Author of WALKING MANHATTAN (Wilderness Press)
Ellen
Levitt is a lifelong resident of Brooklyn, New York, who has written for such
publications as The New York Times,
the New York Daily News, and New York Teacher. She is also the author of the three books in
the series The Lost Synagogues of New
York City (Avotaynu). A graduate of
Barnard College, she has conducted walking, bus, and bicycling tour of New York
City and is a veteran public-school teacher.
Below is
an interview with the author/photographer about her new book:
1. What inspired you
to write your newest book? I had queried the publisher months earlier about
writing a Brooklyn or Queens guide. They said that was covered. and I figured I
wouldn't hear from them again. Lo and behold, a few months later an editor
contacted me via LinkedIn, and asked if I would be interested in (as well as
qualified for) writing a Manhattan guide. I said yes!
2. Aren't there
plenty of NY guidebooks out there? What's new in yours? There are many NYC guidebooks out there. This
series is known for specifically guided tours, with distinct "turn
left" and "turn right" directions. The book is more than a
descriptive list; it's as if you had someone leading you around. And I wrote a
lot about parks, houses of worship, not just the best known sights/sites.
3. There's nothing
like walking NYC. What are your favorite places? Some of my favorite places to walk in NYC are
in public parks, such as Central Park, Inwood Hill Park, Riverside Park. I also
like to walk around in the East Village and Chinatown-- but not on really hot
days. Neither neighborhood has enough trees!
4. As a lifelong New
Yorker, how did you write the book for non-New Yorkers? I chose to write this book for people who are
out-of-towners as well as residents. (I also figured that would make it more
marketable.) But I realized that certain sights are of particular interest to
those who are newcomers. I was instructed to explain certain aspects for people
who would have little background. The editors also reminded me at times to go
into depth in certain parts, if necessary.
5. Some of your
other books are about NYC. Do you think that NYC is the most fascinating city
in the US? in the world? Yes, I have written 3 other books about NYC, and have
ideas floating in my head for at least 2 more NYC books! Is NYC the most
fascinating place in the US? IMHO, yes. A few other cities are quite
fascinating, such as San Francisco, Boston, Washington DC. But NYC has such a
huge concentration of places that people want to visit. They touch upon
history, culture, commerce, nature, entertainment... And I state this, as much
as I love to travel I do think that NYC is the most fascinating. As far as the
whole world... I think NYC is part of a small prized group of cities, and I
would include it among London, Paris, Jerusalem. Maybe Berlin also?
6. You are a
Brooklynite. When will a Brooklyn book come out? Someone else wrote the Brooklyn
and Queens walking tour books for this Wilderness Press series. I did offer to
write a combo Bronx/Staten Island guide; we will see if that pans out.
7. What advice do
you have for fellow writers? Advice: Be persistent and be organized. I
have queried publishers with other ideas that have been rejected. I cannot
think of any writer who has not faced rejection; it is something you have to
get over. It stings, yes, but you have to try again. Or sometimes you have to
abandon a certain topic and try another. Once you do have the
assignment, be organized. It's to your benefit. And be willing to be edited,
and do editing. And I think that
there are many, many more opportunities for writing non-fiction than writing
fiction. It's easier to be an unknown or lesser known writer, and get
non-fiction opportunities. There are more ways to do it. If you turn up your
nose to non-fiction, you will find it much harder to get published. It is
something writers have to confront.
Book Excerpt
When people think of New York City, most often they’re thinking of Manhattan, the most densely populated of the five boroughs that constitute this city. As a lifelong resident of Brooklyn, I bow my head in deference to Manhattan as the capital, the lifeline, the cultural core, the economic engine overall.
The Lenape Indians referred to this long, tin piece of land as Manna-hata, or “island of many hills.” During colonial times, the Dutch and then the British had control over Manhattan. Some parts sustained much damage during the American Revolution, but once the war for independence was won, New York became the first capital of the nation.
Through the years, Manhattan has been a center of commerce and finance, education and scholarship, entertainment and culture, innovation and research. It has seen destruction in the form of fires, terrorist attacks, storms, power outages, looting, and accidents of many types – car, rail, and construction among them. Meanwhile, the infrastructure of Manhattan is astounding: from bridges to alleys, skyscrapers to pop-up shops, along with commercial and residential edifices, religious and educational sites, parks and playgrounds. Automobiles, buses, train, boats, and helicopters arrive and depart daily (but not airplanes; the nearest airports are in Queens and New Jersey).
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Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog
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