The Bronx Nobody Knows - by William B Helmreich (Paperback)

About the Book

"For his award-winning book The New York Nobody Knows, which Princeton published in 2013, Bill Helmreich walked every block in New York City, around 6,000 miles. Then, he re-walked the city to research one-of-a-kind walking guides for general readers for each borough, uncovering the unusual and the unknown in New York City's neighborhoods. Bill Helmreich has taken readers through the ever-changing neighborhoods of Brooklyn, bustling Manhattan, vibrant Queens, and now in this installment, the Bronx, a borough his describes as filled with hope, history, beauty, and a strong sense of community. Helmreich provides a fascinating, detailed overview of the borough, highlighting major attractions like Yankee Stadium and the Bronx Museum of the Arts as well as architectural places of interest, like the Art Deco building at 888 Grand Concourse and the Concourse Plaza Hotel, once a luxury hotel in the Bronx that is now a senior citizens' residence. The Bronx Nobody Knows, like the previous guidebooks, is organized by neighborhood, and Helmreich delivers a personal and entertaining account of his travels as he interacts with locals and captures the heart of the borough"--

Book Synopsis

A neighborhood-by-neighborhood guide to New York City's northern borough, from the award-winning author of The New York Nobody Knows

Bill Helmreich walked every block of New York City--some six thousand miles--to write the award-winning The New York Nobody Knows. Later, he re-walked most of the Bronx to create this one-of-a-kind walking guide to the city's northern borough, from Mott Haven to City Island. Drawing on hundreds of conversations he had with residents during his block-by-block journey through this fascinating, diverse, and underappreciated borough, Helmreich highlights hundreds of facts and points of interest that you won't find in any other guide.

In the West Bronx, you'll discover the spot where DJ Cool Herc is believed to have given birth to hip hop in 1973, at a party on Sedgwick Avenue overlooking the Harlem River. In Concourse East, once home to a vibrant Jewish community, you will learn about a beautiful, perfectly preserved, hidden synagogue. In Allerton, you will visit a family-run Italian bakery where the third-generation owner still makes his own cannoli and uses the original recipe for their famous rainbow cookies. In Pelham Parkway/Pelham Gardens, you will explore the city's largest park, the stunning 2,700-acre Pelham Bay Park. And much, much more.

An unforgettably vivid chronicle of today's Bronx, the book can be enjoyed without ever leaving home--but it's almost guaranteed to inspire you to get out and explore this captivating borough.

• Covers every one of the Bronx's neighborhoods, providing a colorful portrait of their most interesting, unusual, and unfamiliar people, places, and things
• Each neighborhood section features a brief overview and history; a detailed, user-friendly map keyed to the text; photographs; and a lively guided walking tour
• Draws on the author's walk through every Bronx neighborhood
• Includes insights from conversations with hundreds of residents

Review Quotes

"[a] marvelously detailed classic"---Gersh Kuntzman, Streetsblog

"It's rare that a tour guide engages in such depth, exuding scholarship in equal measure to the obvious love that Helmreich has for the city. With The Bronx Nobody Knows, William Helmreich has bestowed a gift to New Yorkers and historians alike. It is a worthwhile read for anyone who values the city, its storied past, and its hopeful future."---Dr. Henry Abramson, Jewish Press

"Experiencing the Bronx through the eyes of the late Helmreich...is like having a friendly, knowledgeable walking companion show the area the way locals experience it .... Like every book in this series [The Bronx Nobody Knows] one has something for everyone, whether they are foodies, people watchers, lovers of travel and discoveries, or fans of architecture or history."-- "Library Journal"

"Readers will be inspired to don sturdy shoes and head out to see some of the sights for themselves, especially little-known places such as Billie Holiday's grave and tiny City Island .... an entertaining tour of a...place well worth visiting."-- "Kirkus Reviews"

About the Author

William B. Helmreich (1945-2020) was the author of many books, including The Manhattan Nobody Knows, The Brooklyn Nobody Knows, The Queens Nobody Knows, and The New York Nobody Knows: Walking 6,000 Miles in the City, which won the Guides Association of New York Award for Outstanding Achievement in Book Writing. He was Distinguished Professor of Sociology at the City College of New York's Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership and at CUNY Graduate Center.