Local Authors
Writers from Bergen County — past and present
David Wells
Born and raised in Englewood, Alan Brennert is an acclaimed author of richly researched historical fiction. His novel Palisades Park is set in Bergen County itself — a multigenerational saga centered on the famous amusement park that operated in Fort Lee from 1898 to 1971. His Hawaiian novels are beloved for their empathetic portrayal of immigrant and native Hawaiian lives across generations.
Books
A young Hawaiian girl is sent to the Kalaupapa leprosy settlement in the 1890s. A sweeping, deeply moving saga of courage and community across seven decades.
A young Korean woman becomes a 'picture bride' and emigrates to 1914 Hawaii, seeking a better life. An unforgettable portrait of early 20th-century Honolulu.
A multigenerational saga set at the real Palisades Amusement Park in Fort Lee, Bergen County — from its 1920s heyday through its demolition in 1971. A wonderful piece of local Bergen County history.
The sequel to Moloka'i follows Rachel's daughter Ruth, adopted and raised in California, as she discovers her extraordinary mother's remarkable story.
Jeffrey Beall
Anna Dewdney was an Englewood author and illustrator whose Llama Llama books became a beloved staple of children's literature. Her warmly illustrated picture books about a little llama's everyday emotional experiences — bedtime fears, school anxiety, holiday excitement — have sold millions of copies worldwide and been adapted into a popular Netflix animated series. She passed away in 2016 but her books continue to delight young readers everywhere.
Books
Little Llama worries at bedtime while waiting for Mama. A warm, reassuring bedtime story beloved by toddlers and parents alike.
A shopping trip turns into a meltdown. Llama Llama learns to manage big feelings and make up with Mama in this relatable story.
It's Llama Llama's first day of school and he misses Mama terribly — until he discovers all the wonderful things school has to offer.
Llama Llama can't wait for the holidays! A festive book about patience, excitement, and the magic of giving — perfect for the holiday season.
National Photo Company
Anne Morrow Lindbergh grew up in Englewood, daughter of U.S. Ambassador Dwight Morrow. She became a pioneering aviator alongside her husband Charles Lindbergh, and later one of the most beloved American essayists of the 20th century. Her Gift from the Sea — a meditation on solitude, simplicity, and womanhood — has sold millions of copies and remains profoundly relevant today.
Books
The gripping account of Anne and Charles Lindbergh's 1931 survey flight across the North Pacific — an adventure story and a love story in one.
Meditations on solitude, simplicity, love, and the rhythms of life, written during a solo vacation. One of the most beloved American essay collections ever published.
Diaries and letters from 1929–1932, covering the joy of early marriage and the shattering tragedy of the Lindbergh kidnapping. Raw, honest, and heartbreaking.
International
Upton Sinclair lived in Englewood, where in 1906 he founded the utopian Helicon Home Colony using proceeds from The Jungle. One of America's most influential muckraking writers, his work exposed corporate corruption, labor abuses, and social injustice. He won the Pulitzer Prize in 1943 for Dragon's Teeth and his journalism helped spark the passage of the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906.
Books
The novel that shocked America and changed the food industry — an unflinching look at immigrant workers in Chicago's meatpacking plants that led directly to landmark food safety legislation.
A scathing exposé of American journalism, documenting how newspapers suppress news that threatens their owners. Pioneering media criticism that remains startlingly relevant.
A father-son story set against the Southern California oil boom — a sweeping portrait of greed, corruption, and the birth of modern American capitalism. Adapted into the film There Will Be Blood.