In keeping with our Pittsburgh theme, I have reading recommendations for books written by Pittsburgh authors, books about Pittsburgh, and books set in Pittsburgh.

Many highlight the beauty of our bridges, rivers, parks, and architecture.

The list is as diverse as Pittsburgh.

We have non-fiction, suspense thrillers, historical fiction, and a cookbook or two. Enjoy!

Vertical Bridges: Poems and Photographs of City Steps by Paola Corso – Did you know Pittsburgh has more public staircases than any other city in the United States? Corso’s Sicilian grandfather was a stone mason who built many of the concrete stairways her Calabrian grandfather and her father once climbed to get to their jobs as steelworkers. Interesting history and photos.

Pittsburgh Then and Now by the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation – By pairing vintage photos with modern photos, this book shows the dramatic transformation of Pittsburgh from a steel town to a modern metropolis.

Hidden History of Pittsburgh by Len Barcousky – Barcousky, a veteran journalist explores the history of the city Wikipedia leaves out. In his first impressions of the smoked-filled skies of the industrial giant, Mark Twain compared Pittsburgh to a little bit of hell, but Pittsburgh was a haven for the sometimes-forgotten people of this country. African Americans returning from fighting in WWI received a hero’s welcome as black and white residents of Pittsburgh lined the streets to welcome them home. In 1956, after The Ringling Brothers Circus gave its final outdoor performance in Pittsburgh 800 workers were left without jobs in Pittsburgh. What happened to these people and their families?

Pittsburgh Food Crawls: Touring the Neighborhoods One Bite and Libations at a Time by Shannon Daly – Take a culinary tour of Pittsburgh. Each crawl is the complete recipe for a fun night out for Pittsburgh visitors or Pittsburghers wanting to learn a little more about their city.

Pittsburgh on Your Plate by Joanne Niehl – Filled with over 175 recipes and stories about the city and the people who call it home.

100 Things to Do in Pittsburgh Before You Die by Rossilynne Culgan – A Pittsburgher’s guide to Pittsburgh.

Tales from the Pittsburgh Penguins Locker Room by Ray Starkey – For 24 years, the Pittsburgh Penguins were known as the loveable losers of the NHL until Mario came to town and everything changed. Follow the team’s high and lows and locker room shenanigans and the arrival of a kid named Sid.

Plays in the Pittsburgh Cycle by August Wilson:

Wilson chronicled 100 years of the Black Experience in America with his plays known as the Pittsburgh Cycle or the American Century Cycle. What’s especially interesting is that Wilson did not write these plays in chronological order. He claimed a piece of dialogue would come to him and as he explored the meaning of the words, a character and situation would come to him that fit into the cycle.

“Gem of the Ocean” (set in 1901)

“Joe Turner’s Come and Gone” (set in 1911)

“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” (set in 1927)

“The Piano Lesson” (set in 1936)

“Seven Guitars” (set in 1948)

“Fences” (set in 1957)

“Two Trains Running” (set in 1969)

Jitney (set in 1977)

“King Hedley II” (set in 1985)

“Radio Golf” set in 1990

Books by Michael Chabon:

Chabon was not born in Pittsburgh. When he was 11, his parents divorced, and his father moved to Pittsburgh where Chabon would spend his summers. Chabon attended Carnegie Mellon University for one year before transferring to the University of Pittsburgh where he completed his undergraduate degree. He began writing his first novel, The Mysteries of Pittsburgh while he was a student at Pitt.

His second novel, Wonder Boys is set in Pittsburgh.

Look for novels by these other Pittsburgh area authors:

David McCollough          Annie Dillard

Jim O’Brien                      Stewart O’Nan

Annette Dashofy            Damon Young

Ann K. Howley                 Anjali Sachdeva

Nancy Martin                  Jeanne Marie Laskas

Rebecca Drake                John Edgar Wideman

J.J. Hensley                       Yona Harvey

Wayne Wise                    Roy McHugh

Jan Beatty                        Sherrie Flick