The stars are the ratings by Amazon.com readers (1-5 stars). When Amazon stars are not available, I have often provided personal commentary.

Bearer of a Million Dreams: Biography of the Statue of Liberty
Spiering / Jameson
Good general text about the origins, design, and building of the Statue of Liberty.

The Chrysler Building
Stravitz / Princeton Arch. Press
Author Stravitz, stumbled onto a collection of negatives, taken by the commercial photographers Peyser & Patzig, which chronicled the construction of the Chrysler Building. The never-before-seen photographs, reproduced as sumptuous duotones in this oversize book, illustrate the day-by-day construction of this American icon.

The Empire State Building: The Making of a Landmark
Tauranac / Scribner
This excellent work is the first book-length detailing and assessment of the history of the Empire State Building.

The Empire State Building
Hine / Prestel USA
This book reproduces the stunning and world-famous Lewis Hine photographs of the construction of the Empire State Building.

The Late, Great Pennsylvania Station
Diehl / Stephen Greene Press
This lovingly illustrated text has deservedly become a New York classic.

Grand Central: Gateway to a Million Lives
Belle & Leighton / Norton
Co-author, John Belle, of the architectural firm of Beyer Blinder Belle, supervised the renovation and restoration of Grand Central Terminal.

Grand Central Terminal
Schlichting / John Hopkins University
Quality general history of Grand Central Terminal.

Grand Central Terminal: City within the City
Nevins (ed.) / Municipal Art Society
Still the best overall book on Grand Central, created as part of the movement to prevent the Terminal’s destruction. Out of print. Watch for one of those precious copies! It even contains a make-it-yourself Grand Central Terminal!

Island of Hope, Island of Tears
Brownstone, Franck, Brownstone / Penguin
Here are the stories of the extraordinary immigrants of Ellis Island, largely in their own often-poignant words.

Lincoln Center Story
Rich / American Heritage or Outlet
Good general text about the history and development of Lincoln Center.

Life at the Dakota
Birmingham / Random House
A well-loved and very readable classic about the history and the residents of the famed apartment house.

Lost New York
Silver / Houghton Mifflin
Classic photographs of New York buildings no longer extant. Simultaneously uplifting and chastening.

Rockefeller Center
Krinsky / Oxford
Well-researched text with good images.

World Trade Center
Skinner / Metro
The building of the World Trade Center. Limited, but quality text and excellent photographs of the World Trade Center at various points in history. Some photographs fold out to poster size.

Central Park, An American Masterpiece: A Comprehensive History of the Nation's First Urban Park
Miller / Abrams
This recent book is a must for lovers of Central Park. The author is the official Historian and Photographer for Central Park.

Central Park: A History & Guide
Reed & Duckworth / Potter
Author Henry Hope Reed was formerly the Curator of Central Park. This book includes some information not often found elsewhere.

Central Park / Prospect Park: A New Perspective
Graff / Greensward
Out of print, but occasionally available. An unusual and interesting perspective on both of these great Vaux and Olmsted parks.

The Central Park Zoo (Images of America: New York)
Scheier /Arcadia
A delightful photographic journey through the history of the Central Park Zoo with images from the author's private collection and the archives of the zoo.

The Park and the People
Rozenzweig & Blackmar / Cornell University
Excellent. A must for Central Park lovers. Contains much quality information not found elsewhere.