New York (8 Episode PBS Boxed Set)

Justice to the greatest city in the World.
The Burns family has come up with some fine work, from Baseball, to the Civil War; and now the latest, New York. A fine successor.Ric Burns explores the early history of New York, starting with the God-created attributes of the region and one of the world’s finest natural seaports. But the treasure is found in what man has added to the Apple, starting with the Erie Canal, Central Park, the Brooklyn Bridge and the Subway system. The Bridge’s history has itself been the subject of much scholarship, and Burns does it well also. The creation of the skyline, including the Chrysler Building and the Empire State Building are some of the series best moments, filled with some of the fascinating type of information that fans of Burns’ documentaries have come to expect and enjoy.The history of New York is the history of immigrants, and the interaction of Irish, Italians, Africans and other groups is splendidly examined. The politics of the City, such as the rise and demise of Al Smith are well explored also.My few complaints are minor, and don’t detract from the work. F. Scott Fitzgerald seems to have become a demi-god to Burns, and after awhile, I found the continued references to him and his work tiring. More than a few minutes on the history of Harlem would have been a welcome replacement. Of course, history is harder to write the closer we are to it, but I would have liked to have seen the series end later (perhaps at the end of the 1960’s).Even those not from New York will find it to be a rich, interesting history, worth of the length of time one must devote to its viewing. Those expatriate New Yorkers will be tugged to head back home. All in all, very worthwhile.

Significant history
Great video

I would add a sixth star if possible
This documentary is the finest historical film I have yet seen. It starts with Henry Hudson discovering one of the greatest natural ports in the world, and takes us through the development of the little village of New Amsterdam thru the rise of New York City as the worlds commercial and cultural capitol.The epic journey of African slaves and immigrants from around the world, striving to better their lives in the worlds greatest melting pot is one of mankinds great stories. The musical score by Brian Keane is perfect, while the writing and editing are practically flawless. If you enjoy American history and historical epics, this is as good as they get.

Wonderful Series
We truly enjoyed this series. Being a life long resident of New York it had particular appeal as we came to understand the challenges and wonderful history of this great city. It would also appeal to any viewer given the international importance of our city. To understand New York is to understand a major part of the history of the USA. It was also easy to watch a little at a time given the way it is set up in segments. I would highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys documentaries, USA and state history. I’d love if my teenage children would sit down and watch it but I think it will appeal to a little older an audience. My husband and I have already seen all segments. We enjoyed it so much that this purchase was a gift for our parents. Enjoy!