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400 YEARS OF NEW YORK HISTORY: A PICTORIAL GUIDE. Book 1. NEW YORK as NEW AMSTERDAM in the 1600s

By Sasha Vosk

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Vivid color photos bring history to life and should appeal to students learning about early settlers and Native Americans in NYC.

Synopsis

Get to Know the Historical New York that You’ve Never Seen Before
A Time Traveler’s Journey through the Streets of 17th Century Manhattan

Sasha Vosk is an expert in photo-realistic imagery with over 30 years of experience. He created this book for everyone who wants to know much more about New York’s history than meets the eye on the streets of Manhattan. 
The first book in the VOSK TIME TRAVEL GUIDE series, this one-of-a-kind illustrated guide offers readers an opportunity to view the city’s history in a manner that has not been possible until now with the benefit of 21st century art technology.

As a native New Yorker, I was looking forward to looking at this pictorial guide. I suppose what I really wanted to see were early photographs of NYC, but the pastoral images were also appealing. The illustrations are vivid and realistic, so much so that I could swear I was looking at photographs. My only complaint would be that the people in the depictions appear to have been photographed and superimposed on the illustrations. I think the mental disconnect for me is that I know that there were no photographs of New Amsterdam so when I see what looks like a photograph (the images are that good) and it shows people, my brain tells me it’s not possible and I start imagining that these people dressed in costumes to pose for the pictures. I don’t feel like the artwork is impossible, even though the quality is comparable to a photograph. It’s the addition of people that doesn’t work for me. I suspect that if the people had been presented as illustrations (realistic, yet not photographically so), my brain would have more readily accepted the images.


It would be impossible to overstate just how impressive the images in this book are. It is clear that a lot of imagination and care was invested in the creation of this book and the result is truly breathtaking. The captions are informative and remind me of the type of things I read in school textbooks. Of course, with these pictures, the captions are much more interesting.


Based on what I saw, I think this book would be a fun gift for a student learning about the early settlers to New Amsterdam. The pictures help to bring history to life and make it more memorable. Although I saw this book in ebook format, I can imagine that it would make a great coffee table book, one to be shared with lovers of early New York history.



Reviewed by
Elizabeth Connor

I am a writer, editor, proofreader, and an avid reader.

400 YEARS OF NEW YORK HISTORY: A PICTORIAL GUIDE. Book 1. NEW YORK as NEW AMSTERDAM in the 1600s

Written by Sasha Vosk

Buy it nowBuy nowBuy
Read preview

Synopsis

Get to Know the Historical New York that You’ve Never Seen Before
A Time Traveler’s Journey through the Streets of 17th Century Manhattan

Sasha Vosk is an expert in photo-realistic imagery with over 30 years of experience. He created this book for everyone who wants to know much more about New York’s history than meets the eye on the streets of Manhattan. 
The first book in the VOSK TIME TRAVEL GUIDE series, this one-of-a-kind illustrated guide offers readers an opportunity to view the city’s history in a manner that has not been possible until now with the benefit of 21st century art technology.

400 YEARS OF NEW YORK HISTORY: A PICTORIAL GUIDE. Book 1. NEW YORK as NEW AMSTERDAM in the 1600s

Written by Sasha Vosk

Buy it nowBuy nowBuy
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39 Comments

Evelina Winter – Here comes my honest review of this wonderful travel guide. I think it is more than a travel guide. The book combines historical information and very artfully designed pictures in one. In this way it shows both historical and contemporary New York. It stimulates the imagination and imparts knowledge without you even noticing it. Overall, a very artfully and informatively designed book.
1 like
over 4 years ago
Eryk Zawadzki – I recently read and watched this book. I am delighted with what I saw for the first time - such a book with such graphics. Honestly, I've never seen anything like it. This is definitely an improvement for the readers. You can see how hard Sasha worked on it. Right down to the shadows that give the graphics full realism. The author showed the people in these photos of the city phenomenally. Readers can now imagine that they are actually there. The clothes and their accessories are adjusted to the periods. All in all, it's a great build quality.
1 like
over 4 years ago
Jeanette Andreev – This book is quite enthralling. The pictures are amazing. It really feels like you are time traveling.
1 like
over 4 years ago
Ninel Karmanova – Already watched this book and it’s amazing:) NYC history, but feels, like you traveling in time, WOW effect, BRAVO 👏
1 like
over 4 years ago
Rusty Aldwinckle – I was delighted to see such a well researched and beautifully illustrated book on the history of New York. Having never visited the city it really brought to life it's history and made me more determined to visit as soon as possible. Excellently presented and a must for any History enthusiast or any one living in New York now wanting to find out about it's past. Certainly worth the purchase price for a excellent educational read.
1 like
over 4 years ago
Albert Styles – Great Book! Fun read about the early history of NYC. Picture illustration is fantastic!!!
2 likes
over 4 years ago
Marcia Gloster Ammeen – Marcia Gloster Ammeen--A fabulously illustrated book, and informative as well. Sasha Vosk has put heart and soul into this beautifully illustrated, illuminating book. Deeply researched, it offers well written descriptions of New York and its history through its first centuries. I enjoyed reading it and discovering tidbits of information my American History courses actually omitted. Great for history buffs as well as kids, and a must for anyone planning a visit to the city. Personally, I am looking forward to his next project.
1 like
over 4 years ago
Aksinja Volkova – It’s difficult to imagine how the City everyone knows was transformed. I’ve never seen such a project before.So many illustrations with extraordinary details to examine can be interesting not only for adults but for children also! Thanks the author for such a great work!
2 likes
over 4 years ago
Ekaterina Kholodova – I could not even think that it was so easy to see Manhattan Island of the early 17th century, it is so life-like!!! This is amazing! The whales in Hudson River look like on the recently taken photograph!!! I don't know how the author managed to convey all the little things of that era with such accuracy! As if he was a contemporary of those years and just captured everything on his camera! This book, I am ready to reread and go through time after time, because I am simply in love with the history of this great country! And the book will be an amazing and informative gift for a reader of any age who is interested in US history!
1 like
over 4 years ago
Lev Barel – I finished reading and watching this book several days ago and I am still under lasting impression. I never saw anything like it depicting a city’s history. I have never honestly saw a history book with such graphics. You can see how hard the author worked to make the images lifelike. Now it is easy to relate to the settlers of the 17th century. Congrats!
1 like
over 4 years ago
Anatoliy Kholodov – This book has no analogs! It conveys the authentic and distinctive history of America not only in words but mostly in stunning illustrations that bring every little detail of the everyday life of the new Americans from the 17th century. This publication will be a real trove not only for the Americans but also for all tourists who’d want to explore in more detail the colorful life and culture of the period of formation of the United States.
2 likes
over 4 years ago
Mariska Hammerstein – New York City was founded when the Dutch came to Manhattan in 1625 to build an initially tiny village: New Amsterdam. With his highly illustrative book Sasha Vosk, making use of modern photography technics and reenactors, brings New York’s history alive in a new way. Basing himself on old maps and historical documents he manages to give us a good idea of what Manhattan and its original inhabitants once looked like, and how New Amsterdam evolved from a Dutch village into the metropole that New York is today. Without having to go through an entire encyclopedia one can learn a lot about North America’s early history from this pictorial guide. Ideal for tourists and students – and really anybody interested in the history of New York!  Sasha Vosk "400 Years of New York History: A Pictorial Guide / Book 1" https://vosktimetravelguide.com
1 like
over 4 years ago
Volodymyr Pinchuk –  I’m under impression. I’ve never saw a history book with such graphics. It’s hard the author’s work. Congratulatios!
2 likes
over 4 years ago
Ben Jeursen – De Nederlandse geschiedenis is in de verbeelding ook voor een belangrijk gedeelte geschreven in het New Amsterdam in de 17e eeuw. De naam Peter Stuyvesant komt bij mij als Dutchman direct boven zetten. Toentertijd de man aan de andere kant van de Oceaan! Sasha weet op een bijzondere wijze de lezer te grijpen. Enerzijds met zijn verhaal en anderszijds met de mooie beelden van het leven rond 1660 in het vroege New York. Hoe kwam de Dutchman uiteindelijk aldaar? De Pilgrimfathers spelen hier een belangrijke rol. De stad Leyden in Holland was ooit het vertrekpunt van deze vroege Amerikanen. Mijn hometown Leyden koestert deze geschiedenis. Ook de slavernij was een belangrijk verdienmodel voor de Hollanders welke met de VOC en de GWC de wereldzeeen bevoeren en voortdurend slag leverden met Spanjaarden, Portugezen, Fransen en Engelsen
1 like
over 4 years ago
Joseph Sharp – Sasha Vosk has done a masterful job with this book, it takes us back in time to the beginnings of the greatest city in our nation. It is interesting, informative and amazing. This book is a must for anyone interested in the history of the United States.
2 likes
over 4 years ago
Лилия Бурминская – I loved this book. When I zoomed in I could see amazing details. Can’t wait to travel to New York and use this “time travel guide” to see what was there before the skyscrapers. If you plan such a trip you should have this book.
1 like
over 4 years ago
Vladlen Voskoboynik – This book is a great visual and informative trip to the history of a great city. The trip is so vivid and memorable it will for sure enrich the way you think of New York. 
1 like
over 4 years ago
Michael Brenner – If that's how history should be brought to the people of the 21st century, we are on the right track! Great book!
1 like
over 4 years ago
James Rementer – Jim Rementer - As someone who has worked closely with the Lenape or Delaware Indians, and who is trying to help preserve Lenape way of life, I find this book to be an excellent and helpful source of information about Manhattan and its early inhabitants. It's a rare, very realistic, and accurate tribute to the people who made this island their home and preserved it for thousands of years before the Europeans. This is a very worthwhile book and I can highly recommend it to everyone.
1 like
over 4 years ago
Olga Supruchenko – Sasha, thanks for amazing book. My Congratulations!
1 like
over 4 years ago
Lioudmila Levina – Great and very impressive book! Congratulation Sasha for combining history and pictures in such extraordinary way!
1 like
over 4 years ago
Ekaterina Koroleva – 👍🏻
1 like
over 4 years ago
Pavlov Mykhaylo – As a person living in France (sorry for the bad English )I think that New York is a very beautiful city ,I always wanted to visit there .After reading the book and learning about its groundings, I find it even more beautiful ,the pictures are beautiful, and the text is easy and interesting to read.I recommend reading this book to everyone who like New York ,or just wants to learn something new !
1 like
over 4 years ago
Pavlova Veronica – I red this book at Kindle Amazon . Very bright book and it feels alive . I feel like a part of the book .
1 like
over 4 years ago
Mark Fraunhofer – Living in NY since 1989, this was eye opening and enriching experience. In my short time here I've developed sentiments for NY features going by, this a festival of the history of NY, super immersive. Have deeper appreciation and wonder for many places, especially those I previously ignored. How did he do it without YouTube?
1 like
over 4 years ago
About the author

Sasha Vosk is a Brooklyn-based author, director, muralist who immigrated from Russia, where he was educated as an architect. He is an accomplished illustrator, Emmy-award winning film producer, and a director of the Moscow Circus. He is a NYC history buff and an expert in photorealistic imagery. view profile

Published on March 05, 2021

Published by

8000 words

Worked with a Reedsy professional 🏆

Genre:History

Reviewed by

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