted but it's a decent effort at getting pretty damn close.

Also a tip for amazon links: take

www.amazon.com/description/dp/asinnumber/randomothercrap

and shorten it to

www.amazon.com/dp/asinnumber/

example: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000K4Y0NE/

https://www.amazon.com/Exceptionlab-10-Ounce-Ceramic-happy-serve/dp/B0017YZAYO/ref=asc_df_B0017YZAYO/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=167151917164&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=15854101746639452457&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9004338&hvtargid=pla-313320388486&psc=1

> have yet to understand how everything here works.

try this book which explains how NYC's various infrastructure systems work.

http://www.amazon.com/Delta-Airzound-Bike-Horn/dp/B000ACAMJC

This is a must have

More power consolidated into one position, not possible to recreate in today's circumstances...for worse...and better.

Same Modem without the referral link

AIA Guide to New York City

Island at the Center of the World.

https://www.amazon.com/Island-Center-World-Manhattan-Forgotten/dp/1400078679

I got mine from Amazon.com with delivery to my door for less than it costs to buy one in store. It keeps my room freezing cold. http://www.amazon.com/Frigidaire-FRA052XT7-000-BTU-Window-Conditioner/dp/B003F4TH6G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1370950580&sr=8-1&keywords=frigidaire+air+conditioner

Buy a cable modem from Amazon for $43. Problem solved.

Forget a bell. Get one of these:
http://www.amazon.com/Delta-Airzound-Bike-Horn/dp/B000ACAMJC

All of them should also check out a copy of the books Subway Art and Spraycan Art. Speaking as a teenage graffiti artist in Queens in the mid-to-late-80s, those were our freaking bibles.

Fast forward 25 years -- I was in the reception area of a prestigious midtown Manhattan law firm last week and they had a copy of the 25th anniversary edition on the coffee table. Maybe they represent Martha Cooper.

Stop wasting your money and buy a router modem for $50. Pays for itself in less than a year. i've been using this one for a year without issue.

This demonstrates how badly NYC under-builds, chiefly through punitive, parochial, high-cost zoning. See Matt Yglesias's book The Rent Is Too Damn High or Zoning's Steep Price for details.

We have century-old technologies, like steel-framed buildings and elevators, to build as much housing as we could possibly want. We just make deploying them illegal.

Bizarrely, Chicago and NYC have similar numbers of hotel rooms.