PositiveThe Brooklyn RailMcNally uses his stroke in 2016...to supply the book with what dramatic tension it has ... The book contains plenty of celebrity gossip and (mostly) amusing anecdotes about his interactions with some of the city’s notable landlords and restaurateurs. McNally’s willingness to throw himself under the bus provides the book with many laughs ... I do, however, think that McNally’s success at writing Instagram captions may have contributed to an inflated sense of worth of some of his thoughts. There are a few utterly inane—though thankfully brief—asides scattered throughout the book that I feel should have been left as drafts ... Such moments, thankfully, occur infrequently throughout the book, but just often enough to raise eyebrows ... He is admirably frank, and mostly self-aware, when reflecting on his shortcomings, whether as son or sibling, husband or parent ... Poignant ... You might not get what you want here, but you will get something.
Andrew Lipstein
MixedLos Angeles Review of BooksCurious ... Has the makings of an ambitiously conceived, 10-course tasting menu, but by the end of it, it left me feeling hungry and confused. Like foie gras or veal, I suspect that it won’t be to everyone’s taste.
