Book Review: ‘New Yorkers’ by Craig Taylor

Hey there, book lovers! 

Today, I have a double special treat for you all: a book review and a bookish break combined!  

You may know, if you follow any of my social media accounts (@BookishBlondeX), that I was lucky enough to go on a fabulous family holiday to New York back in February. My brother and I intended to take our mum for her 60^th, and the whole family, plus some friends, ended up tagging along! It was one of the most incredible places I’ve ever been – think zipping around on the subway, enough pizza slices and hotdogs to fill Central Park, and gazing over the city from the top of the Empire State Building. Plus, it was a book lover’s dream – more on that later, though! 

Now, with a seven-hour flight each way and plenty of jetlagged early mornings, I managed to get a lot of reading done. While I was there, I decided it was the perfect time to read Craig Taylor’s ‘New Yorkers’: a collection of short interviews Taylor conducted whilst living in New York over a period of five years. Each interviewee tells a short story about their life in New York, why they’re there, what they really think about the city itself. It was absolutely fascinating to read, particularly on this trip, so I thought I would review it and my NYC adventure in one! 

I started reading the book on my first morning, sat in the hotel lobby waiting for my family to come down for our first NYC breakfast before a day exploring Central Park and some of its surrounding streets. I was instantly immersed in both New York itself and the stories of these New Yorkers. What is so uniquely brilliant about this book is the way you can hear each person speaking as you read. Taylor writes their monologues or conversations verbatim and it’s so fascinating to see their accents, dialects and even personalities come to life on the page. On my first day exploring the city, I encountered such a vast array of people – both locals and tourists, born New Yorkers and immigrants – and this book was the perfect accompaniment as I plunged myself into the deep end of what the city had to offer.  

There are easily over 100 different tales of life in New York, told generally but also focusing on key periods in the city, including during the Covid pandemic. Some of my favourite entries were a New York apartment landlord, talking about how times are changing in the property world and a music producer with some great insight into the world of those trying to make it ‘big’ in New York. Both of these themes hit me quite hard while I was in the city, as I witnessed life across the whole spectrum of wealth, and was lucky enough to attend spectacular performances from professional musicians in small venues, forcing me to ask, is it pure luck that some people just ‘make it’ in New York, and some people don’t? More emotional anecdotes came from a nurse during the Covid pandemic and a 911 dispatcher regaling her experience during the 9/11 terrorist attacks. You will need plenty of tissues when you read these sections, especially if, like me, you couldn’t hold back the tears when visiting the 9/11 memorial at Ground Zero.  

All in all, this book took me on a journey through New York like no other. Yes, I think I found it particularly evocative while I was there, but since I’ve been home, I’ve continued to dip in and out of the stories of these varied and intriguing locals. It’s a must read for anyone who has been, or wants to go, to New York. 

On that first exhilarating day I spent in New York, I heard and saw just how vastly diverse this city is just walking around Central Park. And, my goodness, did we get our steps in! The park itself has many stunning reading spots, including a tribute to Lewis Carroll’s ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’, which is one of my all-time favourite classics. If you’re a bookish traveller in New York, this is a must-see! Not too far from this monument, is the handy book stall run by The Strand – this can be found just on the outskirts of the park on the East side and is the perfect place to stop and peruse the books on offer. 

Next up on my own personal bookish tour of New York (and yes, I did drag my family to all these places as I led them around the city – call it my payment for being the tour guide!), is the New York Public Library. Like any 30-something lover of ‘Sex and the City’, I had to see the infamous building in which Carrie Bradshaw almost married Big. But, more importantly, I had to see the reading room. Once inside this beautiful building, take your time to explore the floors and appreciate the incredible architecture and marble staircases. My advice: go on a quiet weekday to be in with a chance of getting into the reading room and be sure to say you’re there to study or read – sometimes the security guards can be sticklers if it’s getting too busy in there. 

My final bookish recommendation – and I truly have saved the best for last, in my opinion – is The Mysterious Bookshop. Located in Tribeca on Warren Street, this bookshop had been on my radar long before we even booked our trip to New York, and the moment we booked our flights, I put this straight on the itinerary. As I walked through the door of this little gem, specialising in mystery books, I instantly felt a thrill – even more so than I usually do in bookshops! I perused the shelves of books, astounded at the array of old and new literature, and could have stayed there all day.

Sadly, my family wanted to move on but I couldn’t leave without purchasing two books. First, I asked for a horror recommendation from one of the booksellers, who mentioned Riley Sager, at which point I nearly pulled his arm off as he handed me ‘The Last Time I Lied’. I then asked for the Stephen King section, knowing I had to take home an American Stephen King edition! The bookseller pointed to a high shelf and, before he’d even finished asking whether I’d like him to hand me some options or whether I’d like to use the ladder, I was already doing my best Belle impression and climbing on up! I found a creepy-looking copy of ‘Finders Keepers’, reluctantly came down the ladder and finally admitted it was time to leave. So, a special thank you must go out to The Mysterious Bookshop for making my bookish dreams come true! 

All in all, a five-star book and a five-star holiday – what more can a book lover ask for?! 

Back soon!  

Bookish Blonde x