Off the Beaten (Subway) Track: New York City’s Best Unusual Attractions
- ISBN13: 9781581826418
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
While it may seem that every possible topic about New York City’s attractions has been written about, Off the Beaten (Subway) Track is the first book to focus on the hundreds of off-the-beaten-path destinations in the city. Some are small museums, others are historic places long forgotten, some are stores that sell only odd things, and some are distinguished for their claim to fame as the world’s largest/smallest whatever. All of them are notable for the passion with which their proprietors and curators care for them, and all can be visited via the subway system as the author directs readers to which of the city’s 486 subway stations will get them closest.
These are the types of places and things that fit perfectly with New Yorkers’ psyches and egos and satisfy the desire of tourists to see the unusual. For example, New York is home to the world’s tallest Doric column, the world’s largest armory, the world’s largest cathedral, and the world’s largest Reform synagogue. It also has a troll museum, a numismatic museum, a skyscraper museum, doll and toy museums, and a museum of comic and cartoon art. In many cases, half the fun of visiting many of these sites is meeting the people behind them.
Organized geographically to help readers explore the culture and diversity of the city’s great neighborhoods, Off the Beaten (Subway) Track: New York City’s Best Unusual Attractions offers venues in Lower, Middle, and Upper Manhattan; Brooklyn; the Bronx; Queens; and Staten Island. Each section features attractions and fascinating sidebars highlighting places that are particularly interesting to explore.
Rating: 
(out of 18 reviews)
List Price: $ 16.95
Price: $ 10.73
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Review by Patricia Pollack for Off the Beaten (Subway) Track: New York City’s Best Unusual Attractions
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As a librarian, I am frequently asked for recommendations for travel books. Without any question I will suggest “Off the Beaten Subway Track.” Whereas other travel books focus on the common and mundane, Ms. Reisman highlights unknown treasures that are easily accessible by public transportation. I am a native New Yorker and am embarassed to say that I was unaware of many of these sights. With this book as my guide, I will set about exploring my city.
Let me add that most travelogues are written in a dry style. That is certainly not the case here. With wit and warmth, Ms. Reisman conveys a love of NYC and its hidden treasures.
Review by F. M. Cho for Off the Beaten (Subway) Track: New York City’s Best Unusual Attractions
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As a native New Yorker, I was thrilled to finally find a source that discussed the unusual attractions that existed in my beloved city. It is a refreshing change from the usual guidebooks that point out the obvious attractions. Instead, it dares to delve into the world of the lesser traveled which also includes many gems that were new to even a native New Yorker like myself. I’ve dog-eared all the pages that made me say, “They have that here?” I cannot wait to visit and experience a whole new New York. The book is entertaining, humorous and a fun read packed with interesting tidbits. The author provides information in a friendly and enduring manner. I absolutely recommend this to anyone who wants to experience a New York beyond its skyscrapers and crowds.
Review by Nancy E. Boren for Off the Beaten (Subway) Track: New York City’s Best Unusual Attractions
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This book is an excellent resource for not just tourists, but residents as well. As someone who lived in NYC for a couple of years, I was impressed by all the sites in Suzanne’s book that I didn’t know existed. Sure everyone knows the standard tourist attractions in NYC, but one of the many things that makes NYC unique is all the other less known attractions like the Lower East Side Troll Museum (reviewed on page 37). This is the beauty of Suzanne’s book. This book is also well written and funny. There’s not too many tour books out there that have humor in them as well. I definitely recommend this book. This book would make a fun gift as well.
Review by E. Hunter for Off the Beaten (Subway) Track: New York City’s Best Unusual Attractions
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OFF THE BEATEN (SUBWAY) TRACK by Suzanne Reisman is the kind of book I wish was available in the early 70s when I carried my wife to New York.
We bought a book called something like NYC ON $15 A DAY. OFF THE BEATEN TRACK is much better. There are plenty of museums and attractions on every subject in the Big Apple, but I think most first time visitors consider most places either on 5th Avenue or Off 5th Avenue. If it is in the Off 5th Avenue category, then it might be too hard to find.
Ms Reisman gives you excellent directions, by street or by subway.
The places visited are presented in almanac style, kind of. It gets right to the meat of the matter, and gives you a good descriptive run-down of just what the museum or attraction is trying to do. But not without throwing in her excellent wit.
And for no extra charge, if there is an eatery with character near the attraction described you will get a run-down on it too and maybe even some advice on what to order or what not to order. The eateries are highlighted in a shaded gray and has some kind of symbol that looks like two shoes doing the two-step.
The book is designed to easily find things. They are divided into different segments, such as Lower Manhattan, Middle Manhattan, the Bronx, etc. And on top of that you have an index. If you wanted to check out the Forts, go to the index and look up Forts. She made it as easy as it can be to find places, the next step would be she met you with a cab as you stepped out of your hotel, and she asked you, “Where you folks from? Whacha wanna see?”
I think it is a great tour guide book.
Review by Torch79 for Off the Beaten (Subway) Track: New York City’s Best Unusual Attractions
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If you’re in NYC & want to avoid the crowds at the major sites, or even if you’re a native New Yorker, you may want to pick up this book to discover unique museums, eateries and historical sites. You will find many unsung attractions in each of the boroughs. The book conveniently directs you how to reach your destination by public transit, broken up into sections of the city. Details on the sites include the offerings at the gift shop, if any, and nearby restaurants to lure you in after your visit.
The author’s personality & preferences shine through in the writing. I counted no less than 5 times the use of the word ‘ginormous’ to describe certain attributes. This tome cannot be all-inclusive due to the sheer number of obscure sites, but it does run the gamut, covering most anything you can think of. From Edgar Allan Poe’s cottage to the Masonic Hall to the Steinway Piano Factory to the Coney Island Museum, you can find something to interest almost anyone.