Awards

Upon its publication in 1995, The Encyclopedia of New York City met an enthusiastic reception. The book received the following awards:

• Winner of the 1995 New York Society Library Award for best book about New York City
• Named an outstanding reference book of 1995 by the American Library Association (Booklist) and by the New York Public Library
• Received honorable mention for the 1996 Dartmouth Medal
• Was a selection of the History Book Club and The Readers' Subscription

Best-Seller List

• One of the top-five best sellers in the century-long history of Yale University Press
• Over 70,000 copies sold

Reviews

The book was favorably reviewed across a broad spectrum of media. Below is a sample of some comments.

No one with even a passing interest in New York will be able to live without it.
—William Grimes, New York Times Book Review

A grand reference work. . . . a bargain.
—John Tierney, New York Times Magazine

A breathtaking project. . . . with its million-plus words, this volume seeks to go where few books have dared venture.
—Terry Golway, New York Observer

The Encyclopedia of New York City is very much like strolling the streets of the city itself; both provide visual surprise and pleasures, chance encounters, overheard conversations, and unexpected enlightenment. It is unexcelled companionship.
—Edward Koren, New Yorker

A unique and important volume, offering ready knowledge of a city that often seems beyond grasp.
—Sherryl Connelly, New York Daily News

Having consulted the Encyclopedia on a daily basis, I can state with great conviction that it is truly the most essential resource for any topic relating to the city.
—Kenneth R. Cobb, New York City Municipal Archives

Croton aqueduct reservoir, 42nd Street and 5th Avenue (mid-1800s).

Columbia University DKV

Bird's-eye view of Central Park (1863).

New-York Historical Society

It [The Encyclopedia of New York City] has been an invaluable resource for me; I cannot reckon how many hours of research time the Encyclopedia has saved me by making so much information readily available. At LaGuardia and Wagner Archives, students and researchers regularly turn to it as a starting point for their projects. Our copies are used so frequently the bindings are worn out and will likely need to be replaced before the revised edition is complete.
—Richard K. Lieberman, LaGuardia and Wagner Archives

The Encyclopedia has become the major reference book on the history of the city, besides being a joy to browse through.
—Peter Derrick, The Bronx County Historical Society

This reference has become the gold standard for our essential research footwork in the preparation of exhibitions and collection augmentation strategies focusing on the rich, expansive subject of Greater New York.
—Jan Seidler Ramirez, New-York Historical Society

An outstanding and long needed contribution to reference publishing. Not just of local interest, it will be an indispensable resource whenever there is curiosity about the history, culture, and diverse life of our nation's greatest city.
—American Library Association Booklist

It [The Encyclopedia of New York City] remains the most well-thumbed and frequently perused book on my office shelf.
—Ric Burns, documentary filmmaker, American Experience: New York (PBS mini-series)

The Encyclopedia of New York City is a must reference book for every library because it is a goldmine of information.
—Richard Weigel, Western Kentucky University

The first edition of the Encyclopedia was an extraordinary achievement, at once authoritative and comprehensive.
—Edwin G. Burrows, Pulitzer Prize winner; Brooklyn College, The City University of New York

The Encyclopedia has been, almost literally, a godsend to anyone doing serious work on both New York City and modern America.
—Jon Butler, Yale University

The Encyclopedia has played a crucial role in broadening our understanding of New York City history.
—Carol Groneman, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, The City University of New York

All scholars writing on any aspect of the history of New York City have come to rely upon it for its comprehensiveness and authority. This undertaking deserves the support of public and private agencies committed to the advancement of learning about America's past and its potential for renewal, which the recent history of New York City has amply demonstrated.
—Robert A. McCaughey, Barnard College, Columbia University

Absolutely indispensable for anyone doing anything on the history of New York.
—Joel Schwartz, Montclair State University

The first edition of the Encyclopedia was an extraordinary effort, representing the highest standards of urban-focused scholarship. It has become a model for other similar work.
—Eugenie L. Birch, University of Pennsylvania

I consider the Encyclopedia to be a foundational work of scholarship, an unprecedented and invaluable resource for historians, journalists, writers, filmmakers, and anyone interested in learning about the city.
—Daniel Czitrom, Mount Holyoke College; editor of the Out of Many: A History of the American People series

The Encyclopedia of New York City is a tool for inter-cultural understanding, not only because it gives information about one of the foremost cities in civilization, but also because through New York, we may better understand the culture of the United States in all its exhilarating complexity. [It] was indispensable for my lectures on New York—and certainly saved a lot of my research time.
—Narasaki Hiroshi, Otsuma Women's University, Tokyo, Japan

I have been a fan and avid reader of the Encyclopedia since its initial publication, have used it often in my research and for my teaching, have read in it for sheer pleasure, and have referred dozens of students (undergraduates and Ph.D. candidates), friends, and colleagues to it. The Encyclopedia, in form, content, and range, has set a new standard for excellence in historical reference materials. There have been literally dozens of works that have taken their models from this one. And well they might as The Encyclopedia of New York City has collected in one volume hundreds and hundreds of essays that are so thoroughly researched and well-written that they can appeal to both specialist interests and a general readership.
—David Nasaw, The Graduate Center, The City University of New York

I regard the Encyclopedia not only as a distinguished compendium of information and insight regarding the world's towering city, but also as a model to be followed by the world's other illustrious cities.
—Arthur Schlesinger Jr., The Graduate Center, The City University of New York

The Encyclopedia of New York City is not only an immense accomplishment but for many people, especially myself, an indispensable part of daily life.
—Mike Wallace, Pulitzer Prize winner; Gotham Center for New York City History and John Jay College of Criminal Justice, The City University of New York