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New York Fortean Books?

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586FAC75

Gone But Not Forgotten
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I'm visiting New York in January 2008 and spending a full 7 days there, lucky me! :) Does anyone know any good books that focus on New York forteana? Are available at all? I need something to read during the flight...
 
New York, for one reason or another, seems to innately generate books about people going there and going mad... but not afaik forteana per se.

Do check out the statue of Alice in Wonderland in central park though, and the angel on the fountain there (i think called Hope). Also take a visit to Cony Island, the fairground parks there are well creepy out of season.

Non fortean wise, the natural history museum is pretty damn good too.

Don't eat the pickles there though. they have no resemblance to english pickles whatsoever, contain allum, and taste revolting.
 
Are you staying in New York City or traveling in other parts of the state? I just moved from the Schenectady/Albany, but spent much time in NYC, as well, and might be able to point you in the direction of interesting Forteana.

I agree that Coney Island is an excellent slightly creepy, very seedy spot to visit, and do it now before redevelopment begins and ruins all the fun.
 
I'm staying in a hotel smack bang in the middle of Manhattan about 15 blocks away from Ground Zero. It's my first time in the big apple so I'm willing to try anything, I'm buying a new pair of walking boots for Christmas as I figure I'll be doing a lot of traveling, so any fortean-esque landmarks you suggest I'll definitely try and have a look at...
 
Ooooh so your the sort of person who vacations in New York - slap bang in the middle of Manhattan? Thank you for telling everyone about it.

Probably there is so much to see and do in The City that your time will be taken up doing all the main famous stuff rather than tracking down some obscure bit of Forteana. So many museums, neighbourhoods, famous sites, shops selling cool items you can't get in the UK, restaurants trying to outdo each other, etc.

in terms of books I would go to the main Amazon site - not the UK one - order some New York books and get them delivered to your hotel. This one has five stars

http://www.amazon.com/Haunted-New-York- ... 517&sr=1-2

You do realise that its going to be freezing in January possibly even snow drifts

http://gonyc.about.com/od/planyourtript ... anuary.htm
 
spiritdoctor said:
Ooooh so your the sort of person who vacations in New York - slap bang in the middle of Manhattan? Thank you for telling everyone about it.
Click to expand...
Eh? Is there a particular kind of person who stays in midtown Manhattan? And is it rude to tell people about it? I feel like I missed a meeting. :?
 
you beat me to it beak... i don't get that either :?

when i went to NY i stayed in a hostel in Chelsea... which isn't far off
 
Ahh...well us real workin' class types stay in Queens...

Mainly because I couldn't get into the hotel I wanted to stay at in Central Park West. It's a complicated website issue.
 
Whenever I've been in New York (3 or 4 times about 10 years ago) I've always stayed in one of the seemingly millions of scruffy hotels around 100 and something and Broadway, ice machine in the hall, window looking out on a clutter of ducts and vents on the wall a couple of yards opposite. Was about 30 quid a night I think.

My advice would be to just walk about a lot. I never did any of the big touristy things deliberately, I just wandered about Manhatten generally, mainly getting drunk (I really am dreadfully common), and there's some amazing iconic thing around just about every corner and it's great to just stumble on them by chance.
 
Anome_ said:
Ahh...well us real workin' class types stay in Queens...

Mainly because I couldn't get into the hotel I wanted to stay at in Central Park West. It's a complicated website issue.
Click to expand...
When I went to Queens I had difficulty ordering pizza because they couldn't understand my freaky foreign accent*. How the hell did they understand you?

*Old style Radio 4.
 
I just spoke loudly and clearly. And spent most of my time in Manhattan anyway.
 
spiritdoctor said:
Ooooh so your the sort of person who vacations in New York - slap bang in the middle of Manhattan? Thank you for telling everyone about it.
Click to expand...

Well, seeing as I've been saving for this 6 day trip for well over a year, I think I can treat myself!

spiritdoctor said:
You do realise that its going to be freezing in January possibly even snow drifts
Click to expand...

Yup, there's a group of us going and most want to go ice skating in Central Park. Thanks for the book tip, already ordered my copy of Haunted New York :)
 
Better than going in the summer. I had to go in June once and the whole place smelled like sticking your head in a dustbin.
 
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