In his latest book, Manhattan’s Little Secrets, author John Tauranac leads readers on a fascinating hunt for the overlooked and under-seen around every corner of New York City. Some of the Manhattan secrets that Tauranac reveals in his book include where to find actual stones from the dungeon where Joan of Arc was held, where to find an ancient symbol of Christianity on an apartment house and how to spot an architect’s likeness worked into the statuary of a building he designed.
On September 19th, John Tauranac will lead a book talk, presented by Landmark West!, to discuss his latest work. The talk will be accompanied by photography by Kathryn Gerhardt and other historic illustrations. If you are or become an Untapped Cities Insider, you can attend this event for free!
A proud resident of Manhattan’s Upper West Side, Tauranac writes on New York City’s social and architectural history, teaches the subject at NYU’s School of Professional Studies, leads tours of the city, and designs maps. Tauranac was named a “Centennial Historian” by the Mayor’s office for his work in history, and he was awarded a Commendation for Design Excellence by the U. S. Department of Transportation and the National Endowment of the Arts for his role in the creation of the 1979 subway map. In addition to Manhattan’s Little Secrets, Tauranac has also written three editions of New York From the Air (Abrams), The Empire State Building: The Making of a Landmark (Scribner and Cornell), Elegant New York (Abbeville), and Essential New York (Holt Rinehart & Winston).