"Fusing history, lore, politics, culture, and on-site adventures, Phillip Lopate takes us on an excursion around Manhattan's shoreline. Waterfront captures the ever-changing character of New York in the best way possible: on a series of exploratory walks conducted by one of the city's most engaging and knowledgeable guides.

Starting at the Battery and moving at a leisurely pace along the banks of the Hudson and East Rivers, Lopate describes the infrastructures, public spaces, and landmarks he encounters, along with fascinating insights into how they came to be.

Unpeeling layers of myth and history, he reveals the economic, ecological, and political concerns that influenced the city's development, reporting on everything from the building of the Brooklyn Bridge to the latest projects dotting the shorelines."--Jacket.