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New York Sketches
E. B. White’s greatest stories, asides, essays, jokes, and tall tales about the city he arguably saw clearest, loved best, and skewered most mercilessly.Over more than fifty years at the New Yorker, E. B. White came to define a kind of ideal American clear, casual, democratic, and urbane. He also did more than any writer to define his favorite city. His classic Here Is New York captured a moment in the life of Manhattan with precision and love—but his was no fleeting infatuation. In New York Sketches, the first collection of his casual pieces about the city, White ranges at whim from the nesting habits of pigeons to the aisles of a calculator trade-show on Eighth Avenue, from the behavior of snails in aquariums to the ghosts of old romance that haunt a flower shop or a fire escape or an old hotel. These sketches, some less than a page long, many written for a laugh, or in response to the news of the day, show us White at his most playful and inventive. New York Sketches is a welcome diversion for every New Yorker—native, adoptive, or far from home—and a perfect introduction, not only to what White called “the inscrutable and lovely town,” but to the everyday enchantments of one of her fondest reporters.
152 pages, Paperback
Published December 3, 2024
51 people are currently reading
1022 people want to read
About the author
E.B. White
193 books3,389 followersElwyn Brooks White was a leading American essayist, author, humorist, poet and literary stylist and author of such beloved children's classics as Charlotte's Web, Stuart Little, and The Trumpet of the Swan. He graduated from Cornell University in 1921 and, five or six years later, joined the staff of The New Yorker magazine. He authored over seventeen books of prose and poetry and was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letters in 1973.
White always said that he found writing difficult and bad for one's disposition.
Mr. White has won countless awards, including the 1971 National Medal for Literature and the Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal, which commended him for making “a substantial and lasting contribution to literature for children.”
White always said that he found writing difficult and bad for one's disposition.
Mr. White has won countless awards, including the 1971 National Medal for Literature and the Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal, which commended him for making “a substantial and lasting contribution to literature for children.”
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
February 23, 2026
A very cute little volume of random poems, essays, observations, and stories all centered around NYC. It was fun to have bought it in New York and start reading it there, after I fell in love with the city.
November 17, 2025
my god, a little book full of delight. i dogeared so many pages! i think i'm going to go & read everything e.b. white ever wrote now. :)
“The two moments when New York seems most desirable, when the splendor falls all round about and the city looks like a girl with leaves in her hair, are just as you are leaving and must say goodbye, and just as you return and can say hello. We had one such moment of infatuation not long ago on a warm, airless evening in town, before taking leave of these shores to try another city and another country for a while. There seemed to be a green tree overhanging our head as we sat in exhaustion. All day the fans had sung in offices, the air conditioners had blown their clammy breath into the rooms, and the brutal sounds of demolition had stung the ear—from buildings that were being knocked down by the destroyers who have no sense of the past. Above our tree, dimly visible in squares of light, the city rose in air. From an open window above us, a whiff of perfume or bath powder drifted down startlingly in the heavy night, somebody having taken a tub to escape the heat. On the tips of some of the branches, a few semiprecious stars settled themselves to rest. There was nothing about the occasion that distinguished it from many another city, another evening, nothing in particular that we can point to to corroborate our emotion. Yet we somehow tasted New York on our tongue in a great, overpowering draught, and felt that to sail away from so intoxicating a place would be unbearable, even for a brief spell.”
<3
“The two moments when New York seems most desirable, when the splendor falls all round about and the city looks like a girl with leaves in her hair, are just as you are leaving and must say goodbye, and just as you return and can say hello. We had one such moment of infatuation not long ago on a warm, airless evening in town, before taking leave of these shores to try another city and another country for a while. There seemed to be a green tree overhanging our head as we sat in exhaustion. All day the fans had sung in offices, the air conditioners had blown their clammy breath into the rooms, and the brutal sounds of demolition had stung the ear—from buildings that were being knocked down by the destroyers who have no sense of the past. Above our tree, dimly visible in squares of light, the city rose in air. From an open window above us, a whiff of perfume or bath powder drifted down startlingly in the heavy night, somebody having taken a tub to escape the heat. On the tips of some of the branches, a few semiprecious stars settled themselves to rest. There was nothing about the occasion that distinguished it from many another city, another evening, nothing in particular that we can point to to corroborate our emotion. Yet we somehow tasted New York on our tongue in a great, overpowering draught, and felt that to sail away from so intoxicating a place would be unbearable, even for a brief spell.”
<3
January 25, 2025
Filled me with a feeling of being alive and the desire to chase all of the small moments in NY. Never been a poetry person but I loved all of the poems in here.
February 11, 2025
Some of White’s early short essays, musings, and poems about New York in the 1930s and 1940s. Most made me smile and some made me laugh out loud. A welcome diversion. And I learned some things about New York — for example, about pigeons and their nesting habits. This short book was pure joy for me.
April 30, 2025
I confess that the wit and humor in some of the essays and poems in this slim volume may have been too subtle for me to catch. But, I always enjoy reading about New York City in either its past or present incarnations. And, having loved the novels for children he penned, I am glad to have been afforded the opportunity to familiarize myself with White’s journalistic endeavors as well.
August 13, 2025
Very sweet and humorous
March 9, 2026
A great love letter to the city
December 22, 2024
Great anthology of writings on the city, a lot of great standouts here.
December 26, 2024
Such a great little love letter to New York City - will definitely be revisiting some of these collected works as time goes by.
January 25, 2026
The process of moving to NYC has been exciting, and the way E. B. White illuminates and outlines that energy of the city makes for some great reading. One of my New Years' Resolutions this year was to read more frequently and intentionally. I chose this as a way to ease back into the practice of reading and as a mirror for the time of my life I'm currently in.
In terms of format, I'd say this book had a good choice of the sequencing of essays, poems, and accounts. However, their brevity and simplicity almost read like tweets to me, at least for the first half of the book. Perhaps if you're searching for more substantial reading, check the back half of the book.
White's characterization of the New York experience, the New York resident (both human and animal), and of the city itself prove to be compelling subjects for an entire book. I would say "sketches" is an accurate descriptor, though, because many of his observations don't delve any further than that. There may be plenty of portrait artists in the streets, but White doesn't possess the same depth, detail, nor style that these street portrait artists often offer.
What White does offer is still valuable. It's a good read for commutes because of how easy it is to digest a single reading, often not running for more than 2 or 3 pages. It's valuable for people who want a bit of the New York spirit in written accounts rather than photos or videos. And I would say the last 3 essays do evoke a greater emotional response. White writes about how the city evokes memories, describes the mindset of a mover in the city (which most people end up becoming), and reflects on how even the stillness of the city is part of its character.
Definitely would recommend, but it's not an urgent read. A random, happy discovery was being reminded by the author's short bio that White wrote Charlotte's Web, a children's novel that I still hold some fondness for.
In terms of format, I'd say this book had a good choice of the sequencing of essays, poems, and accounts. However, their brevity and simplicity almost read like tweets to me, at least for the first half of the book. Perhaps if you're searching for more substantial reading, check the back half of the book.
White's characterization of the New York experience, the New York resident (both human and animal), and of the city itself prove to be compelling subjects for an entire book. I would say "sketches" is an accurate descriptor, though, because many of his observations don't delve any further than that. There may be plenty of portrait artists in the streets, but White doesn't possess the same depth, detail, nor style that these street portrait artists often offer.
What White does offer is still valuable. It's a good read for commutes because of how easy it is to digest a single reading, often not running for more than 2 or 3 pages. It's valuable for people who want a bit of the New York spirit in written accounts rather than photos or videos. And I would say the last 3 essays do evoke a greater emotional response. White writes about how the city evokes memories, describes the mindset of a mover in the city (which most people end up becoming), and reflects on how even the stillness of the city is part of its character.
Definitely would recommend, but it's not an urgent read. A random, happy discovery was being reminded by the author's short bio that White wrote Charlotte's Web, a children's novel that I still hold some fondness for.
October 6, 2025
Picked this up at The Strand at 12th & Broadway while we were in NYC a couple of weeks ago - thinking it would be a nice little NYC memento, and give me an opportunity to relive our trip after we got home. What a delightful book! White’s writing is incredible, and these little sketches (some more than others, of course) give wonderful texture to the city and reveal White’s own emotional connection to it. Poems, short stories, short remembrances, astute observations - this book contains a nicely organized variety and I very much enjoyed reading it.
December 27, 2025
Review: 4.0/5
“That was the thing about New York, it was always bringing up something out of your past, something ridiculous or lovely or glistening.” That line perfectly captures how I felt reading this. The moments, surroundings, and observations White writes about (some from nearly a century ago) still feel relevant and nostalgic, even for a city I don’t live in. I’d easily recommend this to anyone looking for a light read after a martini or two (just be warned, you may end up wanting to book a ticket to New York after that martini).
“That was the thing about New York, it was always bringing up something out of your past, something ridiculous or lovely or glistening.” That line perfectly captures how I felt reading this. The moments, surroundings, and observations White writes about (some from nearly a century ago) still feel relevant and nostalgic, even for a city I don’t live in. I’d easily recommend this to anyone looking for a light read after a martini or two (just be warned, you may end up wanting to book a ticket to New York after that martini).
January 23, 2026
The tiniest, most delightful collection of essays, musings, and poems about New York City. Especially loved the tidbits about pigeons and their nesting habits! Thoughtful without being pretentious.
March 11, 2025
just left nyc and this was beyond perfect:
"yet somehow we tasted New York on our tongue in a great, overpowering draught, and felt that to sail away from so intoxicating a place would be unbearable, even for a brief spell."
see you soon new york
"yet somehow we tasted New York on our tongue in a great, overpowering draught, and felt that to sail away from so intoxicating a place would be unbearable, even for a brief spell."
see you soon new york
June 17, 2025
Delightful !!!
August 30, 2025
Took me near a month to finish this even though it was such a short book. It kind of lost me around 25% of the way in and felt more like rambling.
January 8, 2026
What a delightfully observant collection of essays about New Yorkers in the 30s, 40s and 50s. Some things haven’t changed.
February 4, 2026
mel lent her copy of this to me. it was very funny. the last paragraph of the last essay made me cry tho
February 20, 2026
Lovely!! Very interesting how so many things he wrote about so long ago still feel so timely and accurate, nice quick read
March 21, 2026
I ❤️NY
I loved the essay about the proposal of a skyscraper in Washington square “ and above six stories, people don’t have roots”
I loved the essay about the proposal of a skyscraper in Washington square “ and above six stories, people don’t have roots”
March 30, 2025
Really lovely! Occasionally insightful and always charming; Daisy’s obituary had me a little bit choked up.
March 11, 2026
So awesome. EB White is a genius.
December 15, 2024
These selections of poetry and prose from E.B. White’s writings published in The New Yorker between the 1920s and the 1960s are, for the most part, a love song to New York City. They describe the City’s oddities, its people and places, and the author’s life and escapades in the big city with humor and alacrity.
They are a delight to read, with a few exceptions, and will bring joy, and put a smile on the face of even the most cynical readers.
The book rates 4.5 stars.
They are a delight to read, with a few exceptions, and will bring joy, and put a smile on the face of even the most cynical readers.
The book rates 4.5 stars.
December 22, 2025
This book joined the surprising collection of books I have that made me laugh out loud. It’s thoughtful without being pretentious (a rare thing). And it’s funny, not like a comedy show, but more like a conversation with a friend that’s witty.
Read
April 11, 2025Some objectionable takes but oh so sweet.
Here walked I under these great trees alone with my misery
Here walked I under these great trees alone with my misery
June 10, 2025
a collection of tiny jewels and a love letter to new york city
Read
March 29, 2025“The moisture, the electricity, the fragrant loveliness of a Paris night, stir them strangely.” 🐌
January 17, 2025
In E.B. White's obituary to his dog Daisy, he writes, with affection:
I like this little whimsical, nostalgic book. And I like how White's humor is so darn dry that you hardly notice until it's too late.
Over the past year, I've really grown fond of Mr. White's writing. It's got that dry, pithy, 20th century New Yorker energy, but with a disarmingly endearing self-deprecation and silliness that makes even his least exciting essays a little joy to read.
And, as the title implies, he loved New York (though I often wondered if he'd love 21st century New York as much as his back in the mid-20th century). Music just starting to be played at Grand Central station, 99 cents will get you into the Rockefeller Plaza skating rink, and Sputnik just launched in the air. But maybe more than the city, he likes people. He likes the way they talk and relate to each other -- no one talks in punchlines or big aphorisms, but there's reams of pregnant pauses that White has the good sense to write down and leave hanging in the air.
Her life was full of incident but not of accomplishment. Persons who knew her only slightly regarded her as an opinionated little bitch, and said so; but she had a small circle of friends who saw through her, cost what it did
I like this little whimsical, nostalgic book. And I like how White's humor is so darn dry that you hardly notice until it's too late.
Although there were certain Baptist tendencies on my mother's side, I was never subjected to the rigors of immersion. It came as a surprise, then, while lunching at Childs yesterday, to feel a great wetness come over me and hear a low emotional voice say: "In the name of John."
I glanced down to discover that I was buttermilk. Every bit of me was buttermilk
Over the past year, I've really grown fond of Mr. White's writing. It's got that dry, pithy, 20th century New Yorker energy, but with a disarmingly endearing self-deprecation and silliness that makes even his least exciting essays a little joy to read.
At any rate, Thoreau answers a surprisingly large number of the commonest questions that get thrown at me these days. He is a Johnny-on-the-spot for all ordinary occasions and situations.
I enter a room.
"Won't you sit down?" asks my hostess, indicating a vacancy.
"I would rather sit on a pumpkin and have it all to myself," I reply, accepting the velvet cushion with weary resignation.
And, as the title implies, he loved New York (though I often wondered if he'd love 21st century New York as much as his back in the mid-20th century). Music just starting to be played at Grand Central station, 99 cents will get you into the Rockefeller Plaza skating rink, and Sputnik just launched in the air. But maybe more than the city, he likes people. He likes the way they talk and relate to each other -- no one talks in punchlines or big aphorisms, but there's reams of pregnant pauses that White has the good sense to write down and leave hanging in the air.
No further attempt to tow a wren was made that day. Orville felt sick, and so did the wren. The incident, however, was the talk of the Square, and the other birds were still discussing it when night fell. When Orville's wife settled herself on the roosting branch beside her mate for the twittering vespers, she turned to him and said, "I believe you could have made it, Orville, if that darn bench hadn't been there."
"Sure we could have."
"Are you going to try again tomorrow?" There was a note of expectation in her voice.
"Yes."
The hen sparrow settled herself comfortably beside him. He, if any sparrow could, would prove the feasibility of towing a wren.
August 25, 2025
Tiny book made up of little “reports” of small moments in the city that make you appreciate it even more deeply. Some writings are really beautifully and romantically written and manage to capture the soul of NY, some others are less significant but still flowing. Overall a sweet treat for quiet moments, important to me as a recollection of my second trip to NYC.
Favourites of mine:
Child’s play - 103
The Hotel of the total stranger - 109
Notes & Comment: June 11, 1955 - 131
Favourites of mine:
Child’s play - 103
The Hotel of the total stranger - 109
Notes & Comment: June 11, 1955 - 131
April 28, 2025
A memoir of E B White's time in New York, told through his essays.
There is much to love in this collection, published in 2024 under the direction of his granddaughter, Martha White. These essays were originally published individually in various magazines, including The New Yorker, Harpers, and Life, and later in 1981 by Harper & Row under the title "Poems & Sketches of E B White." First, its airy and as light and sweet as a good meringue. But it not pure whimsy.
For example, White's dog was killed in right there in front of him, probably at the end of a leash, and he wrote an essay about it. Yet, he does so in his own voice, never losing sight of what he wants his reader to know about his New York life and his view of New York.
He shows us through the accumulation of the scenes he sketches, the fullness of his time in New York. His reader begins to understand E B White better because of the peek. For example, when buttermilk is accidentally dumped on him in a restaurant, his reaction toward the waitress not only makes for a good story, but also tells us about E B White, the man. In an essay where he responds with answers to a poetess who wrote a series of romantic questions about pigeons, not only do his answers teach us a lot about pigeons, but we understand a more about E B White and how he feels about both nature and the poetess. All authors make choices, but what White chose to write about, what he chose to omit help his readers experience White's New York City.
Ostensibly the book is about The CIty. It certainly is, and a very nostalgic book for readers, like myself, who have lived in Manhattan and loved it. But "New York Sketches" is also a wonderful memoir about E B White. The Forward, written by his granddaughter, is helpful to read both before and again after reading the sketches. Its a very quick read but one I will keep on my shelf and re-read frequently.
Here's a quote that resonated with me.
"In New York, a citizen is likely to keep on the move, shopping for the perfect arrangement of rooms and vistas, changing his habitation according to fortune, whim, and need. And in every place he abandons he leaves something vital, it seems to me, and starts his new life somewhat less encrusted, like a lobster that has shed its skin and is for a time soft and vulnerable." --E B White, "Good-bye to Forty-eighth Street"
There is much to love in this collection, published in 2024 under the direction of his granddaughter, Martha White. These essays were originally published individually in various magazines, including The New Yorker, Harpers, and Life, and later in 1981 by Harper & Row under the title "Poems & Sketches of E B White." First, its airy and as light and sweet as a good meringue. But it not pure whimsy.
For example, White's dog was killed in right there in front of him, probably at the end of a leash, and he wrote an essay about it. Yet, he does so in his own voice, never losing sight of what he wants his reader to know about his New York life and his view of New York.
He shows us through the accumulation of the scenes he sketches, the fullness of his time in New York. His reader begins to understand E B White better because of the peek. For example, when buttermilk is accidentally dumped on him in a restaurant, his reaction toward the waitress not only makes for a good story, but also tells us about E B White, the man. In an essay where he responds with answers to a poetess who wrote a series of romantic questions about pigeons, not only do his answers teach us a lot about pigeons, but we understand a more about E B White and how he feels about both nature and the poetess. All authors make choices, but what White chose to write about, what he chose to omit help his readers experience White's New York City.
Ostensibly the book is about The CIty. It certainly is, and a very nostalgic book for readers, like myself, who have lived in Manhattan and loved it. But "New York Sketches" is also a wonderful memoir about E B White. The Forward, written by his granddaughter, is helpful to read both before and again after reading the sketches. Its a very quick read but one I will keep on my shelf and re-read frequently.
Here's a quote that resonated with me.
"In New York, a citizen is likely to keep on the move, shopping for the perfect arrangement of rooms and vistas, changing his habitation according to fortune, whim, and need. And in every place he abandons he leaves something vital, it seems to me, and starts his new life somewhat less encrusted, like a lobster that has shed its skin and is for a time soft and vulnerable." --E B White, "Good-bye to Forty-eighth Street"
Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews