Archipelago New York
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This mesmerizing photographic and literary log book unravels the mysteries of more than seventy islands dotting the sea from New York Harbor at the mouth of the Hudson to Fishers Island Sound. This magical island world, hiding in plain sight, is revealed aboard documentary filmmaker and writer Thomas Halaczinsky's thirty-foot sailboat. His course follows the route of Adriaen Block, the first European who in 1614 sailed and mapped this area. On old marine charts, these islands have curious-sounding names such as Money Island, Pot Island, and Rats Island, while names such as Rockaway, Jamaica Bay, and Montauk speak of the indigenous people who once inhabited the land. Rooted in history, local tales are interwoven with current themes such as climate change and wrapped in the narrative of sailing in quest of a sense of place.
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‘'In a way, two worlds face each other at this place- the modern city skylines and ancient Mannahatta that I could see, smell and hear right in this bay between Brooklyn and Queens.''
This is a visually stunning log book to the Archipelago of New York and the islands that retain a different image than the one we've all come to know so well, the glorious mega-metropolis with the beauty that never sleeps. Embellished with beautiful photos, full of the sky and the sea, rich in blue and gray colours, it gives us the opportunity to dive into the history of the small communities and the past of one of the most fascinating cities of our planet. Unfortunately, in my opinion, we don't dive deep enough.
Halaczinsky doesn't use complex terms about navigation, so it is easy for someone -like myself- who knows absolutely nothing on the subject to appreciate the travel, the challenges and the dangers. In my opinion, the problem is that the writing isn't as engaging as I expected and the references to the local history are only skin deep. The way I see it, he could have dedicated more time to background information and less space to commentary on world politics. I wasn't satisfied with the spirit and the focus of the writing. I didn't choose this book to read commentaries on U.S. foreign policy or the writer's offensive remarks about the Aegean Sea and the immigration crisis. Forgive me for being blunt but on the unlikely occasion that I will ever be interested in these issues, I will make sure to choose a proper non-fiction book, not a guide...It goes without saying that this is my personal opinion but it was a problem that started in the first few pages and continued until the end.
Difficult to rate this one. 5 stars for the photos and the interesting tidbits of information and 2 stars for the disappointing writing. New York always manages to bring out the generous person in me so 4 stars it is. After all, my pet peeves may not be your pet peeves and the aesthetic part of the book is beyond beautiful. Speaking strictly for me, though, I won't ever choose to read another work by this author.
Many thanks to Schiffer Publishing and Edelweiss for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
