Click Here To Purchase Tales of New York: Some Will Surprise You

Author: John Keatts

ISBN: 978-1-4343-1374-4

New York has been called the Big Apple. Have you ever wondered why?

Licensed New York City tour guide, John Keatts, who has published articles in magazines and newspapers as well as having appeared in Broadway musical productions, cabaret performance and on television, has now assembled quite an interesting selection of tidbits concerning some of New York City’s landmarks and other venues with his Tales of New York: Some Will Surprise You. 

The chief delight of this fascinating look at New York is its series of stories that will give you a unique perspective of just why New York is such an interesting city to visit.  Drawing upon his personal research and experiences, Keatts presents brief sections highlighting a particular facet of New York that is related to its people, history, skyscrapers, landmarks, neighborhoods, the subway system, and other points of interest. The stories include something for everybody, from those who want to know more about the city’s history to those who are interested in its skyscrapers as the Empire State Building, Woolworth Building, Metropolitan Life Insurance Building, and the Chrysler Building. As interesting travel guides usually do and what Keatts mentions in his Preface, in some instances, he draws conclusions and dramatizes events, using quotes and scenes that might have taken place, based on history.

As examples of some of the entries, if you are interested in knowing more about the NYC subway, Keatts informs us that it was built in 1904 and that it went from City Hall in lower Manhattan to Grand Central Terminal, then westward to Broadway/42^nd St. and uptown to 145th St. in Harlem’s west side. It enabled people to become free and leave their crowed living spaces. In 1904 there were 39 subway stations and 20 miles of track. Today, there are 463 subway stations and 722 miles of track-quite a difference!

What about the East River? We are informed that it is not a river at all. It just looks like one with its strong tides and high salt content. It is in fact the Eastern Estuary of the Atlantic Ocean. I am willing to bet that probably most of us don’t know who was the first European tourist of record to New York City?

An Italian explorer, Giovanni da Verrazano, aboard a French exploration ship sailed into what is now called the Narrows of NYC’s harbor in 1524.

When he raised his spyglass he described what he saw: “A long, slender strip of land is ahead, bounded by two rivers. The land widens upstream, especially to the east. The harbor is perfect, deep and sheltered.” As Keatts mentions, Da Verranzano was the first European to record an impression of Manhattan Island.  

And for the origin of the name Big Apple, this becomes a bit tricky. Apparently, as Keatts indicates, musicians used the word “apple” as a slang expression for NYC and “cotton” was slang for money. In 1920 when the famous Cotton Club was opened, some musicians referred to it as “the money club” while others called it “the big apple.” Another possibility that Keatts mentions is that on the streets a friend may stop you and compliment you on the suite you were wearing and ask where did you get it?” To which you might reply, “That’s the big apple. Translation: That’s a winner, the best.” Recently, the NYC Convention and Visitors Bureau began a new advertising campaign with the big apple as its symbol.

Keatts does an excellent job of capturing the flavor of NYC by recreating the city’s time and place with some fascinating nuggets of interesting reading that will surely appeal to visitors as well as armchair travelers.

The above review was contributed by: The Publisher & Editor of Bookpleasures.com, Norm Goldman, B.A. LL.L, Retired Title Attorney: Norm is also a travel writer and together with his artist wife, Lily, the couple meld Norm's words with Lily's art. To check out their travel site click on Sketchandtravel.com   Click here to view Norm’s Reviews & Interviews.