Staten Island is probably the least known of the five New York boroughs and perhaps the most misunderstood. Carol V. Wright's readable, affectionate, and amusing tribute takes you straight to the Island's heart, exploring its monuments, its open spaces, and its maritime heritage, as well as meeting memorable characters: Alice Austen, Jacques Marchais, Cornelius Vanderbilt, Frederick Law Olmsted and William T. Davis—as well as the famous seventeen-year cicadas.Whether you are visiting Staten Island for a few hours on the ferry or have lived there all your life, you will surely enjoy this book.