Must read science

Mannahatta: A Natural History of New York City by Eric W. Sanderson (2009)

It has been a long time since I read a book with a natural history focus, and I was pleased at both how much I remembered from school and how much there was to learn again. While the title of the book is self-explanatory, the gist of it is anything but. This is more than a retelling of New York City based on primary documents and geographical reporting. Sanderson is able to cut through much of the historical clutter to bring the reader a clear-cut version of Manhattan before it was a city.

The true claim to fame of this book is the illustrations. Using the British Headquarters Map (1782-83), Sanderson was able to recreate the topography of the island as it appeared to Henry Hudson in 1609 when he landed on the island. As he studied the map, Sanderson found that it was assembled incorrectly at the National Archives of the United Kingdom. Using a computer imaging program, he realigned the map to its correct placement and voila, he had a “topographical and historical encyclopedia” of Manhattan before development. He used this map and other historical documents to create GIS points and layers that correspond to the current Manhattan. The result was a series of side-by-side images of the current Manhattan landscape and the landscape of Mannahatta (the original Lanape name for the island) circa 1609.

The illustrations are extraordinary and breathtaking. Although I read each chapter, looking through the images and reading the captions will fascinate even the cursorily curious. His research into the ways of life of the original inhabitants is intriguing and provides more in-depth analysis of this remarkable place. He ends the book with some thoughts about the future and sustainability in such a dense environment. This book was truly awesome, and it receives my highest seal of approval.