skyring's review against another edition
4.0
I read this a long time ago, some time after reading 84 Charing Cross Road and wanting more.
New York was to me, a teenager in Brisbane, a fantastical and exotic place. Still is, I guess.
It was my third visit, not counting the times I never left JFK, just on a year ago now. We took the Staten Island Ferry, watched a Mets game - they were trounced by the Reds - had dinner at Mickey Mantle's, strolled through Central Park at dusk, enjoying the magic of the fireflies zipping under the trees, staid at the Waldorf, took a cab, browsed the Strand and joined the merry throng at Times Square. Oh boy, what a day!
And I blame this book for kickstarting me.
But it's true, you know. The locals don't know their own city. Cari took me to the top of the Empire State Building, and although she's a native, and lives in a Manhattan skyscraper, she had never been there!!!
She rang her mother from the top to share the experience.
Through this book, written by a local, I gained a fascinating series of insights into a fascinating city. She and her friend travel to all the best places, all the places a tourist should go, and along the way they tell the stories, share the sights, describe the atmosphere.
Read this book and if you've got the money in the bank, or the frequent flyer miles on your card, you'll be booking the next flight to New York!
New York was to me, a teenager in Brisbane, a fantastical and exotic place. Still is, I guess.
It was my third visit, not counting the times I never left JFK, just on a year ago now. We took the Staten Island Ferry, watched a Mets game - they were trounced by the Reds - had dinner at Mickey Mantle's, strolled through Central Park at dusk, enjoying the magic of the fireflies zipping under the trees, staid at the Waldorf, took a cab, browsed the Strand and joined the merry throng at Times Square. Oh boy, what a day!
And I blame this book for kickstarting me.
But it's true, you know. The locals don't know their own city. Cari took me to the top of the Empire State Building, and although she's a native, and lives in a Manhattan skyscraper, she had never been there!!!
She rang her mother from the top to share the experience.
Through this book, written by a local, I gained a fascinating series of insights into a fascinating city. She and her friend travel to all the best places, all the places a tourist should go, and along the way they tell the stories, share the sights, describe the atmosphere.
Read this book and if you've got the money in the bank, or the frequent flyer miles on your card, you'll be booking the next flight to New York!
aaronmjnoy's review against another edition
3.0
Any time spent with Helene Hanff is time well spent but this is not as fun as her magical 84 Charing Cross Road/The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street. It is a diary of Hanff and her friend going around New York doing all the tourist spots, as New Yorkers themselves. As it was written in the late 70s it is an interesting time capsule, the city is majorly in debt and one of the places they visit is the newly open World Trade Centre. Hanff's usual wit and charm are present and she gives us little historical tales about the various places they visit. She obviously loves New York, as did I when I visited as an actual tourist.
ashleylm's review against another edition
4.0
Helene Hanff has such a wonderful tone. To paraphrase a commonly heard utterance, I'd read her even if she was writing the phone book ... she'd find a way to make it interesting! "Aamondsen, Aaron ... you know, I knew an Aamondsen when I was in a book club—mostly dreadful—but I suppose it couldn't be the same family. Although, how many Aamondsens can there be? And no, the next name is also Aaamonsen, Beatrice. There are a few. Sigh." Easy to imagine!
For this book, she was (apparently) commissioned to write some prose to attach to photographs which had already been taken of popular New York Sights. I say "apparently" because she so resembles Beverley Nichols in style sometimes, and he can't be trusted—made up entire friends and stories and I fell for it—so who knows if there's such a publisher for her, or even such a friend as Mrs. Gibbs? But it hardly matters. She's so conversational and pleasant to be around, it's like having your dear friend who's good at telling stories (not the boring friend who can't) deliver delightful anecdote upon delightful anecdote.
At the end I even misted up a little because (a) she's said something a bit moving, and (b) it was over and I would miss her. But I have my standards, and it's not quite a 5-star book (I am the Mean Judge here on Goodreads) if I compare it to other non-fiction works like Not Since Carrie or Miss Manners' Guide to Excruciatingly Correct Behavior which I would (and have) read over and over again with renewed delight.
But for God's sake, it's still wonderful—you should read it once—I urge you.
Note: I have written a novel (not yet published), so now I will suffer pangs of guilt every time I offer less than five stars. In my subjective opinion, the stars suggest:
(5* = one of my all-time favourites, 4* = really enjoyed it, 3* = readable but not thrilling, 2* = actually disappointing, and 1* = hated it. As a statistician I know most books are 3s, but I am biased in my selection and end up mostly with 4s, thank goodness.)
For this book, she was (apparently) commissioned to write some prose to attach to photographs which had already been taken of popular New York Sights. I say "apparently" because she so resembles Beverley Nichols in style sometimes, and he can't be trusted—made up entire friends and stories and I fell for it—so who knows if there's such a publisher for her, or even such a friend as Mrs. Gibbs? But it hardly matters. She's so conversational and pleasant to be around, it's like having your dear friend who's good at telling stories (not the boring friend who can't) deliver delightful anecdote upon delightful anecdote.
At the end I even misted up a little because (a) she's said something a bit moving, and (b) it was over and I would miss her. But I have my standards, and it's not quite a 5-star book (I am the Mean Judge here on Goodreads) if I compare it to other non-fiction works like Not Since Carrie or Miss Manners' Guide to Excruciatingly Correct Behavior which I would (and have) read over and over again with renewed delight.
But for God's sake, it's still wonderful—you should read it once—I urge you.
Note: I have written a novel (not yet published), so now I will suffer pangs of guilt every time I offer less than five stars. In my subjective opinion, the stars suggest:
(5* = one of my all-time favourites, 4* = really enjoyed it, 3* = readable but not thrilling, 2* = actually disappointing, and 1* = hated it. As a statistician I know most books are 3s, but I am biased in my selection and end up mostly with 4s, thank goodness.)
dylankakoulli's review against another edition
3.0
You’d think after reading all these books I’d be a bit more eloquent or concise with my reviews, but honestly there are no words to express how much love and adoration I have for Helene and her books!
“Apple Of My Eye” is yet another fun, breezy, conversational style read, where we join Helene and her pal Patsy as they explore their beloved NYC.
I wish I read this when I visited -though incredibly dated, Helene includes wonderful historical tidbits, humorous anecdotes and of course brings some of that good ol’ no-nonsense wit!
A delightful book, by a quintessential New Yorker and one to add to your “must read” list!
“Apple Of My Eye” is yet another fun, breezy, conversational style read, where we join Helene and her pal Patsy as they explore their beloved NYC.
I wish I read this when I visited -though incredibly dated, Helene includes wonderful historical tidbits, humorous anecdotes and of course brings some of that good ol’ no-nonsense wit!
A delightful book, by a quintessential New Yorker and one to add to your “must read” list!
cheryl6of8's review against another edition
4.0
A really enjoyable read about the author becoming acquainted with her hometown through the lens of a tourist. I snagged this book from a collection that came from a late friend because of how much I loved 84 Charing Cross Road. This book had the same voice and was full if tidbits of trivia and humor. I learned about The Cloisters (I always wondered what they were). I found out the source of the euphemism "using the facilities." I learned about the sad fate if immigrants turned away at Ellis Island. And I learned about the World Trade Center and Trump Tower.
It was nice to see New York City through Hanff's eyes. It made me want to see more of it in person.
It was nice to see New York City through Hanff's eyes. It made me want to see more of it in person.
abookolive's review against another edition
3.0
Click here to hear my thoughts on Helene Hanff, this book, and all her other books over on my Booktube channel, abookolive!
juniperusxx's review against another edition
3.0
It was fun to make a tour in New York with Helene Hanff and her friend Patsy as you haven't been able to travel anywhere lately because of the corona virus. I've visited NY only once in the early '70s, and as I was a child then, many of the places mentioned here weren't familiar to me at all. Helene visits World Trade Center in this book and I noticed that WTC was built in 1973, just after my visit to NY.
bookbrig's review
funny
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
5.0
I love Hanff's writing style so much. I read the first edition of this book, published in 1979, and it's so much fun. It's like a mini time capsule, a great author's personal little window into history. It also makes me want to go site seeing something fierce.