This book was really great!!!  We already know that the Unites States doesn't really have historical buildings, it just isn't something that our society seems to value.  The buildings that were built in the early 20th century were very much the definition of awesome!  It is so heartbreaking to know that we could not save some of these amazing buildings, but Grand Central, she was saved!!  It has so many amazing features and of course it has been such an iconic site in so many movies.  You just don't get all the details until you see it in person.  I happened to read this book before I went to New York for the first time and it really made the experience of seeing Grand Central that much more amazing.  From the whisper corners to the celestial ceiling.  The author just gives packs so much history into this book and I found it a very easy quick read.

One of the nice things that I was able to experience, because I knew to look for it from this book, was the spot on the ceiling.  The entire ceiling was cleaned except for a small patch left to remind people of the beauty that was once forgotten and valued enough to be brought back.  The ceiling was of course dirtied from all the steam engines and other pollutions that aren't around anymore.  The fact that people who used the station all the time had no idea that the ceiling was anything other than just a dark patch of building is unbelievable.

We, the United States, imposed so many taxes on building like this that it was cost prohibited to actually save the truly magnificent places.  The book explains how close it was to falling victim to the same fate as her counterpart Penn Station.  The love that so few people have for these buildings that really do provide valuable history for the citizens makes you wish that you could do more to help save them!

I may be  a little bias as I am not only a lover of architecture, but I am a railroader.  I recommend this book even if you aren't either of those two things, if you just like to learn about our history.