Your Upstate New York Books List
by Chris Clemens
I get a fair amount of emails from people asking all sorts of questions. Normally, the answers are best served by a direct email, but occasionally someone writes in with a topic that I think other readers would really benefit from seeing the response to. Like, this one from Steve S. of New York City:
I wanted to reach out to see if you had any recommendations for books regarding any aspects of Upstate NY (particularly of a socio-historical focus but I’d be open to anything really). I have read a few books already but I find that it is difficult to find a lot of good Upstate NY books since so much has been written about NYC and that is generally the first number of results that come up whenever I am looking for new books about the region. So if you have any suggestions or ideas to point me towards it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much for your time and all the work that you put into this blog.
Well, Steve, I have the same problem when using the web to search about anything related to New York–it’s all The City. Luckily, I’ve managed over the years to stumble across a great bunch of resources for Upstate-specific stories. If you’re someone who enjoys the same types of topics covered here on Exploring Upstate, then I think you’ll find the following books to be interesting.
This, of course, isn’t meant to be an exhaustive, final list of books. Rather, this is a few titles off my shelf that I would definitely recommend. Some are very fact heavy and some are lighter, quick reading, but all of them are right on topic.
Please note: I am bound by law to inform you that the following links are Amazon Affiliate links, and that means if you purchase anything using these links, I make a very, very small amount of income from the purchase, which goes toward gas money and new adventures to tell you about.
Happy reading!
A Shopkeeper’s Millennium: Society and Revivals in Rochester, New York, 1815-1837 by Paul Johnson (1983)
This book is so much more than the title suggests. Johnson outlines how Rochester (and, really much of our society) changed in the earlier portion of the 19th century, particularly with industry and commerce. But, so much of that history is intertwined with Charles Finney’s revivalism and the spiritual movements of the Second Great Awakening. If you’ve ever wondered why Rochester was a “Boomtown”, this book is for you. [Purchase on Amazon]
The Borscht Belt by Marisa Scheinfeld (2016)
Admittedly, much of Scheinfeld’s book is photos. But, her process of revisiting the “Jewish Alps” and discovering the heyday of the Catskills’ tourism boom (and its ultimate decline) is really wonderful. The writing that accompanies the photography makes for a quick but intriguing look in to the history of the region. [Purchase on Amazon]
Summer In a Glass by Evan Dawson (2011)
Dawson spent time traipsing through the vineyards of the Finger Lakes Region for this one. While much of the wine-soaked writing of the region focuses specifically on the wines and grape varietals found here, Summer In a Glass tells the story of the people who have been instrumental in establishing the Finger Lakes as the second most noteworthy wine producing region in the United States. [Purchase on Amazon]
The Artificial River: The Erie Canal and the Paradox of Progress, 1817-1862 by Carol Sheriff (1997)
We all know that part of why New York has such an incredible history is the advent of the Erie Canal. It wasn’t just a cool thing that happened, it literally changed everything for us. The spread of religious indoctrination, the uptick in industrializing the state, the population boom, and the building of cities and towns all were the direct result of the canal. Sheriff’s writing doesn’t just tell the tale of a waterway, but of how that waterway changed us forever. [Purchase on Amazon]
Unknown Museums of Upstate New York: A Guide to 50 Treasures by Chuck D’Imperio (2013)
D’Imperio is in many ways the author I wish I had time to be. He’s all over the state and has become quite the expert on an array of topics that people traveling through the region would be interested in. He has written a series of books like this with a couple different themes, but this one on museums I’ve found particularly interesting. Unknown Museums isn’t intended to be a hard-hitting, in-depth look at our culture, but rather an easy-to-read guide for discovering some off the beaten path spots. [Purchase on Amazon]
City on the Edge: Buffalo, New York, 1900 – present by Mark Goldman (2007)
If you hadn’t noticed, people are paying a lot of attention to Buffalo. It once was home to a massive amount of wealth and a thread of industries that placed it on the national map. Like many other mid-sized cities in the Rust Belt, an economic stumble beginning around the middle of the 1900’s forced the city to reinvent itself–and it’s working. Goldman reviews the founding of Buffalo’s early days all the way up to some of the most recent developments and how civil engineers, politicians, and entrepreneurs can work together with grassroots influencers to change the narrative about a city. [Purchase on Amazon]
The Adirondacks: A History of America’s First Wilderness by Paul Schneider (1998)
Admittedly, I haven’t read this yet, but it’s in my queue! The description tells the story of how we slowly fell in love with the Adirondack Mountains. For more information, you can hit this link: [Purchase on Amazon]
More Reading
While visiting small, local museums and historical societies I’ve discovered their gift shops to have a lot of books that I had never seen before. Often times, local hobbyist historians will self-publish a title that gets some local rotation, but never really finds a larger audience. I love picking these up because they bring a local flair to the storytelling that even the most exhaustive research couldn’t scrounge up. I strongly recommend checking out the gift shop portions of museums from around the state to see what titles they have. For instance, the Farmer’s Museum in Cooperstown has a great collection available in their online store.
If you’ve got a book about Upstate New York that you think Exploring Upstate readers would enjoy, feel free to leave the title in a comment!
Chris Clemens is the Founder/Publisher of Exploring Upstate. From his hometown in Rochester, he spends as much time as possible connecting with the history, culture, and places that make Upstate New York a land of discovery. Follow him on Twitter at @cpclemens
September 25, 2017 @ 6:29 pm
That museums book looks like something I need in my life; thanks for sharing!
September 27, 2017 @ 9:33 pm
Absolutely! Enjoy this one, Paul!
September 25, 2017 @ 8:28 pm
I am the author of a book about upstate New York that just was published September 5. Backroads and Byways of Upstate New York (WW Norton) features 20 different drives throughout the state. Here is a excerpt from my press release:
Backroads and Byways of Upstate New York, By author Christine A. Smyczynski, covers something from every region of upstate New York, from mountains, lakes, beaches, and everything in between. It offers a sampling of some of the intriguing places to visit in upstate New York State, a number of them off the beaten trail, although others are close to the larger towns and cities.
Well-known destinations are mentioned, as well as places you may have never heard of before. This book includes areas along the Hudson River, Lakes Erie and Ontario, the St. Lawrence River and the Erie Canal, as well as the scenic regions of the Adirondack and Catskill Mountains.
This book features 20 drives and destinations, perfect for daytrips, weekend getaways, or even a week’s vacation if you’re so inclined. Some of these drives will take you partly on the highway, while others will take you into the middle of nowhere. A number of the routes have definite themes, such as a wine trail, while others string together a variety of attractions and sights along the way. Some are established scenic byways while others are routes the author personally thought would be interesting to travel.
The book is available at book stores and from online retailers, like amazon
September 25, 2017 @ 8:31 pm
Thanks, Christine! Looking forward to checking it out!
September 25, 2017 @ 8:41 pm
Hey Chris and fellow upstate enthusiasts! If you’re lucky enough to find them in a thrift store or online, Carl Carmer’s work is beyond amazing! Lots of long forgotten stories and fables of places all over the state, his works very charming and brings to life that Upstate New York is a very special and magical place. I had the pleasure of my Grandma reading me her copies from the 40s-60s when I was little and it just absolutely instilled in me 34 years later great pride of where I live and where I’m from. So if you have the patience to scour the internet or thrift stores, don’t hesitate, Carmer’s work is just that good and that exciting!
September 25, 2017 @ 10:41 pm
Awesome suggestion, Jamie! Thanks for the tip!
September 25, 2017 @ 11:05 pm
Forgotten Allies by James Kirby Martin and Joseph T. Glatthaar – This book is about the Oneida Indian’s contributions during the American Revolution.
The Saratoga Campaign by Several Authors including a chapter by Saratoga National Historical Park Historian Eric Schnitzer – The battles of Saratoga proved to be a turning point in the Revolutionary War when British forces under the command of General John Burgoyne surrendered to American forces led by General Horatio Gates. The Saratoga Campaign provides a new and greatly expanded understanding of the battles of Saratoga by drawing on the work of scholars in a broad range of academic disciplines. Presenting years of research by material culture scholars, archaeologists, historians, museum curators, military experts, and geophysicists, this definitive volume explores these important Revolutionary War battles and their aftermath, adding a physical and tangible dimension to the story of the Saratoga campaign.
September 25, 2017 @ 11:07 pm
Great suggestion, Brian. Thanks for adding this one to the lineup!
September 26, 2017 @ 6:58 am
If you want the *Ultimate* in Exploring Upstate going waaay back: A Journey into Mohawk and Oneida Country, 1634–1635;, The Journal of Harmen Meyndertsz van den Bogaert
Great work by a bizarre man who’s own story after his return is worth looking into for its own twists. If the idea of reading this work is frightening, there is the graphic novel version illustrated by George O’Conner.
So far as other NY books, on the topic of the Erie Canal – read Artificial River and then pick up Jack Kelly’s work, Heavens Ditch. Brian Mack has me thinking of a few other great works about the Mohawk & Schoharie Valleys as well, and just about anything in that vein from Gavin Watt would be worthwhile for the history nerds out there.
Schneider’s ADK book is great and check out from a local library system the 50 Great Hikes in the Adirondacks to get your feet on the ground exploring the range. The suggestion Chris makes to pick up local history books is great too, and a lot of those Arcadia Press books have a lot of history packed into the captions of photographs as well.
September 26, 2017 @ 7:58 am
Awesome additions to this list. Thank you, David!
September 26, 2017 @ 9:29 am
I can think of a lot of books, but one that is compelling and interesting enough for general consumption would be “William Coopers Town”. Such an interesting look at the development of the leatherstocking region. Furather you get a detailed glimpse into the time and politics following the development.
September 26, 2017 @ 6:34 pm
Thanks, Zactus! The Cooperstown story is definitely one I think I’d enjoy digging deeper in to. I’ve come across that title but am yet to pick it up. Appreciate the suggestion. I’ll move it up in the queue!
September 26, 2017 @ 6:21 pm
Thanks for this post! I’ve been looking for books set upstate, too. I love Julia Dahl’s crime novels. The 2nd book in her series, Run You Down, is partly set in the Catskills: https://www.amazon.com/Julia-Dahl/e/B00I0BJ51Q
September 26, 2017 @ 6:36 pm
KARA!!!! Thanks for the comment! Good to connect with you here and not just Instagram. 🙂
You bring up a great idea. The fictional or loosely based on real events that took place in New York could be a list in itself. Until now, I hadn’t heard of the Run You Down series. Appreciate you jumping in with the suggestion!
October 17, 2017 @ 11:50 am
Arch Merrill, a former Democrat & Chronicle newspaper writer, wrote 24 books on upstate New York and Rochester, including “Slim Fingers Beckon” (Finger Lakes), “Towpath” (Erie Canal), and “A River Ramble” (Genesee Valley). They are still available from amazon and almost certainly in your local public library.
October 17, 2017 @ 6:41 pm
Aaahhhh yes, Carol! Arch Merrill is a legend beyond measure! I agree that anything he has written is worth picking up. Thanks for including this.
November 1, 2017 @ 1:25 pm
Siphre Books is a new publisher working on Upstate New York Books for kids. The first children’s book is set on Seneca Lake and the Watkins Glen State Park. Check it out on Amazon or B&N. Also in bookshops like the Riverrow Bookstore in Owego. We have a middle grade novel in the works set on Owasco Lake and more picture books coming soon! All have STEAM and STEM elements to the stories. And all are local settings with universal themes. Siphrebooks.com “Where fiction, science, and magic …. are one.”
http://amzn.to/2zqZKUM
November 1, 2017 @ 5:51 pm
Awesome! Thanks for the addition, Lenora!
November 14, 2017 @ 1:51 pm
Talking to the Dead by Barbara Weisberg is a non-fiction book about seances held in Rochester by sisters who were world famous.
November 14, 2017 @ 6:37 pm
Any books about the Fox Sisters must be a good one! Thanks, Marilynn!
November 14, 2017 @ 7:17 pm
A work of fiction, What She Left Behind, by Ellen Wiseman. Story takes place at Willard psychiatric hospital. Gives a glimpse of how society treated people with mental health issues in the 20’s and a parallel modern day view of the facility after it was closed down. Story is based on the discovery of actual suitcases stored away after the patients were committed. There is a backstory about the suitcases and the unmarked graves at Willard
( willardsuitcases.com).
November 14, 2017 @ 7:21 pm
Thanks, Cheryl! I wasn’t familiar with that title, but I’m very familiar with the suitcase backstory. For those seeking more about Willard, you can find a tour of the premises and a history from my visit in 2014:
https://exploringupstate.com/willard-asylum-ovid-ny/
June 18, 2018 @ 8:16 pm
The most important Upstate NY book on my shelf is New York A Guide to the Empire State Compiled by workers of the Writers’ Program of the Works Projects Administration in the State of New York Cpoyright 1940. If you have not seen this baby, you are missing out big time. I paid $25.50 for my copy way back when, and it has been worth every penny. The book includes New York City, but I have only glanced at those pages.