Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All

New York City is the largest city in the state of New York. Measured by land area, it is one of the largest cities in the world—although with about 8,000,000 people, its population is much smaller than that of cities like Tokyo, Delhi, and Shanghai. New York is made up of five “boroughs”—The Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island. These boroughs were once independent cities that came together in 1898 to form one city. Each borough is big enough to be its own county in New York State, and each has its own history and character.

When people think of New York City, they often think of skyscrapers, Wall Street, Broadway, and Times Square. These iconic parts of the city are all in the borough of Manhattan and many tourists visit them each year. There are a lot of exciting things to do, such as visiting museums, shopping, and eating at world-renowned restaurants. Many places are open at all hours of the day and night, earning New York one of its nicknames: The City That Never Sleeps.

Another nickname for New York City—one Miller uses in Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All—is The Big Apple. In the early 20th century, New York was famous for giving out large prizes at horse races that horse owners and jockeys referred to as “big apples.