Invisible Frontier: Exploring the Tunnels, Ruins, and Rooftops of Hidden New York

How often do you find a book that really inspires you? Since reading Invisible Frontier I haven't been able to look at my city in the same way. Instead of seeing the dull surfaces of the streets and buildings, I see through them into the structures beneath. The steel skeletons of row houses, the intestine sewers, the soaring bridges and skyscrapers all seem vivid and enticing. I want to see more.What you have to understand about Invisible Frontier is that it's a series of explorations layered on explorations. The phyisical discoveries and adventures are woven into intellectual discoveries and adventures. The reader follows our heroes into the ruins of Riverside Hospital, but also follows them into the past, when Typhoid Mary was quarantined there, and also into the churning chaos of the river that surrounds her island, and into the mathematics that govern that chaos, and into the agony of the shipwrecked souls who died just offshore in that turbulence. The authors bring a light touch to their narrative. Their criticisms of contemporary life are trenchant and hilarious, but no more acerbic than their self-assessments. They frankly admit their doubts, and the absurdity of their conceits. It would have been easy indeed for them to leave out the failures, such as their inability to penetrate the Trilateral Commission headquartes. By leaving the failures in, they greatly enhance the thrill of their successes, and lend a gravity to their adventures. I enjoyed their misses as much as their hits.I won't leave off without mentioning that their last chapter is the best bit of writing about 9/11 I have yet read. It is light, subtle, but deeply moving and beautiful. Don't miss this book.

Invisible Frontier is a masterpiece. Leibowitz and Deyo are brilliant writers, thoughtful historians and powerful philosophers. The book provides a well-needed source of dignity and pride for a generation of lost and humiliated souls. Invisible Frontier gives meaning to our nameless era, turning Generation X into Generation JINX. I thank them both for honoring a city and an era.

A very cool book. If you're into urban exploration or if you are just excited about the idea of climbing bridges, getting onto rooftops, finding underground tunnels etc. then this is right up your alley.It's all in NYC and the book is basically a compilation of stories of different "missions," including trips to subway tunnels, the top of the George Washington Bridge, the top of the Queensboro bridge, a couple of abandoned buildings, and a water tunnel. The info on getting in places isn't always specific enough to be able to follow it to get into the same place-- this is an adventure book, not a guidebook-- but at least you know from this book that it CAN be done, if you have the guts, and you might be able to pick up some pretty good ideas.The stories are full of NYC history and bits of philosophy, the whole thing gives you the impression of an indiana jones adventure as written by E.L. Doctorow. Definitely a fun read and most of all an inspiring book if, like me, you think that the city is really just a big playground.

Lefty Leibowitz and LB Deyo, the writers of this great adventure book, are amazing eccentrics in the underground world of urban exploration. This book made me look at New York City in a whole new light. For anyone that loves the bizarre, the intellectual and the adventurous this is the book!! I read about them in the New York Times, picked up the book and then could not put it down. I do not know where these real life characters came from, but I am glad their likes are prowling about the cities of the world recording decaying history.

There's a lot of buzz generating in NYC about this book so I had to check it out.These guys know their city adventures and they also know their philosophy and literature. Who would think that an old abandoned aqueduct would bring to mind the words of Dante's Inferno?Great summer reading. Not too smart to be boring but it never talks down to you. You'll definitely look at everyday bridges and rooftops and basements as inspirations after reading this book.Highly recommended.