6 Books for Brooklyn Urban Design and History Lovers on Your Holiday List

For those on the hunt for a volume that will appeal to the urban design or history lover on their gift list, we’ve rounded up a collection of books that offer some deep dives into topics that impact the borough and the city.

There should be something for everyone as the six volumes, published in 2024 and 2025, explore a range of topics, including the lives of Brooklynites, the history of fountains, and the shaping of New York City’s urban environment.

Brooklynites: The Remarkable Story of the Free Black Communities that Shaped a Borough
Prithi Kanakamedala

Historian Prithi Kanakamedala delves into the lives of the free Black community that shaped the early history of Brooklyn and pushed for social justice. The experiences of four families are used to explore the larger cultural and social history of the time. The book, published in 2024, was a finalist for the 2025 Gotham Book Prize and was on the nonfiction longlist for the 2025 Brooklyn Public Library Book Prize.

Join the Conspiracy: How a Brooklyn Eccentric Got Lost on the Right, Infiltrated the Left, and Brought Down the Biggest Bombing Network in New York
Jonathan Butler

The eccentric journey of Brooklyn-born George Demmerle’s life from factory worker to 1960s radical with a secret life as an FBI information gets an in-depth look in this 2024 volume by Jonathan Butler, the founder of Brownstoner. Butler contextualizes Demmerle’s transformation with a dive into the politics, protests, and alliances of the era. The book is illustrated with ephemera and candid photographs from radical groups of the time.

The Streets of Brooklyn: The Pedestrian Pleasures of a Sunday Columnist, 1886-87
Henry Stewart, Editor

Local author Henry Stewart has compiled the columns of the mysterious E.R.G., who shared his saunters around the borough in articles published in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle in the 1880s. Each chapter covers a ramble centered around a specific street, primarily in the neighborhoods surrounding Downtown Brooklyn. Two of his longer walks stretch to Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Kensington, and Borough Park. E.R.G.’s observations do come from the perspective of a white man of privilege in the 19th century, something clear in his references to the diverse population of the borough in many of the columns. Editor Stewart includes substantial footnotes providing important context and additional information on the places and people mentioned by E.R.G.

Fabulous Fountains of New York
Stephanie Azzarone with photographs by Robert F. Rodriguez

For those with a love of the artful fountains that grace many of New York City’s parks, this volume provides a look at dozens of fountains across the city. While the bulk of the book focuses on Manhattan, Brooklyn gets its own section with more than 10 fountains profiled. There is a brief history of each fanciful waterwork, and the volume is illustrated with both historic and contemporary photographs.

Servant of Beauty
Anthony C. Wood

Lovers of the New York’s architectural heritage who think they know all there is to know about the preservation of the city’s landmarks can take a deep dive into the story of a quixotic figure. Albert S. Bard, a passionate lover of New York’s architectural and scenic beauty, laid the groundwork for the 1965 passage of the New York Landmarks Law. His civic-minded pursuits included tangles with Robert Moses and four decades of work to achieve his preservation goal. The extensively researched volume explores the professional and complicated personal life of this oft-forgotten character.

Wonder City: How to Reclaim Human-Scale Urban Life
Lynn Ellsworth

Economist Lynn Ellsworth, founder of Humanscale NYC and a string of other civic organizations, takes a look at the transformation of the urban fabric of New York City and calls for citizens to participate in crafting the future of their environments. Published this year, the book critiques New York City’s developer-focused housing policy and advocates for the restoration of a “wonder city” with sustainable mid-rise development, genuine affordable housing, and historic preservation.

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