Bright Lights, Big City cover art

Bright Lights, Big City

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Bright Lights, Big City

By: Jay McInerney
Narrated by: Daniel Passer
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About this listen

 The tragicomedy of a young man in NYC, struggling with the reality of his mother's death, alienation, and the seductive pull of drugs.©2009 Random House; 1984 Jay McInerney Classics Coming of Age Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction

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Critic reviews

"A sidelong look at life in the Big Apple, as experienced by youth that once had hope and aspirations. In spite of the depths to which the main characters descend, the exuberance and humour of the narrative maintains its wonderful disregard for conventional behaviour with great buoyancy. An entertaining read, but it is the resignation and frustration that lingers in the mind that makes this novel so compelling." ( Kirkus)
"A rambunctious, deadly funny novel that goes right for the mark - the human heart." (Raymond Carver)
"The author is one of those reare writers who catches the moods, nuances and manners of a sub-culture with humor, finesse, skill and accuracy. A born stylist and remarkable discovery!" (George Plimpton)
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The prose of Bright Light, Big City are eloquent and amusing, narrated to perfection by Daniel Passer, who seems to relish the complex wordplay of Jay McInerney. The story resonates with the surreal and alienating surroundings of life in a major city, the mundane mixed with excitement. The book perfectly captures the strangeness of everyday life, and the derailing effect of life events on our equilibrium. These themes reflect a point many of us will find ourselves at in our own lives, all bundled up in the vivd fiction of McInerney's book. Unexpectedly poignant, nostalgic and well worth visiting.

A lyrical journey through the Big City

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The book's a bit dated now, but I was surprised that it held up as well as it did. I listened to it on my first trip to New York, as I walked around the upper east side. A special word of commendation for the reader – Passer has a lovely, youthful voice, with just the right mixture of irony, cynicism, and naiveté. He gets the tone of the novel exactly right, and gives it just the mixture of pathos and comedy it needs. A pleasure to listen to.

Smooth read

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2022 52 Book Challenge - 1) Second person narrative

I quite enjoyed this book. It was a good piece on grief and losing yourself, and to an extent the second person narrative does tend to pull you in. My main complaint is that the book feels very slow, and I tended to have to put it down before I got bored.

Good but Slow

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I was recommended this book due to me liking American Psycho. I can see the similarities but this board me. The narrator didn’t bring the story to life. Very dull. Couldn’t finish it.

Dull, boring.. that could be the narrator.

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