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

Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Wertz (Museum of Mistakes) spent ten years in New York City before returning to her West Coast roots. Here, the author/illustrator shows a side of the Big Apple usually reserved for native New Yorkers in vignettes describing everyday life in the five boroughs, then and now, accentuated by beautiful drawings that seem to capture the spirit of each place. The history offers a rare glimpse of how things have changed over time, as Wertz pictures the same locations years apart, making it easy for readers to feel as though they've lived there, too. Pages dedicated to the art deco and gothic doors found throughout Manhattan are particularly fascinating. More than reflecting the likeness of Gotham, the combined text and art seem to absorb its very essence. With a list of recommended reading and online sources.