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Summary: Charming, insightful. Makes me wish I could afford....
Review: ...a country place so I can experience all this. A great book all-around.
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Summary: A great satire of "both" New Yorks
Review: As most people living in New York State will tell you, there are actually "two" New Yorks--the one everyone knows about (the city and its surrounding metro area) and that vast chunk of land east of the Hudson River known as Upstate New York. I grew up in the latter, and found Jim Mullen's memoir an extremely enjoyable satire of life in both rural Upstate New York and urban Manhattan. He pokes fun at both rural dwellers and closed-minded Manhattanites who are so sheltered they've never even been to Brooklyn. NYC and Upstate have always had a strange, if somewhat strained, relationship, and Mullen illustrates this perfectly through his humorous tale of the difficult transition between city life and country life. And besides the humor, I was touched by the book's ode to simple country life. Underneath all the sarcasm lays a touching tribute to rural life, and a great appreciation for the farmers who work the land. I've always taken that sort of thing for granted, and now I have a renewed appreciation for my homeland. The book is both an entertaining and rewarding read.
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Summary: A great satire of "both" New Yorks
Review: As most people living in New York State will tell you, there are actually "two" New Yorks--the one everyone knows about (the city and its surrounding metro area) and that vast chunk of land east of the Hudson River known as Upstate New York. I grew up in the latter, and found Jim Mullen's memoir an extremely enjoyable satire of life in both rural Upstate New York and urban Manhattan. He pokes fun at both rural dwellers and closed-minded Manhattanites who are so sheltered they've never even been to Brooklyn. NYC and Upstate have always had a strange, if somewhat strained, relationship, and Mullen illustrates this perfectly through his humorous tale of the difficult transition between city life and country life. And besides the humor, I was touched by the book's ode to simple country life. Underneath all the sarcasm lays a touching tribute to rural life, and a great appreciation for the farmers who work the land. I've always taken that sort of thing for granted, and now I have a renewed appreciation for my homeland. The book is both an entertaining and rewarding read.
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Summary: Hilarious and so real
Review: City boy and wife move to the country (well, just on the weekends--at first), experience culture shock, go through a transition period, wind up loving the country and moving there permanently. Heard it or seen it all before, right? Well, never mind that, this is a funny, funny book. Although the actual town is fictionalized, and I'm sure many events were also fictionalized or exaggerated, this book has the ring of hilarious truth. I was expecting this to be a lot like the movie "Funny Farm" with Chevy Chase, but this is much funnier and much more true to life. Plus, it brings a particular geographical area along with the accompanying mindset of the residents to life. So all the time you're laughing, you're getting educated as well. Highly recommended for light reading on a lazy afternoon.
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Summary: Funny but true
Review: Having bought a "summer home" in upstate New York my wife and I really related to this very funny book. The good news is it is really all true. The bad news is it is really all true also. His description of the "locals" is right on. We like Jim finally decided that we couldn't beat them...so like him we joined them! You have to have lived in the city to really appreciate this book, but if you want a really pleasant afternoon, buy this book and get a soft chair and laugh your head off.
Rating:
Summary: Funny but true
Review: Having bought a "summer home" in upstate New York my wife and I really related to this very funny book. The good news is it is really all true. The bad news is it is really all true also. His description of the "locals" is right on. We like Jim finally decided that we couldn't beat them...so like him we joined them! You have to have lived in the city to really appreciate this book, but if you want a really pleasant afternoon, buy this book and get a soft chair and laugh your head off.
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Summary: I know EXACTLY what he means!!!
Review: I bought the book because there are two places I absolutely love... the south of France and Upstate New York. I have read all of Peter Mayle's books on Provence, so it only made sense for me to read Jim Mullen's book. Honestly, I wasn't expecting alot, but boy... this book is an absolute riot!!! My wife kept hearing me laugh out loud from the other room and thought I was losing my mind!!! If you laughed reading Mayle's books, you're going to experience severe stomach cramps from laughing so hard while reading Mullen's book. The best part for me was the point in the book when I figured out what town he was really in!!! I won't state the name of the town, but it ryhmes with Walleye. My parents have a vacation farm in the very same town and I spend MANY weekends there!!! I couldn't believe it and it made the book all the more hilarious. If you've moved to upstate New York, planning to or just want to spend a weekend to try it out, this book will split your sides... practically guaranteed.
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Summary: Hilarious!
Review: I couldn't put the book down once I started reading it. It was a very enjoyable book.
Rating:
Summary: Very enjoyable!
Review: I picked this book up after having read a few stinkers, and I felt so grateful because it's truly enjoyable. Jim Mullen is very funny, his observations and comments are so comical, and he often had me laughing out loud. He also handles some more serious, or sad, issues with a touching sensitivity that doesn't stray from the wry humor, but makes his heartfelt point (without beating us over the head, thank you). Despite the premise, this story is an original. Love his wife. Love his neighbors. Hope he is working on a follow-up as we speak.
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Summary: A super fun book
Review: I read this book in one afternoon. Like many others we too have had dreams of a fantasy "country house". Like the authors wife, we have made forays in Northern California to look for such a dreamplace. But luckily, everything here is either five hours away or costs three quarters of million dollars. So instead I read books like Jim Mullen's and feel smug about not having actually gone and done the "fool" thing. This book has a great story, progresses beautifully, is very funny and is an all-around pleasure to read. If you like humourous books about suburban/urban life then you will love this book.
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