I
recently finished a book called The Object of My Affection by Stephen
McCauley, which was the inspiration of the 1998 movie of the same name,
starring Jennifer Aniston and Paul Rudd (in his first big role after Clueless.) The movie was one of my
favorites during my high school and college years, but I can’t really tell you
why. It wasn’t a movie starring any teens, and it wasn’t written for teens, but
my VHS copy was worn down with consistent use; in fact, that VHS has survived
half a dozen moves and is still at my house today… and I watched it about six
months ago.
[Image 1 source: cinefilles.wordpress.com] [Image 2 source: amazon.com]
When I
realized the movie was actually based on a book written a decade prior, I quickly
ordered it without another thought. And while I enjoyed the book as much as
the movie (although there are MAJOR plot differences), what really struck me as
I read it was just how many novels I’ve finished that are set in New York City.
Manhattan is by far one of my favorite places in the world, and while I have
decided many times over that I don’t think I could actually live there permanently, I still get a
crazy rush anytime I visit. I suppose reading books that are set in New York
allows me to mentally pop in and out as I please.
So,
without further ado, here are my top five favorite books set in New York City:
[Image source: bn.com]
5) The
Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton
For the
Downton Abbey-loving crowd, The Age of Innocence is a great read, although it's set almost 50 years prior. The story centers on a couple about to be married and the delicate
unravelling of their relationship once the bride-to-be’s cousin shows up. If
subtle satire is your thing, give this book a try. Despite the publish date, I
sped through it.
[Image source: amazon.com]
4) The
Ghost of Greenwich Village by Lorna Graham
I
bought this paperback at Target a few years ago for very superficial reasons; I
liked the cover and the story sounded mildly interesting. In a nutshell, the
protagonist (Eve) moves to NYC to follow in the
footsteps of her mother, who lived there during the 1960s. Her apartment is
haunted by a ghost from the same era, but by no means is this a scary story.
This book is not going to win any awards, but I love the way it weaves
in and out of present and past.
[Image Source: amazon.com]
3) An
Object of Beauty by Steve Martin
I know
virtually nothing about the art world, but this book written by Steve Martin
(yes, that Steve Martin) is a love
letter to paintings wrapped up in the chronicle of a young woman named Lacey
living in Manhattan in the 1990s and early 2000s. What’s most intriguing about
the story is that it’s told in first person through the eyes of Lacey’s friend;
he teeters back and forth between loving and hating her; and as the reader, I
did the same.
[Image source: amazon.com]
2) A
Cup of Tea by Amy Ephron
This
novel is based on a 1922 short story of the same name by Katherine Mansfield.
You can likely read the book in two hours or less, and the term “literary irony”
doesn’t do the tale justice. A love triangle set during World War I, A Cup
of Tea explores how one small decision can change the course of a person’s
life forever.
[Image source: amazon.com]
1) The
Love Affairs of Nathaniel P. by Adelle Waldman
Similar
to An Object of Beauty, the lead character in this story is often
unlikable. Nate is a writer who has just recently hit his professional stride
and finds his love life gaining a boost in the process. Of all the books I’ve
listed, this is the only one that takes place solely in present day, and I
found Nate and his girlfriend, Hannah, to be written so unbelievably accurate as urban 20-somethings. If I was going to create a time capsule of this decade,
I would add this book as a reflection of what dating is often like for young
adults.
Any
other New York City-based fiction I should check out?
