Central Park: An Anthology (edition 2012)

*Note: I won this advance copy in one of the Goodreads giveaways.

I enjoyed the anthology. It looks like I took forever to read it, but the last few months were really busy at work, and it was actually perfect for that time period - small stories/reflections/essays, usually written very well. I don't live in NYC, but whenever I have visited I usually end going to Central Park, and I love it. I appreciated that the editor had the Director of Parks and Recreation (and former director of Central Park) write the forward piece - perfect choice. Highly recommend for anyone that enjoys the park, frequently or not, or someone who enjoys reading short travel essays. ( )

http://cozylittlebookjournal.blogspot.ca/2012/03/central-park-by-andrew-blauner-...

Central Park is a collection of short stories and essays about one of New York's most famous locations (you guessed it--Central Park). For those of us not from New York, Central Park is an iconic landmark, the uncredited extra cast member in Woody Allen movies and Law & Order episodes. But for New Yorkers, it is so much more, as this collection makes clear. It is, as editor Andrew Blauner points out, the paradox of New York City, the calming green space in the midst of one of the world's most bustling cities, the point that "divides...separating East Side from West Side...but also unites...somehow simultaneously defines and defies the city."

Central Park contains short stories from famous authors, as well as essays from New York City Parks officials. One story of note is "The Sixth Borough" by Jonathan Safran Foer, a version of which appears in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. The fable of the sixth borough was one my favourite part of that novel, so I was delighted to see it included in this anthology.

Disclaimer: I received a digital galley of this book free from the publisher from NetGalley.com. I was not obliged to write a favourable review, or even any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own. ( )