Cheap New York (8 Episode PBS Boxed Set) (DVD) (Lisa Ades, Ric Burns) Price

Related Products

Customer Reviews of New York (8 Episode PBS Boxed Set)

Very enjoyable history of New York
If you are looking for a solid documentary that will help you appreciate one of America's most interesting cities, this is a fine choice. Ric Burns has put together a great documentary that covers New York from its infancy as a Dutch colony to today. The music, the narratives, the story, it's all very engaging. <
> <
>The only reason I wouldn't give this DVD set 5 stars is that at some points it does get a bit slow - it is approximately 16 hours long and there will be parts you probably won't find all that interesting. Also, the last DVD (#8) which came out after the others, focuses exclusively on the World Trade Center (not the bombing itself, but the building of it). I hoped when I got that DVD that it would be partially about the World Trade Center, but not exclusively about it, so I was a bit disappointed there - the Empire State Building gets a thorough treatment too, but not a whole DVD. Anyway, highly recommended overall for any student of history.

Pretty Good History but MANY Very Liberal Viewpoints Here
PBS work is almost always ultra liberal and this documentary does not disappoint rabid die hard liberals one bit. The truth is New York was and is the City Unbridled Arrogant Greed Built and continues building. However in some ways Large All American cities are testimonials to immense ego, bravado and testosterone gone wild. Cities are grand public works the entry foyer to the massive economic cathedrals of rugged individualism tanacity, and enterprise that spout forth as archietectural wonders from the firtile ground of capitalism. <
> <
>Cities are the embodiment of a regions daring and New York City has had the very best and worse of humanity invested in its growth since its beginnings as New Anstradam. New York was built but many corrupt men full of untamed vigor and self indulgent importance but that was the nature of the heddy times. To judge the bigots and morally depraved men who built many of New York's landmarks and civic technological wonders is to judge people out of context with the backward ignorant times in which they lived and that is unfair of any historian. <
> <
>I have been to New York City post 9-11 and found it to be a city alive and awesome. I found New York City a Kenetic festival of never ending activity that never let up from the moment I left the train entering Penn Station. I stayed in New York City on business for only three days but those three days were certainly three of the most joyous endlessly, fun, interesting days I ever spent on earth. I found the people of New York incredibly nice and helpful. Yes New Yorkers are very hyper and impersonal compared to humble homely slow paced Baltimore, Maryland but if given a chance New Yorker's reveal an awesome sophisticated cosmopolitan charm that is very warm and welcoming. <
> <
>New York is like a Merry Go Round on steriods that does not slow down for anyone it is your duty to catch up with it and hold on for dear life and I suppose that is arrogant. New York City is a culture in and to itself it is not like the rest of the United States in many ways but that is the charm the joy of life in New York. New York is a city built on a foundation of the most profound excess. New York is a city that reinvents itself constantly to conform to nothing and question everything with a gusto that makes most sadate people uncomfortable. New York is great beauty in art, design or science and tedious ugliness of robber barrons who exploited anything they could whenever they could for long as was allowed. <
> <
>New York is the Portrait of Dorian Gray the keeper of our countries conscience and to what degree we like or hate what we see reflects on our own inner demons or the better angels of our nature. In the final analysis New York is not a demon or an angel it is merely a mirror that dares speak the whole uncompromised truth about our nation. Did this documentary get it all right heck no but, any informed person who cares about New York City enough to watch this series has all the intellectual tools needed to decide what stares back at them from the mirror that is New York City. Others would rather trash this series on NYC because they need a reason not to look in the mirror that is New York City for fear of what they will see reflected back them and that is ok too. <
> <
>I am aware of the ugly under currents that are the often currupt foundation on which New York City rests but, on my visit to the Big Apple I allowed myself to enjoy the beautiful fruits of life in NYC's while still being ever mindful but not obsessed with the rot lurking at in the Big Apple's core. This DVD series is not balanced typical for PBS but good people can see past its flaws and make up their own minds. Perhaps I place too great a trust in the native intelligence of human kind but thats my folly I suspect.