Book Review: Going Into Town: A Love Letter to New York by Roz Chast

Hello everyone! Just trying to settle into my new townhome. But everything is almost up and I feel more zen (I think that's the word). I just feel better writing when everything is in its place. Do you guys ever feel like that? Anyways, I was so excited to read this book! I actually read my first book from Roz Chast last year, when one of my former professors assigned it to our Image/Text class. You can read that review here. I was very happy to pick up this book that Chast recently published last year. I loved visiting New York and I love Roz Chast, so it's the perfect combo! And with that said, onto the review of Going into Town: A Love Letter to New York! SPOILER ALERT!

A Little Bit of Background

Roz Chast is a published author who grew up in Brooklyn and went to college at the Rhode Island School of Design. She published this book in 2017. Before this book, she illustrated many other books and has had her cartoons appear in the New Yorker since 1978. She continues to write and illustrate to this day.

 As for the book, this is really an ode to New York. It actually started out as a handbook for her daughter, who was going to live in the big apple. Throughout the book, it really feels like a combination of a survival guide and, as Roz Chast puts it, a love letter to New York.

What Was Enjoyable

I said this in the last review of her other book, and I will say it in this one, I love the images that go with the text. The images really bring us to what Chast is saying and draws out her memory as she remembers things. The illustrations also give us a proper show and tell of New York. 

As stated earlier, one might see this book as both a surival guide and a love letter. One can appreciate that aspect, because when someone writes about their hometown, they also write about the places to go, what to do and what to see. They talk about the details and that's what Chast accomplishes in her writing.  

Lastly, I enjoyed hearing about the changes Roz has witnessed. It's interesting to hear from someone about a place you enjoy and hearing from the perspective of someone who has lived their in childhood. the reader might find it odd and a little comforting on how she embraces those changes, instead of wallows in the past. 

What Was Least Enjoyable

I can't say there was anything I didn't enjoy about this book. The reader might want to know what happened to Chast's daughter and if she survived the big city, but one will go on with life.

Conclusion

In conlusion, anyone who enjoys reading, will definitley enjoy this book. It's different and it's a nice, gentle read for a Saturday morning "me" time. I encourage you to read more of Roz Chast's writing, you just won't find a book quite like hers. You can find out mroe about her and her work on her website.