23. Going into Town: A Love Letter to New York by Roz Chast

read the book -had to get it through Interlibrary loan
2017 Bloomsbury
169 pgs.
Adult Graphic Novel sort-of
Finished  3/7/18
Goodreads rating:3.79 - 2392 ratings
My rating:  4

First line/s:  "This is not a 'definitive guide book' to Manhattan.  In fact, it's not really a guide book.  There's nothing in here about the Statue of Liberty, for example."

My comments:  This graphic novel was a fun, quick – VERY quick – read. Granted, I didn't learn anything new about Manhattan, but it reminded me over and over again about why I love this wonderful city. The author's observations and comments are clever and funny, and her love for New York really comes through.

Goodreads synopsis: From the #1 NYT bestselling author of Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant?, Roz Chast's new graphic memoir--a hilarious illustrated ode/guide/ thank-you note to Manhattan.
          A native Brooklynite-turned-suburban commuter deemed the quintessential New Yorker, Roz Chast has always been intensely alive to the glorious spectacle that is Manhattan--the daily clash of sidewalk racers and dawdlers; the fascinating range of dress codes; and the priceless, nutty outbursts of souls from all walks of life.
          For Chast, adjusting to life outside the city was surreal--(you can own trees!? you have to drive!?)--but she recognized that the reverse was true for her kids. On trips into town, they would marvel at the strange visual world of Manhattan--its blackened sidewalk gum-wads, "those West Side Story-things" (fire escapes)--and its crazily honeycombed systems and grids.
          Told through Chast's singularly zany, laugh-out-loud, touching, and true cartoons, Going Into Town is part New York stories (the "overheard and overseen" of the island borough), part personal and practical guide to walking, talking, renting, and venting--an irresistible, one-of-a-kind love letter to the city.

MOVIE - Up in the Air

Completely enjoyable, gives you a bit to think about.
Released limited 12-4-09
Released wide 12-25-09
R (1:49)
12/25/09 at Bangor with Fran and Christine
RT: 90% cag: 90%
Fandango: 83/100
Director: James Reitman
George Clooney

This movie has gotten lots of hype for awards this year...it's already been nominated for a number of Golden Globes. It was good...the perfect role for George Clooney. Cool, debonair, a slight dimpled-smile ever-present on his face. Ahhhhh, yes. Clooney plays Ryan Bingham, carefree with no family or romantic ties, at least until this movie begins. He works for a company that goes into firmss and fires the employees during downsizing. He's good at his job. He loves to fly and travel and knows every in and out to get the best of car rentals, room upgrades, and first class and priority flying. Until a young, just-out-of-school psychology major comes up with a way to cut costs, changing Ryan's life and job forevermore. And then there's the family wedding in northern Wisconsin that he has to atten - wheterh he wants to or not. No ties. No baggage. He gives motivational talks about emptying out your personal "back pack."

So it's easy to figure out what's going to happen. He falls for someone. He gets a little reconnected with his family and roots. He thinks about what his life really holds for him. The movie doesn't have the standard "pat" happy ending, but the ending works in the way it NEEDS to work. It feels okay. It was a good movie. I thought about it all night long, and that doesn't happen very much.

Know for the $64,000 question. Is it worth all the awards it's going to be up for this year? I'm going to have to see a few more of its competition to figure that out, I guess.....