Review for Amazng People of New York

Whether ever having visited there before or not, everyone has their ownmental picture of New York City – the bright lights, millions of people, famous landmarks like the Statue of Liberty, the music of Broadway and the wheeling and dealings of Wall Street. Most of us think of this great city in terms of its recent history, but what about its origins?Amazing People of New York by Dr. Charles Margerison reveals the most memorable events from New York’s history through easy to follow, inspirational stories of the people who made major contributions to the birth and development of this wonderful city.
Starting with Captain Giovanni da Verrazzano, who sailed up the coast of America in the 1500’s and landed near the site of present day New York City, we learn of the many challenges faced in shaping this land of opportunity and how they were overcome. We witness the progression of acceptance of different peoples and religions and the struggle to be their own democratic nation free of British rule. As the population explodes, we follow the lives of dedicated pioneers such as John Peter Zenger, Sojourner Truth, Cornelius Vanderbilt, Theodore Roosevelt, and Margaret Sanger, to name just a few, who fought for change and used their various skills to transform the land and the economy. No challenge was too great for these trailblazers. They fought for what they believed in and conquered the obstacles that often stood in their path. Along the way, we witness every aspect of the development of New York from improvements in health care and education and campaigns for civil rights to free enterprise, business and the creation of unionsand innovations in transportation and communications to bring trade and wealth to the city. Despite various disasters, setbacks and challenges, New York continued to grow through the years and become more prominent in the world until it became the world class city it is today. I was familiar with some of the people mentioned in this book while others I had never heard of, but regardless, I found each story interesting and enlightening.
Amazing People of New York begins with a brief history of New York to whet the appetite which leads into a multi-course meal that will leave the reader totally satisfied. Each course or story is set out in the form of a Bioview, an innovative method of telling the stories of history through the eyes of the people who lived through them and written as if they are giving an interview during their lifetime to a writer or reporter. I especially enjoyed the fact that the author gives each story a personal touch - what the person’s observations and feelings may have been at the time, rather than just all facts and figures. If we look at the introduction as the appetizer and the Bioviews as the main courses, no meal is complete without a delectable dessert, and Margerison does not disappoint with his final section which both surprised and delighted me. Not only does he provide a concise timeline which summarizes the significant events mentioned in the Bioviews, but he also provides lists of films, musicals andsongs about New York, annual celebrations in New York, and best of all a section on Places of Interest in New York which links places to people from the Bioviews and details where to go, what to see and what to do to learn more about these amazing people. All of a sudden the history lesson is transformed into an invaluable guidebook for anyone wanting to visit this famous city. As a result, my desire to visit New York has increased tenfold.
This is the second book that I have read in the Amazing People Club series, and once again I am thoroughly impressed and would love to see this series in our educational system. After many years burning the midnight oil reading history through textbooks for school, I never thought that I would read a non-fiction history book for pleasure, but this series makes it fun and interesting without being laborious, tedious or overwhelming. Amazing People of New York is a thorough, informative and fascinating account of the history of New York City and the people who shaped it into the super city that it is today, all in a neat little package. No item of interest is left out. Kudos to the author for a job very well done, and I look forward to reading more in the series. I highly recommend this book, and in fact the whole series.

Dr. Charles Margerison is a Chartered Psychologist and a member of the Royal Institution and the Royal Literature Society. He is Chairman of Viewpoint Resources Ltd. and was previously Professor of Management at the Universities of Cranfield (UK) and Queensland, Australia. He was also a co-founder of Emerald, the world’s leading publisher of management journals and databases.
Highly recommended by Reviewer: Cindy Taylor, www.allbooksreviewint.com

Title: Amazing People of New York
Author: Dr. Charles Margerison
Format: ebook
Publisher:Amazing People Club Ltd
August, 2011
For more info: http://www.amazingpeopleclub.com/product/amazing-people-new-york