© 2024 KASU
Your Connection to Music, News, Arts and Views for Over 65 Years
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

'The Works' of New York City: Past and Present

New York has long been one of the most fully wrought of America's cities. A new book serves as a historical primer on how the Big Apple uses its municipal might to support millions of people -- and deliver a billion gallons of water daily.

Whether the question is the number of pay phones to how many buildings have their own zip code, The Works: Anatomy of a City has the answers.

Kate Ascher's book also explores past efforts to smooth communications and travel in the city, from the Pneumatic Tube Mail Network to a schematic breakdown of asphalt and curb theory.

Guest:

Kate Ascher, author and executive vice president of the New York City Economic Development Corporation

Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.