Suggestions for the New Yorker (or other metropolitan) who loves cities, believes in their future and wants gifts with civic soul
Shelf improvement
Recent and forthcoming books by Vital City authors and urban policy thinkers we admire.
Back from the Brink: Inside the NYPD and New York City’s Extraordinary 1990s Crime Drop Peter Moskos (2025) A nuanced oral history of the people and policies behind New York City’s drastic reduction in violent crime during the 1990s.
Movement: New York’s Long War to Take Back Its Streets from the Car Nicole Gelinas (2024) Jane Jacobs’ victorious fight against the development of the Lower Manhattan Expressway is a totemic moment in New York City history, but it’s not the first or the last time New Yorkers mobilized to fight for a city designed for people, not cars. Gelinas’ book walks us through the history of urban transit — good, bad and ugly. Read an excerpt here.
The Nonprofit Crisis: Leadership Through the Culture Wars Greg Berman (2025) Vital City’s co-editor draws from decades of experience in nonprofit leadership to offer a sharp look at why nonprofits — especially those based in cities — are being strained by polarization, internal identity debates and resource pressures, and what genuine leadership now requires.
The Lost Subways of North America Jake Berman (2023) A richly illustrated atlas of the subway systems we built, dismantled or never completed — including New York’s forgotten lines and unbuilt alternates. For a taste, read Berman’s review of the new MTA subway map and his vision of how the system can evolve.
The Architecture of Urbanity: Designing for Nature, Culture, and Joy Vishaan Chakrabarti (2024) The Vital City contributing writer and architect makes an argument for humane, dense, connected cities, presenting a vision of architecture as a force for addressing our biggest social challenges and fostering joy.
The Science of Second Chances: A Revolution in Criminal Justice Jennifer Doleac (Forthcoming Feb. 2026) An economist’s rigorous, evidence-first examination of what actually works in rehabilitation and reentry. Doleac cuts through political slogans to identify the specific interventions that reduce recidivism and improve public safety.
Unforgiving Places: The Unexpected Origins of American Gun Violence Jens Ludwig (2025) A groundbreaking work on what really drives firearm-related crime in cities. Genuinely eye-opening, even for those who thought they truly understood public safety.
Survival of the City: Living and Thriving in an Age of Isolation Edward Glaeser and David Cutler (2022) The COVID-19 pandemic brought cities to a crossroads, and in this book, Glaeser and Cutler consider how our metropolises can stave off a “doom loop” and make the most of the new normal.
Marked by Time: How Social Change Has Transformed Crime and the Life Trajectories of Young Americans Robert J. Sampson (Forthcoming Feb. 2026) A landmark work from the Harvard sociologist that reframes the crime debate, arguing that the “when” of a person’s birth — and the generational zeitgeist they inhabit — shapes their life course as much as their neighborhood or background.
Unequal Cities: Overcoming Anti-Urban Bias to Reduce Inequality in the United States Richard McGahey (2023) A structural, historical, evidence-rich examination of why urban America struggles against inequality and how policy can shift the terrain.
Captain's Dinner: A Shipwreck, An Act of Cannibalism, and a Murder Trial That Changed Legal History Adam Cohen (2025) A riveting true story of shipwreck, cannibalism and legal ethics by a Vital City friend and contributor.
Candid New York: The Pioneering Photography of George Bradford Brainerd Erik Hesselberg (2025) A collection of vibrant Gilded Age snapshots by the city’s first-ever street photographer.
The Gilded Age in New York, 1870-1910 Esther Crain (2016) And speaking of the Gilded Age — this book by the founder of Ephemeral New York chronicles it all.
The very New York objects section
Almost everyone likes things.
Transit Museum Subway Map Coasters
Functional and nostalgic.
An artifact of New York’s foundational act of urban imagination, the grid.
“A Century of The New Yorker” Tote
The classic New Yorker tote bag has come to be a ubiquitous accessory on New York City’s streets and subway platforms. This limited edition design celebrates the magazine’s centennial.
Miniature New York City Fire Escape Models
Some think they’re eyesores. We think they’re architecture.
“I Finished the Power Broker” Mug
Get it for them especially if they didn’t (and you know they didn’t).
Just about anything from the Tenement Museum Shop
Historically-inspired gifts with Lower East Side soul.
Just about anything from the Queens Museum Shop
One of the city’s great cultural institutions deserves its place in the sun.
Just about anything from the NYC CityStore
Official store of the City of New York — magnets, memorabilia and municipal charm.
Just about anything from the Hall of Science’s CityWorks exhibit
No infrastructure, no New York.
Prints from the New York City Municipal Archives
A treasure trove of historical photographs, drawings and maps, all available to order as prints.
A vintage NYC bond A redeemed NYC bond (1920s–1980s), each signed by a former Mayor.
Big Apple-arrel
Wear your civic pride on your sleeve.
Classic typography, understated city pride.
Playful civic iconography; very New York.
Manhattan and Brooklyn typically get most of the ink. Celebrate all five legs of the stool.
Graphic homage to the city’s green heart.
Soft, durable, municipal-chic.
“Report: ‘It’s Not Okay To Just Start Talking to People You Don’t Know’” T-Shirt
We disagree with the sentiment but respect The Onion’s right to be wrong.
Design-forward sanitation culture — the perfect oddball NYC apartment accessory.
Only NY × MoMA Community Wall Clock
Functional, graphic, instantly “New York.”
New York City experiences
For people who prefer their urbanism in motion.
New York Transit Museum Membership
Events, nostalgia rides and a quiet underground home for transit lovers.
Municipal Art Society – Jane’s Walk
Give the experience of exploring neighborhoods through community-led storytelling.
PhD-led neighborhood history walks — for the nerd in you.
Local, delicious and neighborhood-driven.
A fantastic new home for documentaries.
Open House New York (OHNY) Membership
Annual access to normally closed buildings, infrastructure and architectural gems.
Stocking stuffers for urbanites
Little things that can do a lot
For recreational noise measurement.
To jot down or sketch what you see on the sidewalk, subway or bus.
For the person who has opinions about street lighting.
For those who are tired of getting lost in their phones rather than looking around, get a device that encourages active watching — and takes better pictures. New York’s own B&H Photo has hundreds of options.
A taste of the city
Sweet or savory, sitting down or standing up.
Chocolate from Li-Lac Chocolates
Eating confections from New York City’s oldest chocolate house is almost as enjoyable as seeing them get made.
Small Axe Peppers Hot Sauce Three Pack
All three of the hot sauces in this set are made from peppers grown in community gardens in the Bronx and Queens.
Coffee from Brooklyn Roasting Company
Small-batch roasting, subscriptions available.
Whiskey from Kings County Distillery
Whether it’s straight bourbon or grapefruit jalapeno moonshine you’re looking for, the offerings from New York City’s oldest distillery since the prohibition make a great addition to any bar cart.
A nice dinner somewhere
Just pick a restaurant and give it a call.
Subscriptions or donations to independent media
We’re proud to be part of a thriving nonprofit media ecosystem. Just as we need your support, so do our cousins. Give a subscription or donation in a loved one’s name.
New York’s flagship nonprofit newsroom covering housing, transit, governance and accountability.
Worker-owned, sharp, funny, deeply reported coverage of NYC politics, arts, labor and absurdities.
Gothamist / WNYC Member Support
Local reporting + public radio + indispensable urban coverage.
The daily must-read for anyone who cares about biking, transit, parking and street design.
Through online articles and tour guides, Untapped New York sheds light on the city’s hidden gems.
For the person who has everything
A $128 million Manhattan penthouse
Now on sale for $22 million off!
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Vital City launched three years ago as an experiment. Our first “meeting” was me and Greg Berman, sitting in a diner in lower Manhattan sketching out the first issue, betting that in a time of such hyperpartisanship, New Yorkers might be yearning for a calm voice, compelling evidence and angelic writing on how to make cities better.
You answered with a resounding yes, and helped us grow into a trusted civic home for practical solutions.
Now, as Mayor-elect Mamdani prepares to take office, Vital City is uniquely positioned to offer practical guidance to the new administration. We have ambitious plans for 2026: boosting our operational capacity, expanding our “What to Do (And Not to Do)” series, making academic research usable for decision-makers, strengthening our data analysis, and building a more robust community of urban policy practitioners.
To do that, we need your help.
For the first time ever, we’re directly asking readers to support Vital City. Our goal is to add 700 inaugural supporters by December 31. Your tax-deductible gift will help us expand our capacity, and ensure our ideas reach the decision-makers who need them.
If you value rigorous, solutions-focused policy work, we hope you’ll join us. Become an inaugural supporter today.
— Liz Glazer, Founder