About 180 pages into the book I certainly have a much different feeling than I did about 80 pages in it. The book seemed tedious and predictable in the beginning when Gopnik builds the tenor of New York. Being in the area for so long I found most of his notes rather lame. However, now that he is over that into the simple life issues specially relating to children, he is at what he does best. Drawing life lessons from a chess game his 7 year old son plays and the wonderful Charlie Ravioli, his daughter's imaginary friend who is too busy to play with her -- a typically New York phenomenon.
I am at a place where I can barely put the book down. Gopnik is the master of style and when form and substance match it, it is almost giddy how good he is.
I am at a place where I can barely put the book down. Gopnik is the master of style and when form and substance match it, it is almost giddy how good he is.