The History, Sea Life, and Environment of New York Harbor, Revised Edition By (author) John Waldman Published: 2012 ISBN: 9780823249855 Page Count: 160 Price: $23.00 Description Heartbeats in the Muck traces the incredible arc of New York Harbor’s environmental history. Once a pristine estuary bristling with oysters and striped bass and visited by sharks, porpoises, and seals, the harbor has been marked by centuries of rampant industrialization and degradation of its natural environment.