Photo by markjstephenson

There’s something a little thrilling about seeing your own city through a different set of eyes. Whether strolling the D.C. monuments at night for the first time, playing tour guide for your hometown friends or family, or even spotting a familiar street in a movie scene, a fresh perspective renews the excitement of living in a place this eminent. Thanks to the just-launched website, D.C. By The Book, we can now also see D.C. as envisioned by talented novelists and the characters (Washingtonians!) they bring to life in their work.

Here’s how it works: Tony Ross and Kim Zablud of the D.C. Public Library started D.C. By The Book, aimed at highlighting “the richness of non-Federal civic life in Washington.” The site provides a detailed, user-friendly database of fictional books set in the city. For the time being, only fictional books are available, since non-fiction books would expand the list by a million-fold and novels better fulfill the site’s mission to focus on the city’s personality beyond politics. (If the site does expand to non-fiction, we’ve got some ideas.) The titles are searchable by ZIP code, author, themes, decade setting, and more, and come up on an interactive map displaying exactly where each story unfolds.

The database of books comes from D.C. Public Library’s Washingtoniana collection, and the website is a collaborative effort of “librarians, experts in local fiction, local history organizations, and anyone who comes to the site”—if you know of a D.C.-set novel that isn’t listed, D.C. by the Book welcomes your submissions.

On Wednesday, March 27, D.C. by the Book will host their launch party at Busboys and Poet’s 5th and K location. From 6 – 8 p.m., authors Thomas Mallon (Watergate), George Pelecanos (What It Was), Ann McLaughlin (The House on Q Street), editor Adam McKible (When Washington Was in Vogue), and others will perform dramatic readings from some of these esteemed novels, and answer questions about how they chose a D.C. backdrop for their books. Former City Paper Arts Editor Mark Athitakis will MC the event, and music from the 1920s to the 70s will be mixed by DJ 2Tone Jones. Refreshments will be served courtesy of Busboys and Poets.

D.C. By The Book will be an especially excellent resource for educators, parents, novel enthusiasts, and anyone feeling lucky to play the protagonist in their own DC narrative. Tomorrow’s event is open to the public, but feel free to RSVP on the Facebook event page.