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Insomniac City
- New York, Oliver, and Me
- Narrated by: Stephen Bel Davies
- Length: 6 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Categories: Literature & Fiction, Essays
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Publisher's Summary
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.
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What listeners say about Insomniac City
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Amazon Customer
- 01-18-19
Touching and Intimate Portrait
Such a touching and intimate portrait of the relationship between Bill Hayes and Oliver Sacks, with an ode to NYC as a bonus! Oliver was every bit as adorable as I would have imagined him to be, and then some. I would like to thank Bill Hayes for sharing this with the rest of us, who loved and admired "The Doctor" from afar.
1 person found this helpful
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- Espanolish
- 05-04-17
Addicting
I grew up in New York City, Lower East Side primarily, but also Greenwich Village and Staten Island. Insomuch as I have been transient most of my post college graduate years, I no longer call the Big Apple or any patch of land my home. Though the City author Bill Hayes describes is no longer the same one in which I spent my formative, prepubescent, young adult years, it is undoubtedly the place I currently frequent and readily recognize— right down to the shoutout to Russ and Daughters Deli on Orchard Street. Hoyt captures in equal measure a definite sense of place (NYC, but also any locale that one holds dear), time (the present now, more or less), and mood (joy, grief, and a complete array of experiences in-between), making the book relevant and relatable and entertaining. The work is as much an ode to the ever mutating and always addicting Manhattan as it is an expression of gratitude for the imperceptible spark of life that, out of nowhere it seems, sparks to full fire and gives us a boost just as we are about to give up— or already have given up.
I liked the way Hoyt was able to connect with nearly every walk of life padding across Manhattan's terrain. I'm sure my NY bred cynism is coloring the feel that perhaps some more "realistic" experiences were either figuratively "photoshopped" or otherwise eliminated. Thus the drop in points. Maybe I would have felt different if I had grown up familiar with the inimitable personality of neurologist Oliver Sacks. Instead, I was inundated with Archie Bunker pop culture (I hope to goodness I am not dating myself!). Despite my spiky take on Hoyt's what... syrupy??... take, I’ll likely be reading this again.
Narrator Stephen Bel Davies left no lines between himself and Hoyt (sans the saccharine).
1 person found this helpful
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- msrae
- 12-13-18
4.5
4.5 stars. Great writing.
Great perspective piece. Beautiful and sad. I hope Billy finds peace.
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- John S.
- 08-02-18
Highly recommended!
Rather than a long review, I'm going to say that the author completely succeeds in a story with Oliver and NYC as co-protagonists, where often one aspect ends up feeling grafted into the other.
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- Mike Zinni
- 07-17-17
Required Reading for Any Sacks Fan
If you're a fan of Olivar Sacks, then you'll enjoy this book. Hayes provides a perspective of the man that only he could have known. It's wistful and dreamy, but not without intention. Expect to find all the humor and beauty you would from anything Sacks touched. But expect more.
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- Matthew J. Brockwell
- 03-24-17
moving, funny, perceptive
there's a lot to this story to make it come alive. whether or not you are already familiar with Oliver Sacks' work, this is a richly rewarding book that will help to restore your faith in life and the kindness of strangers
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- Vera
- 03-12-17
Amazing Read
Would you consider the audio edition of Insomniac City to be better than the print version?
Love the narration and really fun to listen to while driving!
What other book might you compare Insomniac City to and why?
Similar to Oliver Sacks books in that you learn something while also listening to art like writing.
What does Stephen Bel Davies bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
His voice is perfect for this book!
If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?
WOW this is gonna be good!
Any additional comments?
Thank you!
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- Marguerite Pavloff
- 03-09-17
Magnificent
A touching memoir.. beautifully written and read. This one will stay with me for a long time.
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- Patrick
- 03-11-18
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............
3 people found this helpful
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- Corinne Willowson
- 12-09-17
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.
1 person found this helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 06-15-17
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
1 person found this helpful
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- Giulia
- 03-27-17
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.
1 person found this helpful
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- V P Fjellstrom
- 03-14-20
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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- Lilly
- 06-26-17
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.