Tenements, Towers & Trash: An Unconventional Illustrated History of New York City

When I brought this book home from the library, I hadn't bothered to actually crack the cover. And when I did open it, I saw page after page of blocks of text with hardly a word balloon or dialogue exchange in sight and almost returned it unread. It takes a special creator to pull off a text heavy graphic novel - or "illustrated history," in this case - and I wasn't sure Julia Wertz was that special.

What a delight to find out that she is.

The passion she has for New York City's architecture and trivial bits of history bursts off the page. I have never been so happy looking at pictures of buildings - and such ordinary buildings at that. Wertz makes average city blocks fascinating by comparing the modern version to an incarnation from 50 show more or 100 years before. Two-page spreads sprinkled throughout the book become an engaging spot-the-differences puzzles. In between she tells of her own personal experiences in the city, and the experiences of criminals, inventors and regular schmoes in a relaxed, funny, and expletive-laced narrative.

What a wonderful book to read so soon after reading Roz Chast's [b:Going Into Town: A Love Letter to New York|33911267|Going Into Town A Love Letter to New York|Roz Chast|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1490383272s/33911267.jpg|54876739]. I definitely recommend reading them together for a wonderful immersion in the horrible awesomeness which is New York City. show less

Brilliant renderings of NYC then and now. Frequently hilarious. Endlessly fascinating. It served as a reminder of how much I love that city and why it will always be an intriguing place of discovery. Recommended to anyone who continually falls in love with cities. I can't wait to check out some new (to me) spots.

Pro-tip: Don't read the digital version. The hardcover is gigantic, impossible to tote around, and invites readers to stain its pristine pages, but you absolutely can't appreciate the scope otherwise.

Such a cool book! Julia Wertz's art is so fun to pore over and study, and her sense of humor is right up my alley. If I were better at drawing, I would want to draw in the style that she does. I loved the detail of the architecture, including the little easter egg references to Pizza Island, Fart Party, and Wertz's cartoonist friends. I have lived in NY for about eleven years now, so some places in this book were familiar to me, while many more were not. It definitely helped me renew my love for this place by reminding me how much history still exists amid all the new development, and that change is an intrinsic part of what make NYC special.
I also may have showed all my friends the panel about seeing a rat eating fried chicken on the show more street because NYC is as gross as it is beautiful.
My only teeny tiny gripe is that there were more typos than usual (for instance, 7th ave was written twice on a page when it should have been 7th street). The good far outweighed the minor annoyance of finding mistakes, though, so still a 5-star read for me. show less

I saw this huge hardcover graphic novel in the window of a local comic shop and after the owner pulled it down for me I had to have it.

Did you love Richard Scarry books as a child? Walking? Urban exploration? Old and new architecture? Then and now photography? Then you will also want this illustrated book.

Julia Wertz has illustrated the buildings and street corners of New York, the subway stations, the pizza parlors, tenements, and along the way tells you stories about her urban exploration and the history of New York.

As 13-year veteran of New York City, I thought I had checked everything off my "NYC Bucket List", but this well-researched love-letter just shows how many intricate mysteries there are still left to discover. I even enjoyed the narrator, which was sparingly used enough so that you got a human touch while not being self-indulgent.

Very enjoyable reading with tons of interesting facts and stories I never knew before. Beautiful artwork as well. You know it's interesting when you're left wanting to read more. Thankfully the author has a whole "recommended reading" section at the end to keep me satisfied for a long while to come.

Now to find a way to get back down to NYC for another trip soon...

This is a large coffee table book full of trivia about New York City's underbelly: histories of trash heaps, unknown NYC inventions, infamous figures, public transit origin stories, and more. It would make a great gift for a New York resident who is fond of architecture, infrastructure, and urban planning.