Top 10 Dutchess County & Hudson Valley Reads!

Curl up and settle in for a good read with a book by a local author! Get some inspiration from our Top Ten list, compiled just for us by Suzanna Hermans of Oblong Books & Music! Housed in pretty Montgomery Row in the Village of Rhinebeck, the building was built in 1911, while Oblong opened there in 2001. Oblong just expanded its Rhinebeck store, with more room for books and toys for children and teens. Oblong's original store is in Millerton and dates to 1975. For information, visit www.OblongBooks.com or call the Rhinebeck store at 845-876-0500. This list is alphabetical by author!


1. The Dutchess County Fair: Portrait of an American Tradition
by Molly Ahearn
82 contemporary B&W photographs by acclaimed documentary photographer Molly Ahearn, plus maps and antique historical photographs, bring to life this delightful history of the Dutchess County Fair, an annual highlight of the Hudson River Valley's summer season since 1842, with almost half a million people going through the turnstiles each year, making it the second-largest agricultural event in New York State. Read more...

2. Gardens of the Hudson Valley
by Susan Daley & Steve Gross
The majesty of the Hudson River has captivated both artists and visitors for generations, and the gardens along its banks have a special character. Gardens of the Hudson Valley focuses on the historic landscape and how gardens have been integrated into it. Read more...

3. The Hudson: A History
by Tom Lewis
The Hudson River has always played a vital role in American culture. Flowing through a valley of sublime scenery, the great river uniquely connects Americas past with its present and future. This book traces the course of the river through four centuries, recounting the stories of explorers and traders, artists and writers, entrepreneurs and industrialists, ecologists and preservationists - those who have been shaped by the river as well as those who have helped shape it. Read more...

4. Historic Houses of the Hudson River Valley
by Gregory Long
"Historic Houses of the Hudson River Valley" is a sumptuous presentation of 33 houses in the region, ranging from the earliest Dutch cottages still extant to the grand Gothic and Italianate revival, stately Georgian, Federal, and beaux-arts country homes of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Read more...

5. Dutchess County's Plain Folks: Enduring Uncertainty, Inequality, and Uneven Prosperity, 1725-1875
by William P. McDermott
Struggle and occasional success marked the lives of ordinary people during a period when America was trying to find its footing as a country of equal opportunity. Read more...

6. Railroads: Dutchess County, NY, 1848-1907
by William P. McDermott
The earliest history of each of the seven railroads that traversed Dutchess County is brought to life in clear discussions with multiple illustrations. Read more...

7. The Hudson River: A Great American Treasure
by Greg Miller
The Hudson River presents this national treasure as never before, showcasing the dramatic terrain of bordering mountain ranges, verdant pastures, and rambling estates that overlook its waters. The Hudson remains a gateway destination for millions of vacationers who flock to its scenic valley and charming villages. The regions most notable attractions are pictured in panoramic shots from all four seasons - among them Storm King, Bear Mountain, Rhinebeck, Nyack, Saratoga Springs, and New York City. Read more...

8. Hudson Valley Ruins: Forgotten Landmarks of an American Landscape
by Thomas E. Rinaldi & Robert J. Yasinsac
In an effort to raise awareness of their plight, Hudson Valley Ruins offers the reader a long-overdue glimpse at some of the region's forgotten cultural treasures. Read more...

9. Hudson Valley Voyage: Through the Seasons, Through the Years
by Ted Spiegel & Reed Sparling
Hudson Valley Voyage: Through the Seasons, Through the Years offers a rich exploration of the Hudson River Valley's awe-inspiring beauty and the last 400 years of its history. Read more...

10. Hudson River Journey: Images from Lake Tear in the Clouds to New York Harbor
by Hardie Truesdale & Joanne Michaels
This stunning photographic journey follows the path of the Hudson River from north to south, through the Catskills and the surrounding valley region, all the way to New York City. Read more...