Whether you're an avid bookworm or you don't consider yourself a reader, a good book can offer you the perfect escape from a night out, bad weather, or that occasional head cold that keeps you confined to your couch.
New York City, with its rich history and traditions, provides a great literary landscape for you to dive into.
If you ever want to get lost in the concrete jungle without leaving the comfort of your own home, here are a 6 books about NYC that beat your usual Netflix and Seamless routine.
1. Here is New York by E.B. White
A short and sweet read, Here is New York manages to capture a true and timeless portrait of New York in under 75 pages. It will have even the most unlikely readers captivated and nostalgic.
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2. Kafka was the Rage by Anatole Broyard
Set during the beginning of the Beat generation, Kafka is a memoir that brings us back to the early days of Greenwich Village. It captures the true essence of the Village as a hub of radical artistic and social trends, as poet and literary critic Broyard reminisces on what it was like to be a newcomer in such a rebellious neighborhood of New York City.
3. Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote
We're sure you've seen the classic movie, but put your visions of Audrey Hepburn in a black gown dripping in diamonds to rest and experience this novella. Meet Holly Golightly, an ambitious aspiring socialite, and accompany her and the nameless narrator on a whirlwind journey through New York City that will make you laugh, cry, and everything in between.
4. Bright Lights Big City by Jay McInerney
This book might make you a little uncomfortable because it refers to the narrator as “you,” but once you get past that, you'll enjoy this story of a man in the 1980s who is a budding, young professional by day and a raving, club-going fiend by night.
Although heartbreaking and cynical, there are moments of profound realization and hilarity that make this book a New York City classic.
5. Tabloid City by Pete Hamill
Tabloid City chronicles the converging lives of several New Yorkers in a time-stamped series of events, including two murders and the death of a treasured print NYC newspaper.
This book is chock full of suspense and surprises that will definitely keep on the edge of your seat for this brilliant take on a murder mystery.
6. Falling Man by Don Dellilo
Native New Yorker Dellilo introduces us to a family affected by the September 11th attacks and how they all cope with the events that brought them together. His writing is poignant and memorable in a city that would never be the same again.