Cities
Last updated: July 27, 2024
The best books on The Music of New Orleans, recommended by Keith Spera
The author of Groove Interrupted transports us to the world of Fats Domino and Professor Longhair, and tells us how (and where) to sample the city’s unique music culture
The best books on Los Angeles, recommended by Dennis McDougal
The writer dubbed “LA’s number one muckraker” peels away the phoney baloney to tell us about power, pollution and pulp fiction in the City of Angels.
The best books on Why Cities Are Good For You, recommended by Leo Hollis
Half of the world’s population live in cities, and more are moving in. Urbanist Leo Hollis explains how city living makes us smarter and more creative, why slums are set to grow, and what the future of the city holds.
The best books on Las Vegas, recommended by Matthew O’Brien
Vegas tugs on the imagination like few other places. Journalist and author Matthew O’Brien tells us about innocent beginnings, muckraking and mobsters, and how Vegas has changed through boom and bust.
The Best San Francisco Novels, recommended by Armistead Maupin
The author of the Tales of the City novel series, Armistead Maupin, tells us about San Francisco’s spirit of place, and the books that best capture the city’s sense of possibility and noirish feel. He recommends the best novels set in San Francisco.
Fran Lebowitz on New York Writers
‘The authors of these five books are people who came to New York for freedom – not so they could get rich, but so they could be free to pursue their interests and live their lives the way they wanted.’ New Yorker par excellence Fran Lebowitz recommends the writers who best capture her immutably mutable city.
The Best London Novels, recommended by Iain Sinclair
A city of hidden depths and morbid fascination, by turns respectable and savage. Iain Sinclair picks five novels that capture the spirit and rich history of London.
The best books on Urban Economics, recommended by Edward Glaeser
Harvard economist Edward Glaeser chooses the best books on the economics of cities, from Chicago’s life story to how urban transport shaped New York.
The best books on Food and the City, recommended by Carolyn Steel
The architect, writer, lecturer, and director of Kilburn Nightingale Architects says architecture should not be just about buildings, but about everything else in our environment
The best books on Divided Cities, recommended by Jon Calame
The architectural teacher and writer explores the origins and consequences of urban partition along ethnic lines and selects five books that focus on divided cities such as Jerusalem, Belfast and Beirut