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270th out of 535 books
—
552 voters
These Days Are Ours
by
Michelle Haimoff (Goodreads Author)
Six months after September 11th, New Yorkers are instructed to get on with their lives despite the terror advisories, streets filled with 9/11 merchandise, and mail that may contain Anthrax.
But for Hailey, still jobless after college and living in her family's Fifth Avenue penthouse, getting on with life means getting closer to Michael Brenner, the Princeton graduate and...more
But for Hailey, still jobless after college and living in her family's Fifth Avenue penthouse, getting on with life means getting closer to Michael Brenner, the Princeton graduate and...more
Paperback, 304 pages
Published
February 28th 2012
by Grand Central Publishing
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I was ready to write this book off after I was about 30 pages in. The main character wasn't who I expected she would be, neither were her friends or her family. The writing was simplistic and conversational and the author misused "then" when she meant to use "than." But, I read this book in about a day, so I think I have to admit to myself that I enjoyed it. It was simple in the perfect way that ideal beach reads are simple; but still it went just a bit deeper than that. It had the tone of Gossi...more
I won this in a Goodreads Giveaway
After September 11th, New Yorkers learned that getting back to their lives is easier said than done, despite the facades they put up. For Hailey, it was one extra thing to worry about on top of everything else.
But Hailey isn't the only one with fears, although her fears made me think she had some psychological issues. And maybe she does, but the more I read, the more I realized that she is a recent college graduate female who likes men, wants a relationship, an...more
After September 11th, New Yorkers learned that getting back to their lives is easier said than done, despite the facades they put up. For Hailey, it was one extra thing to worry about on top of everything else.
But Hailey isn't the only one with fears, although her fears made me think she had some psychological issues. And maybe she does, but the more I read, the more I realized that she is a recent college graduate female who likes men, wants a relationship, an...more
If I were going to set up a book group of people from my own generation and the twenty something generation this is the first book I would want to read and discuss. It is from the point of view of the super privleged New York class of private school and Ivy League graduates - young people who are unlikely to equal their parens' success because their parents have managed to earn an expensive life style in an expensive city. This is absolutely a book about "first world problems", and it also shows...more
I can't tell you how much I enjoyed this book. There is no gimmick, no complicated plot full of twists and turns, heavy writing or surprise endings turning the book upside down. Absolutely not. It's just an honest to goodness, "hit it on the head" picture of twenty-somethings trying to find their way after 9/11 in New York City. They are questioning the fact that they can't find jobs, that they may die in a terrorist attack at any time, that they've lived easy and affluent lives and that maybe t...more
I think the best way to describe how I feel about this book is just that I liked it. Not really more than that, but not less either. It follows Hailey, a privileged early 20s New Yorker, living in 6 months-post-9/11 NY. To be honest, the first part of the book had me kind of wanting to stop reading. She seemed, to me, quite pathetic...All she did was talk and think about this guy who very clearly doesn't care a thing about her, who she never even dated. But as the book went on I started to feel...more
Hailey, a recent college grad, is back in her hometown of NYC. It's spring of 2002 and Hailey is searching for a job, among other things. She and her (very rich, very privileged) high school chums are in various stages of post-college employment and are all trying to get 'the' job while sorting out their lives and dealing with NYC 'post 9/11'. Hailey seems to be taking it especially hard as what she wants more than anything is a sense of purpose. She wants to be settled so she can stop worrying...more
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Received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
I would give this story a 2 1/2-3 stars. This is a story following the day in the life of Hailey, whom is this rich upper east side recent graduate girl that does not know what to do with her life. The only thing she is certain about is that she doesn't want to end up like her divorced parents (especially her mother). The books reminds me of a screen play because there is a lot of dialogue (wish I adore) but, sometimes it was difficult to...more
I would give this story a 2 1/2-3 stars. This is a story following the day in the life of Hailey, whom is this rich upper east side recent graduate girl that does not know what to do with her life. The only thing she is certain about is that she doesn't want to end up like her divorced parents (especially her mother). The books reminds me of a screen play because there is a lot of dialogue (wish I adore) but, sometimes it was difficult to...more
I absolutely loved this book. As someone who graduated college and entered the work force immediately following September 11th, it spoke to me on a personal level. But it also speaks on a universal level about the confusion and potential to feel lost in one's early 20s. It's a beautifully written coming-of-age story, not to mention hysterically funny. The main character provides a fascinating glimpse into Manhattan's Upper East Side, but she's also totally relatable and you feel for her every st...more
I won a copy of These Days Are Ours as part of a firstreads giveaway. The first chapter was incredibly obnoxious to read, as narrator Hailey fantasizes over non-remarkable Brenner, a young soon-to-be law student. Truly, he inner narration reminds me of my own romantic fantasizes in high school. He remains aloof, even as Hailey doggedly pursues a relationship with him, and I worried that this would be the entire book, Brenner dismissing Hailey even as he fucks her on a rooftop.
Luckily, it turns...more
Luckily, it turns...more
I was so excited to read These Days Are Ours. I won it in a contest on Goodreads and was convinced I had found my new favorite novel.
My first thought when the book arrived: I love the cover. It's got colors I love and a photograph that looks fun. And so I began reading the book.
The general plot of the book is a rich twenty-something girl in post 9/11 New York City figuring out her life - finding a job, figuring out which type of guy is right for her, and healing from the childhood trauma of her...more
My first thought when the book arrived: I love the cover. It's got colors I love and a photograph that looks fun. And so I began reading the book.
The general plot of the book is a rich twenty-something girl in post 9/11 New York City figuring out her life - finding a job, figuring out which type of guy is right for her, and healing from the childhood trauma of her...more
Behind the guise of a Gossip Girl-type tale of the privileged lives of college-age rich kids in Manhattan lies a very insightful look at what it's like to be young in the 2000s. The protagonist's and her friends' honest reflections on their lives are witty and so true-to-life that you might feel like you're sitting with them at a bar on the Upper East Side discussing the parties of the previous night. Set a few months post-9/11, New York plays as much a role as any of the characters do in the no...more
This was sort of a kinder, gentler "Less Than Zero." Set in post-9/11 New York, the effects of the terror attack are reflected in the book. But it's mainly about coming of age, and transitioning from a life that's automated on a series of tracks (grade school, high school, college) to one that's undefined in its route. It seems that security comes from finding the Right Guy and the Right Job, but it's hard to know what that means or how to get there. I might have liked it to push a little deeper...more
I picked up the book because of the time the book is set is basically where I was in life. These characters have graduated where as I was a sophomore in college and in a major city (Philadelphia). Then I transferred to a school in North Jersey the next year on the anniversary of 9/11 so the book really hit home.
I felt the love story some what clouded the story itself in describing the true meaning of the book. But for anyone of my generation, I think this is a must read because you realize that...more
I felt the love story some what clouded the story itself in describing the true meaning of the book. But for anyone of my generation, I think this is a must read because you realize that...more
I could not connect with this book. I'm the same age as the protagonist, have had similar experiences, but our world views could not be more different. I feel very let-down by this book. The format was also challenging for me. There are no chapters, just page breaks, and later in the book she reminisces in the middle of conversations and that makes no sense. Finish the conversation and then go explain the memory. The lack of chapters also meant lack of suspense and interest. I was not dying to t...more
I stopped about halfway through this book unsure if I was wanted to finish it - the main character spends about ten chapters obsessing about this obviously asshole of a guy, and complaining about having to get a job, and I thought it was going to be another twenty-something self-obsessed angsty book. However I persevered and it became about more than that, and the links to 9/11 become more focused, and we got more of a sense of the main character actually learning and reflecting on life, which i...more
I hesitate to review this book because I found the author's note in the back, about wanting to write a good book, to be kind of sweetly vulnerable. I wasn't engaged in this story, at all. It sort of read like a series of blog posts- disjointed and seemingly without a real purpose. A book that tried to be about nothing (like Seinfeld was a show about nothing) but without any of the charisma required to pull something like that off. The characters were very "poor little rich girl" but without any...more
I actually really liked this book. It reminded me a bit of The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Even though the basic plot of the book is similar to The Emporer's Children ( as there are references to 9/11 and it is about people just out of college who are not quite sure what to do with there lives), it is really a very different kind of book. I think it could be considered more of a slice-of-life book, than a plot driven novel, but Hailey is a very comples character, so I did not lose interest in t...more
The backstory: I discovered These Days Are Ourswhen Publishers Weekly gave it a starred reviewand said "What differentiates the book from similar fables with young protagonists able to afford endless rounds of drinks in hipster bars is Hailey’s sense of self and her thoughtful inner life; the shopping and club crawls of her privileged life are just a backdrop, not the story." I immediately pre-ordered it for my Kindle, where I foolishly let it languish for nine months before reading it.
The bas...more
The bas...more
These Days Are Ours is like a conversation piece for 20-somethings about the problems 20-somethings face. “It’s like Thought Catalog the book” as one eloquent friend of mine said. It’s a dialogue driven narrative about how shitty it is to be unemployed, looking for love, trying to understand life and where you fit in it. And it’s a lot of #firstworldproblems, which I can relate to! She’s a recent BU grad and has moved back to New York City (post 9/11) to get a job. Hailey comes from a wealthy, b...more
A perfect encapsulation of your 20s. Full of people you kind of despise even though they're your best friends. Lots of brunch. An obsession with some guy who is occasionally profound but mostly just a complete fucking dick. Parts of it are witty and insightful but larger parts are just plain boring. It's supposed to be a snapshot of post-9/11 NYC, but it's really just about a bunch of navel-gazing rich kids who never take the subway....more
This book was okay. Basically the story of a trust fund girl, living in a post 9/11 New York City, jobless, but determined to become gainfully employed without name dropping her parents in order to do so. She lives in silent fear that the next big tragedy is impending everyday, and surrounds herself with people who are frivolous and fake to avoid the realities of her feelings. There are definitely some moments of self-reflection by the narrator that are profound and thought provoking, but they a...more
I liked this book about a recent college grad in the year following 9-11. A wealthy Jewish Upper East Side girl, she is fumbling along trying to deal with her parents' divorce when she was young, a crush on the perfect man, a friendship with the man who she is discovering may be perfect for her, no job, shallow life. I could definitely feel the generation chasm. But I like to understand the generations.
I loved this book. Whip-smart, engaging, heartbreaking, and absolutely hilarious. Not only does the author brilliantly capture post-college angst, she also broadens and deepens the book by setting it in a post-9/11 context. The result is a near-perfect picture of the anxiety and fear that grips all of us at times, regardless of our age, economic means, or social status.
I read a review of this book and it was extremely positive. I read it and I just cannot relate to characters at all. Actually, I feel left out of the entire cultural era or whatever you want to call the atmosphere of this book. I was daydreaming reading it. I think I will try giving this to someone newly out of college and see what they think.
Very interesting, engaging, honest book. I enjoyed reading it so much. Once I started reading it, could not let go. Would probably read it again. Absolutely recommended reading to any one interested in NYC society stories, (Who is not?). I feel Michelle Haimoff has a great future as a successful contemporary writer.
Ok so I didn't finish this book which came as a recommendation as of one of the best books ever. I hated the characters, they annoyed me and the fact that the author constantly referenced music drove me nuts. Instead of relating to the struggling young adults after 9/11, the self entitlement of the characters made me put the book down.
I've always felt contemporary novels have a tough task on their plates--without the action, adventure, or mystery of other genres, can they be captivating? These Days Are Ours certainly captured my attention, or to be more accurate, I should say the characters did.
This is the first novel I've read featuring modern-day, upper crust teens from the NYC scene, and I found the glimpse into their lives and attitudes fascinating. What DO financially independent young people do after college? How do the...more
This is the first novel I've read featuring modern-day, upper crust teens from the NYC scene, and I found the glimpse into their lives and attitudes fascinating. What DO financially independent young people do after college? How do the...more
Amateurish all around - writing, plot, etc. Do not bother. I have read such better books set in NYC. Sort of a bad imitation of The Emperor's Children.
twenty somethings post 9/11. this is their trials and tribulations coming to terms with a "new " city. They whine and gripe and are spoiled while looking for jobs, yet the author portrays them as real people who we grow to like and actually dislike as well.
Being a 24 year-old woman working in NYC since college, I was excited to read this book. It might be 10 years since 9/11 instead of 1, but really the 9/11 theme had little to do with the plot. I found the writing to be very amateur and thought the characters lacked real depth. It felt like this was something she had written in high school and then dug up and got published years later without any editing. What's worse is that Jonathan Tropper (whose books I've really enjoyed) praises the book as...more
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