The New York Subway System

School Library Journal

Gr 5-7--New York is a city of engineering marvels, but its subway system tops the list for cost, complexity, and sheer size. In this detailed, if haphazard, account of its construction, McNeese not only lays out mind-boggling numbers that capture a sense of the enterprise's scale, but also selects plenty of incidents, accidents, and anecdotes for human-interest sidebars. Unfortunately, his social and industrial epic is derailed by several flaws. His sources are small in number and nearly all secondary; his exact descriptions of each subway line's routes will lose even New Yorkers, as there are no accompanying street maps; and the illustrations, though mostly period photographs, are small and gray. In addition, while ignoring new construction and improvements in equipment since World War II (the last entry of any sort on the timeline is dated 1950), the author closes with two seriously outdated photos, invidiously captioned: "Today, subway cars are plagued by graffiti and crime." Much of the territory McNeese rolls past here will be new to readers, yet they will be disappointed that, despite the passing blur of details, the trip ends only part way down the line.--John Peters, New York Public Library