Insomniac City
New York, Oliver, and Me
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Insomniac City
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Narrated by:
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Stephen Bel Davies
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By:
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Bill Hayes
About this listen
Bill Hayes came to New York City in 2009 with a one-way ticket and only the vaguest idea of how he would get by. But, at 48 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 - 'I don't so much fear death as I do wasting life,' he tells Hayes early on - 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 75 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, a love song to the New York City and to all who have felt the particular magic and solace it offers.
©2017 Bloomsbury US (P)2017 Audible, LtdWhat listeners say about Insomniac City
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Patrick
- 11-03-2018
enjoyed every precious moment
this beautifully and heartfelt novel is just absolute bliss from start to finish, it made me laugh and cry and I felt I was totally accompanying Hates through his journey - heaven............
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- V P Fjellstrom
- 14-03-2020
A love story.
For me this was an education: that same-sex love is just the same as the love of heterosexual couples. It is tender and seems honest. I liked it for those reasons.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Lilly
- 26-06-2017
A terrific insight into a great man and NYC
Fabulous to get an intimate perspective of Oliver Sachs both a man ahead of his time and trapped by time. A truly compassionate story blended well with NYC.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Corinne Willowson
- 09-12-2017
Loved it!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I had a smile on my face a lot of the time while listening. I also really enjoyed the narrator. I often struggle with the narrating, having to try and hear the words separate to the narrating but Stephen was wonderful. Really enhanced my listening experience. Thank you. A delight.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Giulia
- 27-03-2017
Stunning memoir
A beautifully written homage to Oliver Sachs and their time in NY. I absolutely loved this book, all the delightful encounters, full of love and wonder.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- K
- 07-05-2024
Narration
I didn’t like the narration, the accent felt contrived and took from the beauty of the words. I didn’t like the accents, especially of Oliver.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 15-06-2017
All about enquiry
If you're looking for a break from reality then consider another...
Incredibly thought provoking and wonderous..
Best when in a contemplative mood on a rainy day.
Not for the faint hearted or a novice like myself... but was a nice change from the usual theatrics.
3.5 stars
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1 person found this helpful