Taking Manhattan by Russell Shorto

Taking Manhattan by Russell Shorto

The thrilling narrative of how New York came to be, by the author of the beloved classic The Island at the Center of the World

"How did New Amsterdam really become New York? Who made up the cast of characters behind this unusual and consequential takeover? And how did slavery play a part in the rise of a world class financial center that many people today imagine as having been northern and free? Taking Manhattan is a riveting, thoroughly researched account of the men and women of Indigenous, Dutch, African, Jewish, and English descent who populated this thriving seventeenth-century port that was the glory of the Netherlands and envy of EnglandFilled with new knowledge, eloquent prose, and international intrigue, Russell Shorto’s history of Manhattan’s shift from Indigenous hands, to Dutch oversight, to English authority, and ultimately to a state of cultural hybridity, will take your breath away." -- Tiya Miles, National Book Award winner and author of Night Flyer: Harriet Tubman and the Faith Dreams of a Free People
"The flavor of New Amsterdam — pluralistic, capitalistic, pulsing with energy — has survived. The history of how a Dutch town of 1500 people and some 28 languages became the city of New York evaporated along the way. Russell Shorto has heroically recovered it, offering up the 17th century transfer of power as it actually occurred and in vivid detail. Here, amid red-tiled roofs, are secret negotiations; last-ditch female intermediaries; and, for good measure, a Connecticut alchemist. Best of all, Shorto himself feels everywhere present in these spirited, revelatory pages. " -- Stacy Schiff, Pulitzer Prize winner and author of The Revolutionary

Russell Shorto is the best-selling author of eight books, including Smalltime, Revolution Song, Amsterdam, and The Island at the Center of the World. He is the director of the New Amsterdam Project at the New York Historical and senior scholar at the New Netherland Institute.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780393881165
ISBN 10	0393881164
Title	Taking Manhattan
Author	Russell Shorto
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Hardback
Publisher	WW Norton & Co
Year published	2025-03-04
Number of pages	408
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.