'Exiles in New York City' provides an interesting biography of Ward's Island, New York. The author Philip T. Yanos explores the history of the island as a place of literal and metaphorical marginalisation (for example, as the former site of an Emigrant Refuge and a branch of the New York City Asylum for the Insane), from the 19th century through to the present day, and even setting out a vision/action plan for its potential future.

The author is very careful to explain their own positionality, and weaves in memories and family photographs of their childhood living on Ward Island. He remembers it as very empty and quiet, with the main safety concern being packs of wild dogs (p.69).

This was an intriguing read, which I am still pondering and processing. The author is a clinical psychologist and professor of psychology; it was interesting to read history by someone who is not primarily a historian, and thus examining the source material through a different lens. I was struck by the strong underlying impetus for social activism (reminiscent of the work of socially-conscious historians like Jennifer Guglielmo and Andy Urban) and liked the author's willingness to include the personal and "I" within the academic narrative.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy.

I had near zero idea and information about Ward Island, NYC.
This was in many ways like nothing I had read before - Yanos' professional and personal expertise and experiences, and the marginalised people of the island intrigued me. Overall, this was a specialised and satisfactory read with many insights and information.
I will include additional notes in my reviews on public websites. While this was an accessible read, I feel the duty to go back and review my notes to have taken in everything.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
This was a very interesting book. I am a psychology major and I find the history of former and current psychiatric institutions to be fascinating.
There was a very complete history given and lots of information about the island and the history in general of how the homeless and those with mental health illnesses were treated and how they are currently treated and viewed in our society.
I do with that the numbers for percentages and dates had been in this ARC to make it easier to follow and to also gain more knowledge of what happened in what year but I know that will be added in the final published book.
The only other thing I would have liked to have seen were some more personal stories added in like Carlos’ story from the beginning.
Well researched by the author and I love that the author had a personal connection to the island as well.

this had that historical element that I was looking for and enjoyed from the description. It had that element that I was looking for and was invested in the story going on. Philip T. Yanos has a strong writing style and we could see the research being done.

Ward’s Island in the East River sits just a short distance from Manhattan, Queens, and the Bronx, yet it has been largely cordoned off from the rest of New York City. For nearly two centuries, it has been treated as a dumping ground for society’s most marginalized—the mentally ill, asylum seekers, immigrants, and homeless people.

This is the story of a unique and complex location—Ward’s Island. The author explores 200 years of the island’s history, delving into both its past and present through the lens of a stigmatized community.

The island houses mental health hospitals, shelters for the homeless, asylum seekers, and refugees, but there are no residential homes or facilities like cafés or shops. However, it does feature a park, primarily used for daytime recreation and events like sports activities. It’s a place with a distinct identity, diaspora, and pressing social challenges.

The book leans toward the academic side, with glimpses of the author’s personal memories, as he himself lived on Ward’s Island as a child.

I feel this is a niche book, best suited for New Yorkers or those interested in history and social justice. It focuses on a unique place with complex social problems. Every New Yorker should read this—it’s their land, their people—and they should care about its story.

The author provides suggestions on how to reduce stigma, fight injustice, and implement more humane solutions. Although his ideas may seem utopian, requiring drastic changes, investments, and financial resources, they offer a vision that could one day become a reality.

I don’t live in New York, and I’m not even American. However, I am fascinated by New York City and interested in U.S. history, politics, economics, etc., so this book was very interesting to me, and I learned a lot from it. It also reminded me of my psychiatry and social work studies at university. Overall, it was a good read!

Many thanks to Columbia University Press for the review copy provided via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This book is about the history of Ward's Island in NYC. The tale of this place should be absolutely fascinating and I imagine it will be when it's completed. The problem is that it lacks all kinds of key information such as date and data - some of which are easy to look up. I realize that this was a preview copy provided to me, however, I think it should be a bit more complete before asking for opinions. I do plan on reading again when it's released. Thanks to Netgalley, the author and publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.