Top 10 Books about NYC

Have you ever wondered about the history of New York City? At a past event, New York International was treated to a great talk by author of Modern New York Greg David on New York City’s relationship with Wall Street and what makes New York City “tick.” Continuing with the theme of New York history, we thought it would be great to share our top books written on New York City and its illustrious history. Enjoy!Liar’s Poker by Michael Lewis (1989)Liar’s Poker is generally considered to be one of the books that defined Wall Street during the 1980s. It contains in part an autobiographical account of Michael Lewis’ own experiences during his time at Salomon Brothers and follows the rise and fall of the company, mainly focusing on the mortgage bond department whose fortune is traced back to the various mortgage backed securities in the 80s (sound familiar?). Two important figures that are featured prominently in the book are the head of Salomon Brother’s mortgage department Lewis Ranieri and the firm’s CEO John Gutfeund.The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York by Robert Caro (1974)Do you ever wonder how New York City’s infrastructure, transportation, and space planning originated? Winner of the Pulitzer Prize, Power Broker is a biography of “The Master Builder” of the mid-20th century, Robert Moses. Moses is credited for building the modern infrastructure of New York City, Long Island, Rockland County, and Westchester County. So closely linked are New York City and Robert Moses that Robert Caro felt that he couldn’t write a biography about Moses without writing about the history of New York as well. This great book provoked a number of debates on the Moses legacy and whether he built New York City in the right way but one thing is certain, Robert Moses is one of the most influential people of modern New York City.Too Big To Fail by Andrew Ross Sorkin (2009)Too Big To Fail is a chronicle of the 2008 financial crisis and the collapse of Lehman Brothers from the point of view of Wall Street CEOs and US government regulators. It’s an interesting read as he goes into detail about the various leaders’ personal lives and habits. Rather than strictly talking about numbers and financial terms that are hard to understand, what makes Too Big To Fail so appealing and easy to read is that it focuses on the human failings and human suffering on Wall Street during the financial crisis in New York City.The Bonfire of the Vanities by Tom Wolfe (1987)The Bonfire of the Vanities is a 1987 novel by Tom Wolfe about ambition, racism, social class, politics and greed in the 1980s in New York. The story centers on four main characters: Sherman McCoy (WASP, bond trader), Larry Kramer (Jewish, assistant district attorney), Peter Fallow (British, expatriate journalist), and Reverend Reginald Bacon (black activist). The story begins when one evening McCoy and his mistress end up in the Bronx and accidently hit a young black male.The Gangs of New York by Herbert Asbury (1928)The Gangs of New York details the rise and fall of New York City gangs in the 1920s before the Mafia and Prohibition. It focuses on New York City’s dark past in the notorious Five Points district filled with prostitutes, pimps, murderers, and thieves. This book is generally seen as the history “of the other world” of New York City, one in which presidents and generals are not mentioned and it’s simply the average New Yorker during this time period.Gotham: A History of New York City to 1898 by Edwin G. Burrows and Mike Wallace (1998)Gotham is a non-fiction book written by historians Edwin G. Burrows and Mike Wallace covering the history of New York City to 1898. This expansive book won the Pulitzer Prize for History in 1999 and ranges from the Native American tribes that settled around the island of Manna-hata to the five boroughs in 1898. Readers are treated to accounts of various New York City historical events such as: Peter Stuyvesant’s regime, New York as the nation’s first capital, the duel between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr, and the building of the Brooklyn Bridge.Barbarians at the Gate: The Fall of RJR Nabisco by Bryan Burrough and John Helyar (1989)Often called one of the most influential business books of all time, Barbarians at the Gate chronicles the largest takeover in Wall Street history: the leveraged buyout of RJR Nabisco. Along with Liar’s Poker andBonfire Vanities it was used as one of the books in shaping the negative portrayal of Wall Street during the times.  `Inside the Apple: A Streetwise History of New York City by Michelle Nevius (2009)For those that love walking around New York City, this is a must have as it is the first book to offer walking tour know-how. It is filled with small chapters, each focusing on an event, place, or historical significance. The book takes the reader from colonial New Amsterdam through Manhattan’s past right up to post 9/11 New York. The book contains 14 self guided tours and maps.Mannahatta: A Natural History of New York City by Eric W. Sanderson and Markley Boyer (2009)The central idea of the Mannahatta (Native American name for New York City) was to try and imagine what Henry Hudson saw when he first saw modern day Manhattan. With this central idea, Eric W. Sanderson and Markley Boyer created a masterpiece. In this book you will find images and words and the wild island from the past that New Yorkers call home today. By geographically matching an 18th century map of Manhattan’s landscape to the modern cityscape, Sanderson was able to re-create the forests of Times Square, the meadows of Harlem, and the wetlands of downtown.Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann (2009)Let the Great World Spin centers around two events in New York City in 1974: the completion of the real life feat of the Twin Towers tightrope walk of Philippe Betit and a fictional courtroom trial of a New York City prostitute. Using a decaying New York City as his backdrop, McCann creates 11 protagonists in this book and they are all connected to one another.