The Empire State Building is the landmark book on one of the world's most notable landmarks. Since its publication in 1995, John Tauranac's book, focused on the inception and creation of the building, has stood as the most comprehensive account of the structure. Moreover, it is far more than a work in architectural history; Tauranac tells a larger story of the politics of urban development in and through the interwar years. In a new epilogue to the Cornell edition, Tauranac highlights the continuing resonance and influence of the Empire State Building in the rapidly changing post-9/11 cityscape.

Discover the whos, the whats, the whys and hows of social history that make the city come alive.

A sarcophagus sits in a public parkStones from the dungeon that imprisoned Joan of Arc support a statue of herA Star of David adorns a Baptist churchA fire-breathing salamander decorates a firehouseA stained-glass window relates an architect’s frustrations

These are the details that guidebooks usually ignore and passersby ordinarily overlook. Curious readers will delight in revelations of history hidden in plain sight, alongside stunning photography of Manhattan’s overlooked treasures.

The 1890s was the tail end of the Gilded Age that began with the coming of industrialization after the Civil War. It was not a “Golden Age,” it was gilded—a veneer, and peeled back the age’s façade to reveal the structure that was supporting society. The 1890s were called “The Gay Nineties,” which is a bit of a misnomer. There was a high degree of gaiety but it was generally reserved for the top ten percenters. If you were a common working stiff—or worse, a common working woman— life was not so gay. The average New Yorker went about his daily life playing by the rules of the game in the 1890s. Some might have cheated a little, but they were only a little worse than scalawags. Other individuals, along with the managements of some businesses and some administrations of the municipality, played by totally different rules, successfully gaming the system to their advantage and to the disadvantage of countless others. These are the stories told by John Tauranac in New York’s Scoundrels and Scalawags.

Here is a New York in which you, finally, have the upper hand ...and the bird's eye view. The city's familiar buildings appear so cleanly bathed in golden light that you feel almost sorry for all of us who must view them from the ground. Completely updated with additional photographs and new text, New York from the Air is a lush, romantic and ultimately hopeful tribute to one of the most thrilling cities in the world. World-renowned bestselling photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand - shooting from vantage points that few humans ever attain - presents the power and beauty of Manhattan's amazing skyscrapers, the bucolic joys of Central Park, the majesty of the Upper West Side's castle-like mansions and much, much more. This new edition includes previously unpublished photographs of new landmarks built since the release of the second edition in 2003. New York historian and cartographer John Tauranac's lively commentaries lead readers on a truly spectacular tour. The new photography comprises 20-25% of the book. Arthus-Bertrand will be in New York starting in November 2009 to document new and renovated sites in the city.

The Empire State Building is the landmark book on one of the world's most notable landmarks. Since its publication in 1995, John Tauranac's book, focused on the inception and creation of the building, has stood as the most comprehensive account of the structure. Moreover, it is far more than a work in architectural history; Tauranac tells a larger story of the politics of urban development in and through the interwar years. In a new epilogue to the Cornell edition, Tauranac highlights the continuing resonance and influence of the Empire State Building in the rapidly changing post-9/11 cityscape.

Discover the whos, the whats, the whys and hows of social history that make the city come alive.

A sarcophagus sits in a public parkStones from the dungeon that imprisoned Joan of Arc support a statue of herA Star of David adorns a Baptist churchA fire-breathing salamander decorates a firehouseA stained-glass window relates an architect’s frustrations

These are the details that guidebooks usually ignore and passersby ordinarily overlook. Curious readers will delight in revelations of history hidden in plain sight, alongside stunning photography of Manhattan’s overlooked treasures.

The 1890s was the tail end of the Gilded Age that began with the coming of industrialization after the Civil War. It was not a “Golden Age,” it was gilded—a veneer, and peeled back the age’s façade to reveal the structure that was supporting society. The 1890s were called “The Gay Nineties,” which is a bit of a misnomer. There was a high degree of gaiety but it was generally reserved for the top ten percenters. If you were a common working stiff—or worse, a common working woman— life was not so gay. The average New Yorker went about his daily life playing by the rules of the game in the 1890s. Some might have cheated a little, but they were only a little worse than scalawags. Other individuals, along with the managements of some businesses and some administrations of the municipality, played by totally different rules, successfully gaming the system to their advantage and to the disadvantage of countless others. These are the stories told by John Tauranac in New York’s Scoundrels and Scalawags.

Here is a New York in which you, finally, have the upper hand ...and the bird's eye view. The city's familiar buildings appear so cleanly bathed in golden light that you feel almost sorry for all of us who must view them from the ground. Completely updated with additional photographs and new text, New York from the Air is a lush, romantic and ultimately hopeful tribute to one of the most thrilling cities in the world. World-renowned bestselling photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand - shooting from vantage points that few humans ever attain - presents the power and beauty of Manhattan's amazing skyscrapers, the bucolic joys of Central Park, the majesty of the Upper West Side's castle-like mansions and much, much more. This new edition includes previously unpublished photographs of new landmarks built since the release of the second edition in 2003. New York historian and cartographer John Tauranac's lively commentaries lead readers on a truly spectacular tour. The new photography comprises 20-25% of the book. Arthus-Bertrand will be in New York starting in November 2009 to document new and renovated sites in the city.