D.C., of course, is not just the seat of power. It’s steeped in American history, of course. It’s a nexus for political protest. It’s home to a sizable African American population, increasingly pushed to the edges by gentrification. It’s also a place where people go about their lives, fall in love, have kids, study, and work in all kinds of fields. But the extensive presence of highly educated, highly ambitious, highly idealistic people seeps into every aspect of D.C. life, for good and ill, and with sometimes amusing, sometimes eye-rolling, sometimes devastating affects. Here’s a collection of books for every age that reflect some aspects of the city I call home.
Kids’ Books about Washington, D.C.
Adult Fiction Set in Washington, D.C.
Nonfiction Books About Washington, D.C.
If you liked this post, you should also check out 5 of the Best Books by D.C. Writers To Watch For in 2021! “It was a textured story about the immigrants’ struggle in America, rendered in beautiful prose and from the perspective of an African shop-owner in Washington, D.C.,” says The Economist. Booklist gave it a starred review, saying: “Agresti’s first novel for adults hits the right balance of Washington insiderness and women’s fiction,” adding that it combines “domestic and romantic foibles with an enticing cast.”
