10 Books on New York City Everyone Should Read

Rob Burdock of The League with some Big Apple-centred picks

Truth be told, I have a massive obsession with New York City, and what with me being so bookish it probably comes as no surprise that I'm fairly well read up on all things 'Big Apple'. Following then, is a list of ten books about New York City that I consider to be essential reading. Of course, being limited to a list of only ten titles means I've omitted so many great works of NYC-themed literature. A few notable and perhaps more obvious choices, include Betty Smith's A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, J.D. Salinger's Catcher in the Rye, E.B. White's Here is New York, Paul Auster's 'Trilogy' series, Edith Warton's The House of Mirth, Amor Towles' Rules of Civility, Tom Wolfe's The Bonfire of the Vanities, and many many more. 

Click on the individual books to read Rob's reasons for including them.

1. Up in the Old Hotel Joseph Mitchell	2. The Fortunate Pilgrim Mario Puzo	3. The Encyclopedia of New York City Kenneth T. Jackson	4. New York Stories Diana Secker Tesdell	5. Call It Sleep Henry Roth
6. Ten Days in a Mad-house Nellie Bly	7. Literary Brooklyn: The Writers of Brooklyn and the Story of American City Life Evan Hughes	8. Lost and Found: Stories from New York Thomas Beller	9. Writing New York: A Literary Anthology Philip Lopate	10. AIA Guide to New York City Norval White