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2005 Author of the Year Award—Working Harbor Committee of New York and New Jersey
2006 AAUP Book, Jacket, and Journal Show in the category of Trade Illustrated Book Design
A fascinating historical account of the tugboats that navigate the New York harbor
Tugboats are the workhorses of the greatest harbor in the world, easing massive ocean liners and garbage scows alike cleanly into their berths. Tugboats of New York captures the history and lore of these iconic craft, from their precursors in the early 1800s to their heyday in the 1950s, when more than 700 small but potent boats dotted the harbor. They are the most versatile of vessels, not only guiding large oceangoing ships safely into harbor, but also conducting rescue operations and navigating vast quantities of oil, cement, and scrap iron through traffic-clogged waters.
A twenty-year veteran of New York tugboats, George Matteson knows the tides and currents of New York from the Bronx to the Verrazano Narrows. His history of tugboating shows how this inherently risky business pits men and their boats against weather, water, and the scarcely measurable physics of ships and barges of far greater dimension.
The story of New York’s tugs parallels the broader history of New York’s industrial development, from the rise of railroads to the decline of the port in the wake of labor disputes and large container ships. It is also a story of remarkable seamen who pass their craft from pilot to apprentice over generations, along with the lore of great waterways that remain unchanged despite the lengthening shadows of skyscrapers and commerce.
Rich with first-person anecdotes of life on the New York waterways and one hundred and fifty black-and-white illustrations, including rare and sumptuous photographs from the likes of Gordon Parks and Todd Webb, Tugboats of New York will fascinate readers interested in New York history, boating, and maritime history.
— Ric Burns
"Matteson knows the lore in depth, telling us how tugs work and how crucially they've served the great port."
"Matteson narrates two hundred years of city history from the decks of its tugboats.&8221;"
"This sturdy, if little lauded, workhorse of the citys waterways has found a champion in George Matteson, himself a veteran tug operator. His marvelous, handsomely designed Tugboats of New York is both an evocative photo album of tugs at work and a detailed essay on nearly two hundred years of tugboat history."
"Breathtaking photographs.... Mattesons fascinating account of the evolutionary era begins with the geographical formation of New York Harbor, but quickly moves to the era of the vessels themselves.... Anyone fond of books about the way things work will enjoy Mattesons detailed explanations; others will relish his metaphors."