Is there a Long Islander on your list this year who loves to read? We picked five fun books for Long Islanders both young and old.
Good Night Long Island (Good Night Our World)
by Adam Gamble and Mark Jasper, Illustrated by Brenna Hansen
Good Night Long Island explores Fire Island and its ferries, Montauk Lighthouse, Jones Beach, Long Island Boardwalk, boogie-boarding at Coopers Beach, Long Island Aquarium, Belmont Stakes, Lavender by the Bay, vineyards, Caumsett State Park, the Hamptons, and more. Young readers will enjoy a personal tour of one the most scenic and diverse regions New York State has to offer.
Long Island Oddities: Curious Locales, Unusual Occurrences and Unlikely Urban Adventures
by John and Laura
John and Laura Leita delve into the oddities that make Long Island unique and it may be more odd than you thought possible! Long Island's history is well known, but often overlooked are the island's unique and bizarre stories and treasures--the most interesting locations and darkest legends. From hidden haunts and legends like the Indian Princess of Lake Ronkonkoma to well-known events like the Amityville Horror House murders, this collection chronicles the tales of restless spirits, unrequited loves and otherworldly visits that riddle the island. There is much to be seen along the roadside, too, including the beloved Big Duck, the Riverhead Indian and even the grave site of Nixon's dog, Checkers. Through history, pictures and the personal experiences of a ten-year endeavor, authors John and Laura Leita bring to life Long Island's abandoned structures, including psychiatric hospitals and other ruins waiting to be rediscovered. Join the Leitas as they go in search of the delightfully quirky side of Long Island.
Historic Haunts of Long Island: Ghosts and Legends from the Gold Coast to Montauk Point
by Kerriann Flanagan Brosky with foreword by Joe Giaquinto
Explore the mysterious past of Long Island and learn about the spirits that haunt the historic American island. Take a ghostly journey through Long Island's history, from Native American legends and beyond. Ghosts lurk at the Execution Rocks Lighthouse, where Revolutionary War Patriots were brutally tortured and killed by the British during the Battle of Long Island. Popular gathering places have otherworldly tenants, including Bayport's Grey Horse Tavern and the Cutchogue Village Green, where several old buildings - and their former inhabitants - are preserved. Long Island's history is unearthed and preserved through its ghost stories and spirits that have made their presence known. Through extensive research, interviews and investigations, award-winning author and historian Kerriann Flanagan Brosky, alongside medium and paranormal investigator Joe Giaquinto, uncovers Long Island's eerie history.
Hidden History of Long Island Paperback
by Richard Panchyk
Long Island's history is filled with fascinating firsts, magnificent mansions and captivating characters. From Glenn Curtiss, the first pilot to fly a plane on the island, to Earle Ovington, who carried the country's first airmail, the area has been known as the cradle of aviation. Millionaire William K. Vanderbilt's Long Island Motor Parkway, remnants of which still remain, was the nation's first highway. The desolate ruins of an exiled Albanian king's estate lie in the midst of the woods of the Muttontown Preserve. Captain William Kidd, pirate chaser turned pirate, is rumored to have buried treasure on the island. Richard Panchyk reveals the rapidly vanishing traces of Long Island's intriguing history.
Hey Long Island... Do U Remember?
by Stacy Mandel Kaplan, Kimberly Towers, Scott J. Mandel, Jordan Kaplan
With more than 130 photographs, many of them seen here for the first time, Hey Long Island... Do U Remember? offers a stunning portrait of this one-of-a-kind location. This book brings to life Long Island’s iconic people and places, including cherished memories of culture, music, food, fashion, festivals, businesses, amusements, sports, estates, art, and landmarks. These nostalgic and historic images and stories reveal a window into the past, showing life as it was then, and how life became what it is today. Hey Long Island … Do U Remember? began in 2008 when lifelong friends from Oceanside, New York, started a Facebook group to share pictures and history of Long Island’s memorable places and landmarks. It is now one of Facebook’s largest New York history groups with more than 150,000 members sharing pictures and information about Long Island’s incredible past.
