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I Feel Relatively Neutral About New York
Have you ever loved something, but also totally not loved it at the same time? Would you like to "heart" New York, but you're not quite ready for that kind of commitment? Have you ever had the feeling that other cities probably have pretty good pizza, too? This light-hearted skewering of the Big Apple sets the record straight with semi-informed opinions, questionable charts, and some slapdash Photoshop work. On a scale from one to spectacular, we give New York a five. And after reading this book, we think you ll agree! Or whatever.
94 pages, Paperback
First published March 30, 2011
3 people are currently reading
249 people want to read
About the author
Avery Monsen
10 books224 followersAvery Monsen is a writer, actor, and artist who lives in Los Angeles. He illustrated and co-authored the national bestseller, All My Friends Are Dead, as well as I Feel Relatively Neutral About New York and K is For Knifeball. He’s also written for the television shows, Billy On The Street and Trip Tank. His writing and drawings have been published in McSweeney’s Internet Tendency, The Believer, and several newspapers around the country, and he was recently named one of the New Faces of Comedy at the 2017 Just For Laughs Festival in Montreal. As an actor, he’s appeared on 30 Rock, The Tonight Show, High Maintenance, Maron, Adam Ruins Everything, and Alexa & Katie.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
April 25, 2012
Surprisingly entertaining. I smiled a lot, chuckled a little.
More shelf room on our profile pages, Goodreads! This is another book that makes me want to create a nyc or new-york shelf.
The book first appealed to me because of its title, and it’s brilliant, but the inside exceeded my expectations, which were actually rather low.
I think my favorite book page is the New York (and everywhere) bagels page.
I thought I’d get bored but I didn’t. I enjoyed reading the skewering of various places, landmarks, and activities. Most topics end with Pros, Cons, and Conclusion. Most are quite amusing.
This is a humor book but it’s a non-fiction book too, and I learned quite a bit. And remembered quite a bit. Great photos and pictures too!
And, my conclusion, other than enjoying the book, is: I really want to go back and visit New York. This book whetted my appetite for a visit even more than the yearning I was already experiencing.
For those who don’t enjoy the book there is even a “I Feel Relatively Disappointed by This Book hate-mail form” which is funny too.
I love that one of the authors lives in my city, San Francisco, and the other lives in Queens, New York.
More shelf room on our profile pages, Goodreads! This is another book that makes me want to create a nyc or new-york shelf.
The book first appealed to me because of its title, and it’s brilliant, but the inside exceeded my expectations, which were actually rather low.
I think my favorite book page is the New York (and everywhere) bagels page.
I thought I’d get bored but I didn’t. I enjoyed reading the skewering of various places, landmarks, and activities. Most topics end with Pros, Cons, and Conclusion. Most are quite amusing.
This is a humor book but it’s a non-fiction book too, and I learned quite a bit. And remembered quite a bit. Great photos and pictures too!
And, my conclusion, other than enjoying the book, is: I really want to go back and visit New York. This book whetted my appetite for a visit even more than the yearning I was already experiencing.
For those who don’t enjoy the book there is even a “I Feel Relatively Disappointed by This Book hate-mail form” which is funny too.
I love that one of the authors lives in my city, San Francisco, and the other lives in Queens, New York.
June 7, 2011
I was sold on this book by the pizza page, (which even includes a Des Moines pizza shout out/dismissive reference.) Any book that ends with it's own hate-mail form has got gumption. It even had Adam, the diehard New Yorker, choking with laughter.
August 8, 2019
An amusing read, but the authors clearly are misled on their bagel and pizza opinions.
July 10, 2011
Snarky, but maybe a bit too snarky. The title was by far the best part.
Favorite Quotes:
[About The New Yorker magazine]: CONS: The pile of unread issues is stressing us out.
Our next book: I Feel Relatively Neutral About Research
All right. We know what you're thinking. You're all: Why the eff would somebody write a book about New York, when they don't have any particularly strong feelings about it, one way or another?! And why the eff would we read that effing book? To you, Aggressive Question Asker, we say: See? Exactly. Why so overheated, fella or lady-fella? And why are you waving that bagel at us so menacingly? Take it down a notch. Mellow out. Cool your New York Jets.
Favorite Quotes:
[About The New Yorker magazine]: CONS: The pile of unread issues is stressing us out.
Our next book: I Feel Relatively Neutral About Research
All right. We know what you're thinking. You're all: Why the eff would somebody write a book about New York, when they don't have any particularly strong feelings about it, one way or another?! And why the eff would we read that effing book? To you, Aggressive Question Asker, we say: See? Exactly. Why so overheated, fella or lady-fella? And why are you waving that bagel at us so menacingly? Take it down a notch. Mellow out. Cool your New York Jets.
May 29, 2011
i laughed a specific number of times over the duration of reading this book. what was that number? i didn't think to keep track, sorry. but it was plenty, believe me. will this book change your life? probably not. i can't guarantee that it won't. but it will change the hour or so it takes you to read it, in that you won't be doing anything else.
February 6, 2014
Enjoyable, snarky little book about The Big Apple. Here it is on The Empire State Building: "What's that? It's not the what? Not the tallest anything? So, wait ... when was it beaten ... in 1954? By the Griffin Television Tower, in Oklahoma? So you're saying that New York has had a relatively tall building for the last fifty years? Huh."
November 29, 2012
Not as funny to me as the "All My friends are dead" books. Yeah I know NYC in reality doesn't live up to all the hype. But I couldn't find much humor in Monson's snark. It was almost too snarky, if that makes sense.
September 9, 2012
I also feel neutral about New York. Sometimes I don't like it at all. It was nice to read about someone else struggling with the city instead of having another glowing I <3 NY shoved in my face.
May 2, 2020
Definitely my sense of humor. Good for some giggles during a hard month.
February 28, 2019
I feel relatively neutral about this book. Pros: Short and easy to read. Cons: Lots of opportunities for great photos with very few great photos. While not a native New Yorker, this book still managed to annoy me. I had to check the publication date because of all the Trump references.
May 23, 2023
i like the irreverent humor sprinkled throughout the book. However, if you feel relatively neutral about New York yourself, this book might be a little bit of a drag. Anyway, there are nice pictures of New York in the book, as well as some interesting factoids that might or might not be true!
May 20, 2018
This was really funny.
March 6, 2019
Era pra rir? ATA
November 13, 2019
Laughed a few times. Could have been much better. Feels like it was thrown together. Still, made me chuckle, which is nice.
April 19, 2020
Fun to read.Better than Wikipedia does.
November 8, 2020
Neutral rating for relatively cute book about many things New York.
August 17, 2024
So... I loved it! I love reading about New York but this take on the popular City seemed so funny and accurate.
March 13, 2017
I am a New York Lover, no matter what, I never find the City overrated. But my husband thinks the opposite, so this book had us laughing a lot. He told me all the time: "See? I am not the only one who thinks that way, these guys are completely right". It was really funny!!! I wish the book had more pages, there is so much stuff about to write!
The last page including the Hate Mail Form was my favorite!
The last page including the Hate Mail Form was my favorite!
February 9, 2017
It's funny. It's a tiny gift shop read. I like New York but still found it super amusing and often clever. "New York's great but not THAT great, guys!!" Hahah. That's pretty much all.
June 18, 2011
Hilarious. I kept laughing out loud. A great book for anyone who enjoys visiting NYC but does not think it's the best city in the universe. I can't believe it took someone this long to write a book like this, but I'm so glad they did. Love it.
September 30, 2011
Hilariously amazing. Ironically fantastic. Satirically awesome. A book I suggest you read no matter who you are, where you live or what pizza you eat. 96 pages of truly perfect and witty words/pictures. Which means pretty much 48 pages are pictures. AWESOME book!
November 23, 2011
Some parts were funny, other parts were not. I actually agree with them on most points they made. Yes, New York is awesome, but it is also difficult and dirty and stressful. I think the idea behind it was really clever, but I just didn't like the extreme sarcasm and language.
July 14, 2011
Good for a few chuckles.
November 23, 2011
mildly amusing
December 4, 2011
Really funny little book about NYC. Fantastically snarky and hilarious.
February 5, 2012
The title alone is pure genius. Many parts of the book are just too true, but I'm still in my honeymoon phase with the Big Apple to jettison my reality distortion field.
May 12, 2012
This has probably been said before but- I feel relatively neutral about this book.
May 27, 2012
The first truly balanced and fair tourist guide I have ever read. Great fun.
October 1, 2012
I like the bit about fashion week the best.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews