NARROWSBURG, NY — Stephen Silverman grew up in Los Angeles but that didn’t stop him from thinking “everything in New York is better.” The author, a prolific journalist who worked for Time Inc. and was the founding editor of People.com, was at The River Gallery on Main Street on Sunday to sign copies of his new book “The Catskills: Its History and How It Changed America.”

The hardcover book was published by Alfred A. Knopf, and it was Silverman’s publisher who approached him to write the book. The process took about five years, and Silverman delved into research and “just sat and wrote and wrote and wrote.” The result is an in-depth look into the history of the Catskills, from its first discovery to the present day.

Silverman said he was surprised by the amount of information he found and by what he didn’t know. He described it as “having a crossword puzzle and working backwards.” He and co-author Raphael D. Silver tell of the turning points that made the Catskills so vital to the development of America. Silverman said it is “406 years of Catskills history starting with Henry Hudson.” Other topics include the Hudson River School art movement, the Jewish resorts and Borscht Belt, the bluestone quarries and more. The writing is accompanied by 170 full-color images.

The book has received rave reviews. “Readers will enjoy this absorbing browse through a multifaceted regional history that’s deeper than its surface glitz might suggest,” from Publishers Weekly. And Mel Brooks, “I love this book. The Catskills shaped my life. I will forever be grateful to those tough Jewish audiences. If you could make them laugh, you could conquer the world.”

The books sold out at the signing at The River Gallery, but more have already come in. It is also available online, or you could pick up a copy at the new One Grand Books down the street.