Four Walks in Central Park - by Aaron Poochigian (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

A lyrical journey through New York's most iconic green space, one poetic step at a time.

Whether you're a lifelong New Yorker or a first-time visitor, this book offers a fresh, intimate perspective on the park's landscapes, sculptures, and stories.

Four Walks in Central Park invites readers to experience the park not just as a destination, but as a living poem. Through four thoughtfully crafted walks--each aligned with a season or mood--this guide blends poetry, history, and personal reflection to illuminate the hidden rhythms of Central Park.

Join poet Aaron Poochigian on a walking tour of New York City's Central Park and experience the sights, the history, and the healing power of a walk and a poem. Including maps, historical images, an index, and an exploration of other literary references to Central Park, Four Walks in Central Park is unlike any tour you've ever experienced.

Perfect for lovers of poetry, urban nature, and literary walking tours, this book is both a meditative companion and a celebration of one of the world's most beloved public spaces. This beautiful book will be appreciated as a gift for anyone who has or will enjoy Central Park.

Review Quotes

A passport to Manhattan's green heart, stamped with wit, classical references, and a deep affection for the place itself. . . . "Four Walks in Central Park" is a rare thing: a love letter to a place that doesn't shy away from its complexities, and a reminder that poetry can still change the way we see the world--one walk at a time.

--Garth Thomas, The Hollywood Digest

For those who will not have the chance to walk in Central Park, Aaron Poochigian has created valuable images of the pleasure that would be, ensuring that one does not entirely miss out. For those who can walk in Central Park the book provides not only information about the various walks, and sites but a creative approach that can only enhance such journeys.

--Robin's Room

My recommendation: get this book. Before you even venture into the park, sit down and thumb through it as you would a roadmap, or a book of poems. Take a look at the maps and the historical photos. Make a mental note of destinations. . . . Thumb through the final section on the park in literature--that's a treasure in itself. The next day, take the book with you to Central Park. Start with the tour that sparks your imagination, and just start walking.

--Nicole Killian, The Mob

This book made me want to hop aboard a plane and saunter, deliciously alone, through Central Park with its "roots and shoots and birds." Next time, though, I will bring along Four Walks in Central Park.--Carla Sarett, New Verse Review

About the Author

Aaron Poochigian earned a PhD in classics from the University of Minnesota and an MFA in poetry from Columbia University. His latest poetry collection, American Divine, the winner of the Richard Wilbur Award, came out in 2021. He has published numerous translations with Penguin Classics and W.W. Norton. His work has appeared in such publications as Best American Poetry, The Paris Review, and POETRY.