Whether you were born in New York, moved here decades ago, or recently arrived, you may be curious about what was here before you. kenneth jackson, editor of the encyclopedia of new york city, says that more than 10,000 books have been written about the city, including about 100 a year from 1990 onwards, so separating the wheat from the chaff is a chore really overwhelming.
To get a sense of what is essential reading for the new york history neophyte, we asked 11 historians and authors to tell us their favorite new york history books, along with an explanation why. each headline made the cut.
You are reading: Books about new york city history
We expected there to be a lot of duplicates, but we were wrong. what emerged was a list of 25 distinctive books. some are general reference sources, some architectural histories. some were recently published and others are decades old. then there are some selections that are best described as “quirky.” most of the options are non-fiction, but two novels also appeared.
here is the full list, in no particular order:
1. american institute of architects guide to new york city by norval white, elliot willensky and fran leadon
The fifth and final edition of the AIA guide, first published in 1967 and last revised in 2010, appeared on three different expert lists.
“is organized by district, then by neighborhoods within the districts, and in addition to providing the basic statistics about a building (architect, style, year built, and alteration), it places buildings in historical/cultural context.” —adrienne onofri, author of walking brooklyn and walking queens
“It is the bible of New York City architecture and includes interesting aesthetic commentary.”—Jim Mackin, historian and walking tour guide
“it’s a good starting point for researching specific buildings (but I love the old wpa guide to new york city, published in 1939) for its elegant style, conciseness, and period attitude.”—dan wakin, author of the man with the amputated leg and other stories from a new york city block
2. The Encyclopedia of New York City, edited by Kenneth T. jackson
a huge tome that’s good for “a quick grasp of any ancillary place, person, or event that may come up in your investigation.”—dan wakin
3. gotham by edwin g. burrows and mike wallace
gotham is the first of two volumes, each weighing over 1,000 pages.
“provides a great depth of knowledge on almost anything having to do with the city up to 1898.”—dan wakin
4. great gotham by mike wallace
“this monumental sequel to the monumental gotham city covers just 21 years, from the consolidation of new york and brooklyn to 1919. but what years those were! You might think that doing that period of gold and misery in 1000+ pages would be tedious, but this is an epic made for Netflix.”—justin davidson, author of magnetic city
5. new york at its center by the museum of the city of new york
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“I can’t resist adding your newly released companion volume to our eponymous exhibit, the first to give New Yorkers an overview of more than four centuries of the city’s history. it’s a great place to start or deepen your investigation of the city’s history.”—sarah henry, deputy director and chief curator, museum of the city of new york
6. Empire City: New York Through the Ages, edited by Kenneth T. jackson and david dunbar
“a fascinating exploration of new york history through primary source documents, allowing the various witnesses of the past to speak in their own words. the section introductions are extremely comprehensive and detailed if you need more direct guidance.”
7. the historical atlas of new york city by eric homberger
“a concise, easy-to-understand, and lavishly illustrated history of the city, from pre-colonial times to the 21st century. If I were teaching a class to aspiring city history buffs, this would be the book I would assign.”—Michael Miscione, Manhattan County Historian
8. the row house renaissance : architecture and neighborhoods in new york city 1908-1929 by andrew dolkart
“When I write or learn about townhomes, this is one of the books I refer to. tells the story of the adaptive reuse of new york city row houses in the early 20th century, and how they were redesigned and updated.”—sarah bean apmann, director of research and conservation at greenwich village society for preservation
9. the new york timeline by james trager
“an encyclopedia of the when, who, where and why of what shaped the city. Entries range from something as simple as a New York City celebrity’s date of birth to a recap of a major event. It’s particularly good for chronicling incidents and landmarks of Colonial New York/New Amsterdam, as many history books don’t go back that far or in such detail.”—adrienne onofri
“tager puts historical context at your fingertips that can be quickly scanned. the events [included] are a bit random, but it’s a bit like scanning a front page for the chosen year.”—dan wakin
10. here is new york by e.b. white
“perceptive, funny and nostalgic, e.b. White’s road trip through Manhattan remains the quintessential love letter to New York, written by one of America’s most beloved literary figures. A treasure!”—justin ferate, historian
11. From Abyssinian to Zion by David W. brown
“This is a nearly complete record that includes all religious houses of worship, extant and extinct. the story and the names of people connected to that story is an added bonus.”—jim mackin
12. manhattan when he was young by mary cantwell
“A writer-editor’s memoir captures the exhilarating and romantic mood of 1950s New York City. Cantwell recalls his post-college years (employment, romance, residencies) with precision and insight. ”.—nancy woloch, barnard college research fellow and author of a lecture by herself and eleanor roosevelt: in her words
13. open city by teju cole
“The wonder of this novel is that a reader and a solitary wanderer can have such intimate company without violating the solitude of either. Julius, the hyper-observant yet spectacularly unaware narrator, covers miles of New York sidewalks, and even though Cole published the book seven years ago, it already feels like he’s describing a city from the distant past.”—justin davidson
14. city on two rivers by stephen longstreet
“written in 1975, this is new york city at breakneck speed. a delicious, almost gossipy mix of new york history, high society, neighborhood color, corrupt politicians, showgirls and colorful personalities from new york. so much fun!” —justin ferate
15. Cheap Amusements: Working Women and Leisure in Turn-of-the-Century New York by Kathy Peiss
“Young working-class women: their jobs, goals, clubs, hangouts, courtship customs, sense of style, and impact on culture. the focus is on the growth of commercialized leisure activities.”—nancy woloch
16. Power and Society: Greater New York at the Turn of the Century by David C. hammock
“not for the faint of heart! This book is a deep dive into one of New York’s most interesting and critical periods, “the turn of the 20th century.” they influence decisions that would shape the city for decades to come.”—michael miscione
17. city of women: sex and class in new york, 1789-1860 by christine stansell
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“explores the experience of women, cooperative and competitive, in new york city’s working-class neighborhoods and tenements. it marks the contrast between the cultures of lower and middle class women, and makes an original contribution to urban history.”—nancy woloch
18. City of Eros: New York City, Prostitution, and the Commercialization of Sex 1790-1920 by Timothy J. gilfoyle
“Of all the books I’ve read about New York City, I always come back to this one as one of the most memorable. although originally intended for a more academic audience, it engages the reader on many levels: economics, gender, urbanization, politics, morality, sexuality, immigration; I’m probably leaving something out. Thanks to this book, I can’t walk the streets of Soho without thinking of it as the city’s premier sex district.”—valerie paley
19. low life: lures and snares of old new york by luc sante
“”Had he been a 19th-century New Yorker, he might not have spent much time frequenting the brothels, poison saloons, murderous alleys, and stinking docks that Sante praises. but boy, is it fun to visit them in this lucid, fanciful prose.”—justin davidson
20. upstairs in the old hotel by joseph mitchell
“Author joseph mitchell, renowned for his accurate and respectful observations, lovingly immortalizes distinctive but often overlooked New Yorkers, including saloonkeepers, street preachers, skyscraper-building Mohicans, and the moving personal story of the griot (historian ) of staten island free black community. The consummate humanity of Mitchell’s uplifting descriptions underscores the importance of people in the making of this great city.”—Justin Ferate
21. the battle for new york by barnet schechter
“schecter puts new york city center stage during the american revolution. a surprising amount of important revolutionary history happened in the five boroughs of today’s city, and the author supplements his never-dull book with walking tours of the places he mentions.”—michael miscione
22. New York Art Deco: A Guide to Gotham’s Jazz Age by Anthony W. robins
“destined to become a classic. Lively and informative, this remarkable guide entertainingly introduces readers to the Jazz Age building that reshaped New York as the world’s modern metropolis.”—Justin Ferate
23. the larger grid: the manhattan master plan, 1811-2011 by hilary ballon
“amazing. discover the DNA of the city we know and the enduring influence of the commissioners’ plan of 1811.”—sarah henry
24. hydraulic works by e.l. doctrow
“although it’s far from doctorow’s best work (would be ragtime or billy bathgate), I have a soft spot for a murder mystery that features nasty journalism, evil doctors, the tweed ring, and the aqueducts that turned new york from a small town in a global metropolis.”—justin davidson
25. New York: A Guide to the Metropolis by Gerard R. wolf
“First written in 1975, this is my favorite classic. It was the first book about New York that I read when I arrived in the city. I wrote a thank you note to the author for being responsible for the beginning of my love affair with New York. For me, it’s the best people-friendly guide in town.”—Justin Ferate
“old but good. it’s been in my library since i came to nyc to graduate. every once in a while i take it out and explore a new neighborhood. as an art historian at heart, i love the architectural details. which wolfe highlights for your readers.”—Margaret Oppenheimer, author of The Remarkable Rise of Eliza Jumel
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