Stories from Washington Heights

Did you know that Washington Heights is the location of the oldest house (The Morris-Jumel Mansion) in Manhattan? It is actually located behind the Washington Heights library. Here’s another fun fact: Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote portions of Hamilton at the mansion. Make sure to take a tour at Morris-Jumel to hear that story. There is so much history and diversity in Washington Heights that often gets overlooked. Here are some books that are set in or feature this great neighborhood. All of them are available as e-books through our SimplyE app.

Barry Sonnenfeld, Call Your Mother: Memoirs of a Neurotic Filmmaker by Barry Sonnenfeld

Film and television director Barry Sonnenfeld's outrageous and hilarious memoir which traces his upbringing in Washington Heights, how he broke into film as a cinematographer with the Coen brothers, and his unexpected career as the director behind films likeThe Addams Family, Men in Black, Get Shorty, and A Series of Unfortunate Events. (Memoir)

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz

The story of a sweet but disastrously overweight nerd who dreams of becoming the Dominican J.R.R. Tolkien and finding love. While set in New Jersey, main character Oscar takes a memorable trip to Washington Heights in the story. (Fiction)

Easy Street: the Hard Way by Ron Perlman

A classically trained actor who cut his teeth in the East Village's Off-Broadway scene, Ron Perlman has traveled an offbeat path to showbiz success. His story involves his upbringing in Washington Heights, enduring incredible hardships, and ignoring the critics who taunted him for his distinctive looks. It's a story that exhibits the power of persistence. (Memoir)

A Marvelous Life: The Amazing Story of Stan Lee by Danny Fingeroth

Relive the story of the iconic Stan Lee, who grew up on Fort Washington in Washington Heights, as we learn about his life, career, and legendary impact on pop culture as the co-creator of Marvel Comics. Be sure to also check out Stan Lee: a Life in Comics by Liel Leibovitz and Who is Stan Lee? by Geoff Edgers. (Biography)

New Kid by Jerry Craft

12-year-old Jordan, who lives in Washington Heights (as did the author), is starting school at Riverdale Academy Day School. Finding himself in two different worlds, Jordan wonders if he could fit in either one. New Kid is the first graphic novel to be awarded the Newberry medal. (Juvenile Graphic Novel)

Soledad by Angie Cruz

Leaving Washington Heights to pursue her dreams of becoming an artist, Soledad says goodbye to her family and heads to New York University. When her mother becomes ill, she must return home and attempt to keep her family together. (Fiction)

We Were Strangers Once by Betsy Carter

An exquisitely moving novel about friendship, love, and redemption in a circle of immigrants who flee Europe for 1930s-era New York City. Egon Schneider, a gallant and successful Jewish doctor, escapes Germany to an uncertain future in the States. Settling into the unfamiliar rhythms of upper Manhattan, he finds solace among a tight-knit group of fellow immigrants, tenacious men and women drawn together as much by their differences as by their memories of the world they left behind. (Fiction)

Have trouble reading standard print? Many of these titles are available in formats for patrons with print disabilities.

Staff picks are chosen by NYPL staff members and are not intended to be comprehensive lists. We'd love to hear your ideas too, so leave a comment and tell us what you’d recommend. And check out our Staff Picks browse tool for more recommendations!

Summaries provided via NYPL’s catalog, which draws from multiple sources. Click through to each book’s title for more.