New York City's Hart Island: A Cemetery of Strangers (Landmarks) Paperback – October 14, 2019

This was an interesting book that took a few tangents into other areas because, I suppose, there is only so much you can write about Hart Island, the island in NYC's waters that is the final resting place for people who nobody claimed. Interestingly, Bobby Driscoll, a former Disney star, is buried here because he died in poverty and nobody claimed him until it was too late.

I was disappointed to find that this book doesn’t spend much time on the history of the island. It is mostly biographies of people buried there and stories of epidemics that killed many people at a time.

I would recommend this book for anyone interested in the history of New York City. It is a fascinating description of a subject that is rarely discussed or even acknowledged. What do we do about this now so that we don't have to solve the problem coming in 20/25 years ?! Multi-story "cemeteries" will have to be built to house the cremated remains of the future . we a

This book is fairly well written, and it will give the reader an insight into Hart Island, as well as oddities regarding burials throughout New York city. I expected it to be more concentrated on Hart Island. It tends to mention just about any person or event even remotely connected to the Island. Sometimes these "meanderings" take a little away from what one wants to delve into. But it does offer a good insight to the subject on perhaps a few too many levels. Still worth a read.

I'm half way through the book and have read about a lot of interesting places in New York City, but very little to do with Hart Island.The time line of stories and places jump from one era to the next.

Very interesting subject and I enjoyed it however I have to question the editing. For example: Was there any editing? Discussion of AIDS and a chapter about Freddie Mercury? He was not buried on Hart Island so....? The information about Stonewall was great but...Hart Island? So disjointed and random but I finished it. Thank you.

Great info on an interesting place.

New York City’s Hart Island came to my attention from an email I received. You know the one….you read that so you might like this kind of email. Why yes internet, I would like this, thank you for always knowing me so well! I love New York and all its history, the constant activity of people, the food, the bookstores.. (So many good bookstores!) I also love reading fiction books based in New York, they make me feel nostalgic! Fiona Davis is one of my favorite New York residents who takes historic buildings and writes bestselling novels. After reading her books I always find myself researching the buildings in her stories. Her newest book is The Lions of Fifth Avenue and I was thrilled to learn that the superintendent of the New York Public Library use to live at the library in his own apartment. Wouldn’t that be a book lovers dream? I’ve become very interested in nonfiction and memoirs and learned so much about Hart Island, a place I had never heard of but will never forget.Hart Island is just off the coast of Long Island and has a very secretive and heartbreaking history. The Island was essentially a dumping ground for unclaimed bodies. It started as a Civil War prison and training site, then a psychiatric hospital, and then a final resting spot for unknown bodies. Death from the war, yellow fever, smallpox, a burial ground for the African American community, Aids victims, and patients from Bellevue just to name a few. The manner in which they were buried was disturbing, thrown out no better than a bag of trash. What I found so interesting was the many bodies that have been left buried under famous landmarks. Sadly we all know many 9/11 victims bodies were never recovered, but did you know bodies are buried deep in Madison Square Park, Washington Square Park, James J. Walker Park, and even Central Park! Another thing that struck me, and felt very timely, was the chapters about disease that caused the quarantine of New York and surrounding cities. Quarantine in 1795, Wow.Such an informative book that any resident of New York or even tourists like me would enjoy.

What an interesting book. The island has been used by the city's lesser fortunate people and is now in use more and more recently due to Covid 19!!!