ARC copy provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I am always up for learning something new about New York. There is so much interesting facts and rumors that is a part of New York's long history. A lot of the stories in Only In New York, Volume 2 I haven't heard before.

This is the sort of book which would be great to read on the plane as you make your way to the city in question. Really entertaining, each story os the perfect length to hold your interest and whet your taste buds for the next one!

Book 40 of my 2021 Reading Challenge

Only in New York 2
by M.G. Crisci

Summary (via Goodreads)
published 2021

Among these 37 unforgettable short stories, you will learn how a school's Mascot Ram was accidentially murdered and Why Chiquita Bananas CEO jumped out a 44th Floor window on Park Avenue, .
You'll also discover how a stoned Neil Young perfomed in Milkwuakee, Joan Rivers sent up her husband at the Four Seasons Restaurant, and a group of mulit-millionaires consumed a prodigious amount of high fat Jewish comfort food at a landmark restaurant in a Bowery basement.
These are poignant, entertaining, and powerful stories about a Manhattan that is almost gone. Chronicled by a native New Yorker, with 37 original illustrations, Only in New York Vol 1 and 2, are must reads.

First Impressions/Judging a Book by Its Cover
I saw this book while browsing on NetGalley (full disclaimer below). I'd read the first volume, giving it 3 stars, so I decided to read this one too.

I'm expecting similar things to the first volume - the author was a natural storyteller and I was entertained even if I didn't think every story was completely true. I did note multiple typos and grammatical errors in the first volume so hopefully that has been improved.

Since it's an electronic book I don't have much to say about it. The title is clear in big block letters which drew my attention, jogging my memory about reading the first volume, so it was effective at grabbing my interest.

My Opinion
4 stars

**I received an electronic copy of this book via NetGalley and would like to thank the author and/or publisher for the opportunity to read and honestly review it**

He seemed to take feedback about his previous books to heart. This kept the folksy chatty style of the first volume but was more polished and concise. I enjoyed this book even more than the first one. I think since most of the top-shelf outlandish stories were used in the first volume, this volume had stories with a more personal feel. It's still a life I know nothing about (the money earned, spent, lost, etc. is more than I can imagine) but it felt more grounded. It's like a fisherman - maybe not everything is completely accurate but any embellishments are harmless.

I laughed at his description of hitting a ball "three manhole covers down the street" - that's true street ball!

As I noted with the first volume, these books will be an absolute treasure to his family for historical purposes, especially this volume that focused more on family stories. The illustrations were fun too.

I mentioned above in my first impressions that I was concerned about typos and I'm happy to say that was not an issue. As an editing note since I read an ARC, the author added dates to help place the world around him but there was one that felt very out of place so I'm assuming it was either a typo of the date or of the anniversary. "50th Anniversary Celebration" was listed as August 1994 which doesn't match their ages or any of the other stories.

I didn't realize how many books he's written and I'd read him again if I saw them.

It's a me thing, there's nothing wrong with this book. When I read the first few stories, I thought I'd taken the New York part too literally, because I couldn't understand how they fit definitively with NY. Then I skipped ahead and read some more that were clearly NY from their titles. They are well written and the book has an old timer feel to it which I liked, but unfortunately, the stories just weren't for me. Others could definitely enjoy this though.

ONLY IN NEW YORK, Volume 2
Real Stories that Celebrate New York's Unique DNA
by M.G. Crisci
BooksGoSocial
Biographies & Memoirs | Humor
Pub Date 28 Apr 2021

I am reviewing a copy of Only In New York, Volume 2 through Netgalley and BooksGoSocial:


Only In New York, Volume 2 includes 37 unforgettable short stories, stories that will show the readers how a school's Mascot Ram was accidentially murdered and Why Chiquita Bananas CEO jumped out a 44th Floor window on Park Avenue.




We will learn how a stoned Neil Young perfomed in Milkwuakee, Joan Rivers sent up her husband at the Four Seasons Restaurant, and a group of mulit-millionaires consumed a prodigious amount of high fat Jewish comfort food at a landmark restaurant in a Bowery basement.



This book includes 37 Poignant, entertaining, heartfelt and often humorous tales of a Manhattan that is nearly gone. The stories are chronicled by a native New Yorker, and includes 37 original illustrations.



If you are wanting a humorous, heartfelt account of a Manhattan that is almost gone, then I highly recommend Only in New York Volume 2.


Five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

Among these 37 unforgettable short stories, you will learn how a school's Mascot Ram was accidentially murdered and Why Chiquita Bananas CEO jumped out a 44th Floor window on Park Avenue, .

You'll also discover how a stoned Neil Young perfomed in Milkwuakee, Joan Rivers sent up her husband at the Four Seasons Restaurant, and a group of mulit-millionaires consumed a prodigious amount of high fat Jewish comfort food at a landmark restaurant in a Bowery basement.

These are poignant, entertaining, and powerful stories about a Manhattan that is almost gone. Chronicled by a native New Yorker, with 37 original illustrations, Only in New York Vol 1 and 2, are must reads. I usually know within the first couple of chapters how much I’m going to enjoy a book but I knew within the first 2 pages that this was one I was going to struggle to put down. Fabulous read.