Touring Gotham's Archaeological Past

October 1, 2004
These two books, both written by anthropologists, tour old and new New York City. The third edition of Artwalks, substantially revised and updated with seven new walks, leads readers through various sections of the city, highlighting what the authors consider to be public art, whether seen outdoors or within the confines of museums and other buildings. With directions on how to get there by subway and car, plus excellent and easy-to-read maps, Artwalks has much to offer the art lover, including off-the-beaten-path suggestions like the Chinese Scholar's Garden at Snug Harbor on Staten Island ("not to be missed") and the Ukrainian Institute of America on East 79th Street. A helpful section, "Choosing an Outing," lists walks by subject, such as parks or flower gardens.Touring Gotham's Archaeological Past takes a similar approach, offering tours that are all walks (e.g., to the Wall Street district) except the harbor tour, which ferries readers to several islands where digs have uncovered artifacts from windmills to a sunken ferry. Photographs of artifacts, houses, and buildings, plus a general bibliography and bibliographic sources for each tour, complete the guide's coverage. Both titles are recommended for large public and academic libraries.--George M. Jenks, Bucknell Univ., Lewisburg, PA

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