Forgotten New York by Kevin Walsh

I've been reading this book, mostly right before bed, for the past several months. At one point, I thought I'd try to do walking tours of some of the sights of the city -- hey, I had nothing better to do all summer, right? -- but I never managed to get organized to do that. (And, probably even more so, I didn't want to dedicate a whole day to being out of touch and unconnected to my job search.)

What this book is is a huge list of historical sites, odd objects, and other remnants of various times in the past that are still existent in New York. It runs through all five boroughs, with useful maps and terse but useful descriptions of each thing. I read it in hardcover, but the paperback is probably much more useful, since it could be easily thrown into a backpack or bag. (And this is the kind of guidebook you'd want to have along with you.)

I found it interesting and informative, even if I did wish I was a more energetic person. (And/or one who actually lived in the city, so poking around to find some of these places wouldn't have been an expedition.) If there's anyone out there who already is an energetic New Yorker interested in the history of the city, this book will be essential.