New York Minute

Before watches and mobile phones were widely accessible, people relied on public clocks to keep them running on time. New York City has long been adorned by extravagant public clocks—towers, pediments, skyscrapers, building lobbies, and even sidewalks feature timepieces counting out the pulse of a great metropolis. In New York Minute, Matthew White provides a fascinating tour of fifty-three spectacular clocks, encouraging us to look up and behold the city in a new way.

The book’s twelve chapters, each devoted to a particular category of clock, are ordered as one might move through the city, from workday to weekend. The journey begins at Grand Central Terminal, where the highest number of public clocks are concentrated within a single building, and which itself is crowned by an extravagant Gilded Age clock. As we move toward the weekend, time slows down when we visit iconic New York clocks while shopping, going to church, or taking in the delights of automaton clocks. We end with the clocks of the lost Pennsylvania Station and the contemporary clock in Moynihan Train Hall, the latter reminding us that public timepieces are here to stay.

New York Minute contains over 150 images, including historical and contemporary photos, and charming drawings by the author. Published in an attractive, giftable format, this timely book is for native New Yorkers and visitors alike.