Insomniac City
14 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by caroline-m from Sidcup, Greater London United Kingdom on Monday, December 10, 2018
From the back cover:
Bill Hayes came to New York in 2009 with a one-way ticket and only the vaguest idea of how he would get by. But, at forty-eight years old, having spent decades in San Francisco, he craved change. Grieving over the death of his partner, he quickly discovered the profound consolations of the city's incessant rhythms, the sight of the Empire State Building against the night sky, and New Yorkers themselves, kindred souls that Hayes, a lifelong insomniac, encountered on late-night strolls with his camera.
And he unexpectedly fell in love again, with his friend and neighbor, the writer and neurologist Oliver Sacks, whose exuberance is captured in funny and touching vignettes throughout. What emerges is a portrait of Sacks at his most personal and endearing, from falling in love for the first time at age seventy-five to facing illness and death (Sacks died of cancer in August 2015). Insomniac City is both a meditation on grief and a celebration of life. Filled with Hayes's distinctive street photos of everyday New Yorkers, the book is a love song to the city and to all who have felt the particular magic and solace it offers.
This book caught my eye as I'd recent read 'The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat' and so thought it would be interesting to find out more about the life of a man who had written so eloquently about the lives of others.
I really loved this book - yes, it was fascinating to find out more about Sacks who is an endearing combination of genius and naivety. But also, it was a wonderfully touching meditation on grief, as well as a lovesong to New York City. I resonated with everything he said about his adopted hometown, as it mirrors so closely the way I feel about London even after nearly 40 years of living here. I know lots of people find city living dirty, crowded and exhausting but for me it's always felt exciting, vibrant and awe-inspiring to live in London so I really enjoyed reading the thoughts of someone who has that same connection with where they live.
I can't recommend this book enough and am so glad to have stumbled across it.
I really loved this book - yes, it was fascinating to find out more about Sacks who is an endearing combination of genius and naivety. But also, it was a wonderfully touching meditation on grief, as well as a lovesong to New York City. I resonated with everything he said about his adopted hometown, as it mirrors so closely the way I feel about London even after nearly 40 years of living here. I know lots of people find city living dirty, crowded and exhausting but for me it's always felt exciting, vibrant and awe-inspiring to live in London so I really enjoyed reading the thoughts of someone who has that same connection with where they live.
I can't recommend this book enough and am so glad to have stumbled across it.
Journal Entry 3 by caroline-m at -- Controlled Release, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- United Kingdom on Monday, December 10, 2018
Released 5 yrs ago (12/11/2018 UTC) at -- Controlled Release, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- United Kingdom
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
THIS IS PART OF THE 'FAVOURITE BOOK OF 2018' ROUNDABOUT
I'd already picked out and bought a copy of another book to use for this roundabout but then read this one and loved it so much I had to make a switch!
The reading order for this book is:
1 Dark-Draco UK
2 Arvores Portugal
3 Fifna Netherlands
4 Icila France
5 Lamilla Belarus
6 Estelle1806 Ireland
7 Math-Girl Canada
8 mcsar Canada
9 Valpete USA
10 Aramena USA
11 Earthcaroleanne UK
I'd already picked out and bought a copy of another book to use for this roundabout but then read this one and loved it so much I had to make a switch!
The reading order for this book is:
1 Dark-Draco UK
2 Arvores Portugal
3 Fifna Netherlands
4 Icila France
5 Lamilla Belarus
6 Estelle1806 Ireland
7 Math-Girl Canada
8 mcsar Canada
9 Valpete USA
10 Aramena USA
11 Earthcaroleanne UK
Received = thank you. Will put aside for now and get it read in January - looks interesting :)
Journal Entry 5 by 
dark-draco
at Ledbury, Herefordshire United Kingdom on Thursday, January 10, 2019
dark-draco at Ledbury, Herefordshire United Kingdom on Thursday, January 10, 2019
And this is why I love the roundabout so much!Never in a million years would I have picked this book up by choice, but being handed to me meant that I had to give it a go. I'm not a city person - prefer woods, fields and the absence of people! - and had no real idea who Hayes or Sacks are, so I didn't have the highest of hopes.
I was wrong.
The writing is beautiful. I preferred the essays to the Journal notes as there was more to get your head round. But everything was lovely to read. The love for the City and the love for Sacks shone through every word, and even though there is a sadness that runs through it, there's also joy, hope and a passion for his new life in New York.
The photos are also brilliant - some were mentioned in the text that didn't appear, so I have a list of them to try and track down. Mainly curious to see if the images sparked in my head are anywhere near the real thing.
Definitely glad I read this.
Journal Entry 6 by dark-draco at -- Controlled Release, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- United Kingdom on Monday, January 28, 2019
dark-draco at -- Controlled Release, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- United Kingdom on Monday, January 28, 2019
Released 5 yrs ago (1/28/2019 UTC) at -- Controlled Release, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- United Kingdom
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Off to Portugal to the next person in the roundabout.
Received it today. I think I'm going to love this one. I'll let you know :-)
Thank you!
Thank you!
Inspiring. A beautiful love letter both to New York and Oliver Sacks. It made me believe in humankind (and human kindness) again. I've found myself looking forward to find free time to keep on reading it. But trying to make it last, too :-)
In several occasions, I had tears trying to find their way in my eyes, and then followed by a wonderful and relaxing laugh.
I didn't know anything about the author, and only had a slight idea about who Oliver Sacks was. But I definitely will search about their work.
Thank you so much for sharing. I truly enjoyed this one.
In several occasions, I had tears trying to find their way in my eyes, and then followed by a wonderful and relaxing laugh.
I didn't know anything about the author, and only had a slight idea about who Oliver Sacks was. But I definitely will search about their work.
Thank you so much for sharing. I truly enjoyed this one.
Sent to Fifna today.
Arrived safely, thank you Arvores! Looks interesting.
What a wonderful book! The love for both the city and Sacks is evident on every single page, and the descriptions of chance encounters, wonderful views, and even the sad moments of grief, are beautiful. Truly a roundabout book - I wouldn't have picked it up otherwise. Thank you for sharing!
Journal Entry 12 by 
Fifna
at La Chapelle-sur-Erdre, Pays de la Loire France on Monday, March 25, 2019
Fifna at La Chapelle-sur-Erdre, Pays de la Loire France on Monday, March 25, 2019
Released 5 yrs ago (3/25/2019 UTC) at La Chapelle-sur-Erdre, Pays de la Loire France
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Travelling to Icila!
Seems the perfect book as I have a project to go to NY sometime very soon.
Thank you for choosing this book full of love. I'm looking forward to traveling the streets of Manhattan with a new point of vue.
On its way to Lamilla.
With me now
I thoroughly enjoyed the poetic language of the book. It's nice to see that some people posses the quality to describe even the most mundane things in such light. I didn't get the relationship between the main characters though - perhaps the author wanted to keep some things private, that's why they came across as cold.
I thoroughly enjoyed the poetic language of the book. It's nice to see that some people posses the quality to describe even the most mundane things in such light. I didn't get the relationship between the main characters though - perhaps the author wanted to keep some things private, that's why they came across as cold.
Is going to Estelle1806 next
You've found a travelling book. Hurray!
The book's journey continues by its finder's cooperation and creativity. By making a journal entry on this book, you can add to the book's story as it travels from reader to reader around the world.
Enjoy your reading!
Привет!
Спасибо, что нашли время зайти на сайт и сделать запись в журнале! Напишите, когда и где вы нашли книгу.
Перед тем, как попасть к Вам, она побывала в других уголках света. История ее путешествий записана на сайте, и теперь к ней добавился еще один пункт. Я очень рада, что она нашла нового читателя в Вашем лице.
The book's journey continues by its finder's cooperation and creativity. By making a journal entry on this book, you can add to the book's story as it travels from reader to reader around the world.
Enjoy your reading!
Привет!
Спасибо, что нашли время зайти на сайт и сделать запись в журнале! Напишите, когда и где вы нашли книгу.
Перед тем, как попасть к Вам, она побывала в других уголках света. История ее путешествий записана на сайте, и теперь к ней добавился еще один пункт. Я очень рада, что она нашла нового читателя в Вашем лице.
Thanks Lamilla
Thanks for sharing this book.
I enjoyed the style, but it left me a bit cold, as I could not relate to the characters' life story. I always think that if someone writes a memoir, they should be ready to share a lot with their readers, and I found this book sometimes very vague and superficial, and sometimes the very opposite! Mixed feelings about this one...
I enjoyed the style, but it left me a bit cold, as I could not relate to the characters' life story. I always think that if someone writes a memoir, they should be ready to share a lot with their readers, and I found this book sometimes very vague and superficial, and sometimes the very opposite! Mixed feelings about this one...
Travelling to mathgirl40, happy Summer!
Please let us know when you release it again...
Please let us know when you release it again...
This book has arrived in Canada. Looking forward to it!
This was a lovely book, in so many ways. I enjoyed the photographs and descriptions of New York City and I found the author's thoughts on dealing with grief and finding hope and joy in life to be very touching. I've not been back to New York City since my childhood days when I used to visit an aunt regularly, but now I really want to see the city again. I've also been meaning to read a book by Oliver Sacks, and now I feel even more motivated to do so.
This book is on its way to mcsar now.
Very excited to receive this book. Never heard of the book before but I'd love to read anything related to Oliver Sacks.
A tender and loving celebration of love and life, of the city of New York and the wonderful Oliver Sacks. I have always enjoyed the works of Oliver Sacks, but now I love the man even more. I enjoyed the book very much. I love reading the books from this roundabout and thank you caroline-m for introducing me to this very fine book.
Journal Entry 27 by mcsar at Favourite Roundabout, A Bookbox -- Controlled Releases on Saturday, September 28, 2019
Released 4 yrs ago (9/28/2019 UTC) at Favourite Roundabout, A Bookbox -- Controlled Releases
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
On its way to valpete.
Thanks for sending this along. I'm really looking forward to reading this one, since I was born and lived in a New York City suburb for the first 46 years of my life.
Very good insights into life in the Big Apple and intimate glimpses into the life he had with his partner Oliver Sacks - what an amazing man he was!
Sending it off to the next reader in the 2018 Favorite Roundabout.
Arrived today, and I look forward to this one! Reading a review book now and have another waiting, and then should start this one.
Just realized I forgot to journal when I finished reading! I'd never heard of Bill Hayes, and while I'd heard of Oliver Sacks I didn't really know anything about him. But I enjoyed getting to know both of them, along with New York, in this sweet memoir.
It was mailed to the next participant this morning, and I apologize for taking so long to get it sent out - I've been a little short on funds the last few weeks.
It was mailed to the next participant this morning, and I apologize for taking so long to get it sent out - I've been a little short on funds the last few weeks.
Journal Entry 33 by earthcaroleanne at Falkirk, Scotland United Kingdom on Monday, December 23, 2019
earthcaroleanne at Falkirk, Scotland United Kingdom on Monday, December 23, 2019
Arrived today. Don't think I'll be starting it until the new year though.
Journal Entry 34 by earthcaroleanne at Falkirk, Scotland United Kingdom on Wednesday, January 15, 2020
earthcaroleanne at Falkirk, Scotland United Kingdom on Wednesday, January 15, 2020
I'm afraid I felt a little like estelle1806 about this book. It was just lacking something for me. There were some points of interest for me but not enough.
Journal Entry 35 by earthcaroleanne at Filmhouse Cinema in Edinburgh, Scotland United Kingdom on Thursday, January 23, 2020
earthcaroleanne at Filmhouse Cinema in Edinburgh, Scotland United Kingdom on Thursday, January 23, 2020
Released 4 yrs ago (1/26/2020 UTC) at Filmhouse Cinema in Edinburgh, Scotland United Kingdom
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
caroline-m doesn't want this returned so I'm taking it to the Old Gang meetup where I think there might be someone who would appreciate this.
Journal Entry 36 by bookfrogster at Edinburgh, Scotland United Kingdom on Wednesday, January 29, 2020
Caught at the "Poodlesister's in town!" meet up. Thank you!
Journal Entry 37 by bookfrogster at Edinburgh, Scotland United Kingdom on Saturday, February 1, 2020
This was a really interesting story. I didn't really know much about Oliver Sacks personal life, although I had read a couple of his books. I thought it was lovely how tender Bill was with him as his health became worse. I also liked the interactions Bill had with people he met around and about New York. Will look out for a next appreciative reader!
Journal Entry 38 by bookfrogster at Edinburgh, Scotland United Kingdom on Tuesday, February 18, 2020
Have included this as a wee extra surprise in with a book ring. Got my parcel all wrapped up and realised I'd forgotten to put in a note. So, SURPRISE!
Journal Entry 39 by 
Sparkish
at Fleckney, Leicestershire United Kingdom on Thursday, February 20, 2020
Sparkish at Fleckney, Leicestershire United Kingdom on Thursday, February 20, 2020
What a lovely surprise!! Thank you so much 😊
