Inside the Apple - by Michelle Nevius & James Nevius (Paperback)

About the Book

Beloved tour guides Michelle and James Nevius weave New York City's most compelling stories into a lively, comprehensive narrative history, from the founding of New Amsterdam right up through the events of 9/11. Thanks to 14 detailed, self-guided walking tours at the back of the book and the portable format, it can also be used as a historical guidebook---and the site of every story in it can be visited. With its history-from-the-vantage-of-the-street approach and its unique, multi-purpose structure, there's nothing on the market like it.

Book Synopsis

How much do you actually know about New York City? Did you know they tried to anchor Zeppelins at the top of the Empire State Building? Or that the high-rent district of Park Avenue was once so dangerous it was called "Death Avenue"? Lively and comprehensive, Inside the Apple brings to life New York's fascinating past.

This narrative history of New York City is the first to offer practical walking tour know-how. Fast-paced but thorough, its bite-size chapters each focus on an event, person, or place of historical significance. Rich in anecdotes and illustrations, it whisks readers from colonial New Amsterdam through Manhattan's past, right up to post-9/11 New York. The book also works as a historical walking-tour guide, with 14 self-guided tours, maps, and step-by-step directions. Easy to carry with you as you explore the city, Inside the Apple allows you to visit the site of every story it tells. This energetic, wide-ranging, and often humorous book covers New York's most important historical moments, but is always anchored in the city of today.

Review Quotes

"As a longtime New Yorker, I never tire of walking the streets and uncovering something new about the world's most fascinating city, where every street has a story to tell. Inside the Apple is a gem of a book, filled with nuggets about New York's extraordinary past, from the sidewalks up. Whether you are a tourist exploring for the very first time or a seasoned walker in the city, this book is a must." -- Kenneth C. Davis, author of the bestsellers America's Hidden History and Don't Know Much About(R) History

"I was born in New York and lived there for years, but I had no idea what I was missing until I picked up Inside the Apple. It's jammed with fascinating pieces of history and great nuggets of trivia. I can't wait to walk Manhattan again with this book in hand." -- Noah D. Oppenheim, coauthor of the bestselling The Intellectual Devotional(TM) series

About the Author

Michelle and James Nevius met in New York City while Michelle was studying art history and archaeology at Columbia University and James was at New York University studying English and American literature. They launched Michelle Nevius Tours in 2000 to provide in-depth tours of New York City neighborhoods, which now cover most of Manhattan and Brooklyn Heights. Their tours combine history, architecture, art, and culture, with a focus on uncovering hidden history and intriguing stories that might not be readily apparent to the casual visitor. Their guided tours have become a regular part of academic programs at The Columbia School of Journalism, The New York School of Law, Siena College in Albany, and Texas A&M's Mays School of Business as well as for non-academic clients Brown Brothers Harriman, Fordham University alumni, The Hofstra University Museum of Art, and many more.