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Only in New York : How I Took Manhattan
An uplifting tale of one woman juggling her dream job as a foreign correspondent, the demands of 2-year-old twins, a high-flying husband who can't get a green card, and all the temptations of life in New York.Most journalists would crawl over broken glass to secure the glittering prize of being a foreign correspondent in New York. Caroline Overington is understandably over the moon about her plum posting, but there's a problem (or two). New York is a great playground for grown-ups, but is the crowded skyscraper capital of the world a good place to live when you're raising toddler twins? As her mother says, 'Are you mad?'Caroline relocates her young family from sunny carefree Bondi to a rat-infested basement apartment in Manhattan and tackles the juggling act of being a good mother and a having an exciting career as a reporter overseas. Her husband Martin has his own challenges - after twenty years as an advertising executive, he has to learn to be a stay-at-home dad. Whether she's covering the lead-up to the war in Iraq from a flooded basement, attending Bill Clinton's book launch with a three-year-old dressed as a pirate or exposing author Norma Khouri as a fake with the kids in the back of the car, Caroline Overington gives it her all.Funny, perceptive and inspirational, this is the adventure of a lifetime, proving that the modern woman can have it a high-flying career, a wonderful family life and 'New York'.
Paperback
Published January 1, 2006
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About the author
Caroline Overington
30 books577 followersCaroline Overington is an Australian author and journalist.
She has worked for The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald, and is is currently a staff writer for The Weekend Australian Magazine.
Caroline is a two-time winner of the Walkley Award for Investigative Journalism. She won her first Walkley for a series of articles about a literary fraud, and her second for a series about the AWB oil for food scandal.
She is also a winner of the Sir Keith Murdoch prize for excellence in Journalism; and of the Blake Dawson Prize.
Caroline has published five books. Her first, Only in New York, was about working as a foreign correspondent in Manhattan.
Her second, Kickback, was about the UN oil for food scandal. It won the Blake Dawson Prize for Business Literature.
Her first novel, Ghost Child, is about a child murdered by his parents.
Her second, I Came To Say Goodbye, takes the form of a letter from a grandfather to a Supreme Court judge. It was shortlisted for both the Fiction Book of the Year, and overall Book of the Year, in the 2011 Australian Book Industry Awards.
Her latest novel, published in October 2011, is called Matilda is Missing. It is set in the Family Court, and it is about a couple's war over custody of their two year old daughter, Matilda.
Caroline's books are proudly published by Random House Australia.
Caroline is a mother of delightful, 11-year-old twins. She lives with her kids, her husband, a blue dog, and a lizard, in Bondi.
She has worked for The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald, and is is currently a staff writer for The Weekend Australian Magazine.
Caroline is a two-time winner of the Walkley Award for Investigative Journalism. She won her first Walkley for a series of articles about a literary fraud, and her second for a series about the AWB oil for food scandal.
She is also a winner of the Sir Keith Murdoch prize for excellence in Journalism; and of the Blake Dawson Prize.
Caroline has published five books. Her first, Only in New York, was about working as a foreign correspondent in Manhattan.
Her second, Kickback, was about the UN oil for food scandal. It won the Blake Dawson Prize for Business Literature.
Her first novel, Ghost Child, is about a child murdered by his parents.
Her second, I Came To Say Goodbye, takes the form of a letter from a grandfather to a Supreme Court judge. It was shortlisted for both the Fiction Book of the Year, and overall Book of the Year, in the 2011 Australian Book Industry Awards.
Her latest novel, published in October 2011, is called Matilda is Missing. It is set in the Family Court, and it is about a couple's war over custody of their two year old daughter, Matilda.
Caroline's books are proudly published by Random House Australia.
Caroline is a mother of delightful, 11-year-old twins. She lives with her kids, her husband, a blue dog, and a lizard, in Bondi.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
April 5, 2013
I really enjoy these sorts of books: authors, journalists, writers moving their families to different countries and documenting their experiences. I found this book really interesting, especially coming from an Australian writer's perspective, noticing the particularities of New York.
Caroline Overington writes about everything: from the peculiar rides on the subway, to the eating habits of Americans, to giving a moving tribute in the chapter "New York grieves", recounting the one year anniversary of September 11. All of this with two year old twins in tow, this book is a very enjoyable read. Very funny and at times outrageous!
Caroline Overington writes about everything: from the peculiar rides on the subway, to the eating habits of Americans, to giving a moving tribute in the chapter "New York grieves", recounting the one year anniversary of September 11. All of this with two year old twins in tow, this book is a very enjoyable read. Very funny and at times outrageous!
March 28, 2014
Overington is honest with her feelings surrounding the apprehensiveness and guilt (albeit reflective) in making the major decision for her young Australian family to uproot themselves and move to New York.
Caroline skips through her family adjustments well. The rude awakening of apartment hunting in Manhattan, the awkwardness around making American friends and balancing demands of her journalistic work with family life under one roof.
An early chapter touches on the financial shock of the move, however Caroline makes it clear that she is not about to pick up the tab;
"A$10,000 seemed a lot - even to me, who didn't actually have to pay, since the company was going to pick up the tab - but I booked the room and asked the hotel clerk if it would be okay if we arrived late."
Overington's Sunday night "my time" with her American friends during the Sex parties is palpable. The energy emanating from this chapter teasingly suggests much more may have taken place than she is prepared to share with her readers.
The negative? I am disappointed and saddened, however, that chapter 22 'Honey, we have rats' is merely about the infamous NY rats and not instead about the so called homeless, hobos, bums or tramps; one of whom, we learn in the very first sentence of the chapter, froze to death not far from her apartment doorstep.
As a prized journalist with investigative skills and knowledge of how to construct engaging 'colour' stories, my affinity with Caroline's time in New York was diminished by the choice of focusing on rats ahead of people. Yes I am moralizing, but I found this chapter a little too callous in tone.
Good background reading for those new to expat life.
Caroline skips through her family adjustments well. The rude awakening of apartment hunting in Manhattan, the awkwardness around making American friends and balancing demands of her journalistic work with family life under one roof.
An early chapter touches on the financial shock of the move, however Caroline makes it clear that she is not about to pick up the tab;
"A$10,000 seemed a lot - even to me, who didn't actually have to pay, since the company was going to pick up the tab - but I booked the room and asked the hotel clerk if it would be okay if we arrived late."
Overington's Sunday night "my time" with her American friends during the Sex parties is palpable. The energy emanating from this chapter teasingly suggests much more may have taken place than she is prepared to share with her readers.
The negative? I am disappointed and saddened, however, that chapter 22 'Honey, we have rats' is merely about the infamous NY rats and not instead about the so called homeless, hobos, bums or tramps; one of whom, we learn in the very first sentence of the chapter, froze to death not far from her apartment doorstep.
As a prized journalist with investigative skills and knowledge of how to construct engaging 'colour' stories, my affinity with Caroline's time in New York was diminished by the choice of focusing on rats ahead of people. Yes I am moralizing, but I found this chapter a little too callous in tone.
Good background reading for those new to expat life.
February 24, 2019
5 stars. Non-fiction. A memoir of being an Aussie expat in New York City. Loved it!
October 15, 2021
I loved this book. Caroline made New York come alive. The chapter “Honey we have rats” was hilarious.
April 14, 2013
Loved Caroline's comic and at times sensitive writing about moving to the Big Apple with husband and very young twins in tow. I enjoyed the insights of New York because I've been there but I also enjoyed her insights of life with twins because I have those as well. I am also enjoying reading Caroline's works of crime fiction. Check them out!
October 29, 2011
Fun read about Australian reporter who takes a work assignment in the "Big Apple" (New York) and with kids at that.
Trial and tribulations of everyday life. Quick read, good for a plane trip or travel.
Trial and tribulations of everyday life. Quick read, good for a plane trip or travel.
March 12, 2012
A really entertaining, fun read. Made me look forward to a trip to New York with much anticipation. Though I'm relieved that I won't be doing it with two year old twins in tow unlike Caroline!
January 10, 2013
Loved it! Feel like I know the author personally and wish I could ask her questions about the experience.
January 19, 2013
A very genuine, funny, heart warming and fascinating read. Caroline takes you on her families journey to New York, such a gifted writer
February 9, 2013
I read this book some years ago and remember enjoying it immensely.
March 15, 2008
Funny, heartwarming and interesting. Best sea change story I've read.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews