It's been a few days, and I have already read the entire thing twice. I have looked at all the maps and all the information and have declared that this book is my bible. I know that once I move to NYC, this book is going to be the most useful of my posessions.

It has comprehensive maps of all 25 districts of Manhattan and each district has three maps: one with the essentials (ATMs, fire departments, hospitals, landmarks, libraries, 24hr pharmacies, post offices, supermarkets, etc.), one with sundries/entertainment (24 hr copy shops, bars, coffee places, gyms, hardware stores, movie theatres, restaurants, shopping, video rental, etc.) and one with transportation (subways, bus lines, car rental, gas stations, parking, etc.). There are also comprehensive maps of all of the outer boroughs.

It has maps and descriptions of all the Parks & Places (Battery Park, Central Park, Lincoln Center, Rockerfeller Center, Times Square, Union Square, etc.) and sports complexes (Madison Square Garden, Shea Stadium, Yankee Stadium, etc).

It contains information on all kids of transit, including biking, staking, ferries, airlines, maps of JFK airport and La Guardia airport and Newark Liberty airport, bridges and tunnes, driving and parking, bud linrd, Amtrack, Penn station, Grand Central Terminal, etc.

It also has general information on New York City, including NYC media, a calendar of events (I found this particularly lovely), Practical Info, Police, Fire Departments, Hospitals, Libraries, Gay & Lesbian, Landmarks, Post offices, Shipping Locations, Hotels, etc.)

Also, there is a wonderful Arts & Entertainment section, which includes Art galleries, bars, bookstores, clubs & cabarets, movie theatres, museums, restaurants, shopping, & theatre.

In the end, there was a fold out subway map of Manhattan and the outer boroughts!

All in all, I feel that this book is the most valuable thing that I have bought in months because it has tremendous amounts of useful information. Whether you've lived in NYC your whole life, just moved there, are planning to move there, or even are a tourist... this book is the most perfect collection of everything there is to know in NYC and everything there is to do there!


Even locals need help getting around sometimes   October 13, 2004
 24 out of 26 found this review helpful

I've lived in Manhattan for several years, and I still can't get around the village without this book. For the reviewer who complained about the lack of restaurants/shopping/entertainment: go buy a Zagat's or something. Like the other reviewer said, it's not a restaurant guide. It's for getting around as quickly and painlessly as possible and locating little things like ATMs and bus stops. It accomplishes this beautifully, and in fact, while the other guides may tell you where the best calzone in Little Italy is, they very rarely tell you how to get across the Lower East Side without a taxi (without getting mugged is your own problem). It's discreet color and size save you from mortification on the subway. Besides, nothing screams, "Screw with me" like a big unweildy map.

Bottom line: find out where you want to go with a culture or dining guide, and then let NFT actually get you there without accidentally ending up in Queens (I've done that. It's like Mars or something).


The Indispensable Book   November 16, 2004
 13 out of 14 found this review helpful

I live in Manhattan. I work in Manhattan. I know this city fairly well. This book is my sacred text. I don't leave home without it in my bag.
Sure, it may not have the most comprehensive listings of restaurants (www.menupages.com) or the hippest shopping, but that's one of the main reasons that it's Not For Tourists! (Although I always arm my visiting friends and colleagues with a copy, and they seem to find it invaluable.) But it sure is handy to have this book nearby when you find yourself beyond the borders of your own neighborhood and decide you need a supermarket, a cafe that's not Starbucks or the nearest library branch.


Not for Tourists?   May 15, 2004
 8 out of 18 found this review helpful

Tourists are exactly what this book is designed for; it lacks a real feel for New York City. If you are truly a resident you will understand. Its listing of restaurants is pathetic, not in number, but in the fact that it misses the small places that are truly the best - forget the shopping portion completely. The list of sporting venues is alright, however it fall far short for entertainment venues (Roseland and Hammerstein Ballroom for example). As for a guide to "New York City", to live here you can't just consider Manhattan the city and all the rest the "outer boroughs". All in all, this is one to pass on unless you're just spending a few days here and need something to get around quick.


good little guidebook   October 26, 2004
 7 out of 7 found this review helpful

The 2004 NFT guide to New York City contains very detailed maps of Manhattan and lists and maps the addresses of important locations in each district. I only have a few complaints about this guide. First, the addresses are sometimes wrong or do not match the map. (This is usually not a problem, since you'll see the correct bank or hardware store across the intersection from the address the book led you to.) More of a problem is the limited focus on the outer boroughs. Most people in New York, especially if they're not tourists, will venture to Brooklyn at least once in their lives, and it would be nice to use the same book to get around. However, on the flip side, people working in Manhattan and living outside Manhattan can use this book as a tool for getting around on their lunch breaks.