Walking Brooklyn: 30 Tours Exploring Historical ... (ISBN 0899974309)

Excellent work:
I really enjoyed reading this attractive, well written guide and learned a great deal about Brooklyn. I'm looking forward to going for some walking tours and using this as a guide. Highly recommend to tourists and anyone interested in shedding a few pounds while walking through Brooklyn with this handy, informative, fun guide.

A Must!:
A friend turned me onto this book after attending a reading (and a mini-walk) by the author. I thought that I already knew Brooklyn, but -- boy! -- was I surprised! Who knew how much I was missing by not looking upwards (which the author, thankfully, reminds us to do constantly) or the history behind buildings that I constantly dismiss, passing them by without a second look and with hardly a thought? I've already done three of the walks and plan to do more in the fall when it's not so hot. They are easy to follow and make for a more interesting outing than the usual weekend social fare, such as dining, shopping and movies (lots of dining and shopping options are recommended in the book, too, though_ -- bars, as well). Also,the easy-to-read text is further enhanced by great photography that just jumps off the page. I plan to give copies of this book to friends as gifts. (My hard-to-buy-for boss will love this, I think.) For anyone who wants some excercise, fresh air and a leisurely day of looking and learning, this book is a must-have. I hope that the author plans to do other boroughs as well.

Tours de force:
Walking Brooklyn should have a built-in audience, since legend has it that one in seven Americans has some connection to Brooklyn (born there, went to school there, family member born there, etc.). The detailed descriptions in this tour guide to 30 sections of the borough have something for everyone: lovers of architecture, art, shopping, movies, trivia ... ice cream. The book lists the residences and resting places of the rich and famous. There are many tidbits of information about the sights and sites that inspired great writers, filmmakers, and others. (Opera great Enrico Caruso was a caricaturist? Who knew?) The book will even tell you where scenes from your favorite movies and TV series were made. Walking Brooklyn reads as if it entailed a lifetime's worth of meticulous research. It would certainly make an excellent gift.