“There is something in the New York air that makes sleep useless.”
Is there a more famous city in the world than New York? A global hub for finance, diplomacy, commerce, culture, technology, academics, entertainment, technology, fashion and arts, the city that never sleeps can trace its history back to 1624 and the founding of Fort Amsterdam by Dutch Colonists on the southern tip of Manhattan Island. In the years since, it has become the biggest metropolis in the United States, housing over eight million residents across its five boroughs: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx and Staten Island. From its culture to its Wall Street commerce, it should come as no surprise to learn the Big Apple has become one of the most popular backdrops for fiction and nonfiction authors. So, if you’re looking to get a taste of the hustle and bustle of the big city, join us at What We Reading for the best New York books!
The Catcher In The Rye – J.D. Salinger
First up on our list of New York books is J.D. Salinger’s 1951 classic, The Catcher in the Rye. It’s Christmas time, and Holden Caulfield has just been expelled from yet another school. He bounces around New York, seeking solace through quick encounters across the city. From shooting the bull with strangers to getting beaten up by pimps, the contrasting beauty and terror of the Big Apple soon make themselves known to him.
In The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger does a wonderful job of showcasing the juxtaposition between the neon loneliness and seedy glamour of New York and wider America. An all-time legendary coming-of-age story of angst, rebellion and ultimately belonging, readers follow Holden as he passes through the city like a ghost, always thinking of his sister and the possibility of a life with true meaning.
The Great Gatsby – F. Scott Fitzgerald
Another of the best books set in New York that captures the affluence, the glitz and the glamour of the golden age of Jazz, The Great Gatsby is arguably the best book written by the legendary F. Scott Fitzgerald. The story follows the fabulously wealthy Jay Gatsby, his love for the beautiful Daisy Buchanan, and the sorts of lavish parties on Long Island that led to the New York Times claiming that ‘gin was the national drink and sex the national obsession’.
First published in 1925, The Great Gatsby captures the feel of the 1920s with an authenticity of the time, but also captures how the spirit of New York has evolved over the years.
Check Out These Fiction Books Set In The 1920s
The Amazing Adventures Of Kavalier & Clay – Michael Chabon
Joe Kavalier, a young Jewish artist who has also been trained in the arts of Houdini-esque escapes, has just smuggled himself out of Nazi-occupied Prague and landed in New York City. His Brooklyn-based cousin, Sammy Clay, is looking for a partner to create heroes, stories and artwork for what he is planning to be the next great novelty that will take America by storm – the comic book.
Drawing on their own fears and dreams, the pair conjure up the Escapist, the Monitor and Luna Moth, inspired by the beautiful and enigmatic Rosa Saks who will become linked by powerful ties to both men. A Pulitzer Prize-winning book about New York and American romance and possibility, Michael Chabon’s The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay is a classic piece of historical fiction.
Rules Of Civility – Amor Towles
Another acclaimed historical fiction book about New York, Rules of Civility is a 2011 New York Times bestseller by Manhattan resident, Amor Towles. On the last night of 1937, twenty-five-year-old Katey Kontent is in a second-rate Greenwich Village jazz bar when a handsome banker named Tinker Grey sits at the table next to her.
This single chance happening, and its far-reaching consequences, jettison Katey on a year-long journey into the upper echelons of New York society. She will have nothing else to rely on except for her striking wit and cool nerve. Sophisticated, entertaining and sparkling in its depictions of New York social circles and imagery, Rules of Civility is undoubtedly one of the best books for understanding the allure of the Big Apple.
The Goldfinch – Donna Tartt
At the age of thirteen, Theo Decker, the son of a devoted mother and largely absent father, survives an accident that otherwise splits his life at the seams. Completely alone in New York, he is taken in by the family of a wealthy friend. There, he quickly becomes haunted by an unshakable yearning for his mother. Through the years, he clings to the one thing that most reminds him of her: a small, strangely captivating painting that ultimately lures him into the criminal underworld.
As he grows up, Theo learns to glide from the dusty antique store he works at to the drawing rooms of the rich and famous of the city. Alienated and in love, his painting soon places him at the heart of a narrowing, dangerous circle. Donna Tartt’s The Goldfinch is a dark and powerful journey into modern America. One of the most unforgettable books set in New York, it is sure to captivate you with its cast of vivid characters, thrilling suspense and compelling themes of survival, self-invention, loss and obsession.
A Little Life – Hanya Yanagihara
When four classmates from a small Massachusetts-based college move to New York to begin a new chapter in their lives, they’re all broke, adrift and reliant on their friendship and shared ambition. Willem is a kind-hearted and handsome actor, JB is a sharp-tongued, sometimes cruel, Brooklyn-born art prodigy, Malcolm is a frustrated architect in a successful firm and Jude is equally brilliant, enigmatic and reclusive.
As the decades pass, their relationships deepen and darken, eroded by addiction, success and pride. But, the greatest challenge they find comes in the form of Jude. By the time he hits the middle of his life, he has become a terrifyingly effective litigator, but also an increasingly broken man, scarred by an unspeakable childhood and the sort of lingering trauma he fears he will not only be unable to overcome, but that will define his life forever. Poignant, heart-breaking and captivating throughout, Hanya Yanagihara’s A Little Life remains one of the best books set in New York.
Check Out The Best Books Like A Little Life
American Psycho – Bret Easton Ellis
Patrick Bateman is twenty-six years old and works on Wall Street. He is handsome, sophisticated, charming and sharply intelligent. He is also a bloodthirsty psychopath. Bret Easton Ellis takes readers into the darkest reaches of Patrick’s mind in American Psycho, a bitter, bleak black comedy about a world every reader can recognise, but would never want to confront.
New York has become the shining embodiment of American wealth, commerce and success. Inspired by the real-world ‘yuppie’ culture across the city, American Psycho is one of the best New York books for commenting on cultural consumerism.
Check Out The Best Books Like American Psycho
Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
