1. What is your impression of the opening line of White’s book: “New York bestows gifts of loneliness and the gifts of privacy.” Do you agree or disagree with White? If so, why? If not, why not? How effective is the opening? What does it accomplish, if anything?

White open’s his book by stating that New York provides people with the “gift” of loneliness and privacy. I agree with White that New York is one of the few places where one can be surrounded by millions of people, yet still feel lonely. New York is always busy and bustling, therefore making it all too easy to ignore and channel out surrounding people. Another one of the ironies of New York is that although a person may be surrounded by millions of people, somehow, there is still privacy. Unlike in the small towns that White reflects upon, where a young girl may wish to escape her nosy neighbors, New York allows people to be both surrounded by people while not being constantly observed by them.

By opening his book with this statement, White establishes that New York is a unique place. It also leaves the “gifts” of loneliness and privacy up to interpretation. Some people may value the ability to go unnoticed in a crowd of people while others may be scouting out attention that is difficult to receive. This opening leaves the impression that New York is a place of private moments and intentional loneliness.

2. How and why does the writer use lists in this book?

White uses lists to group together the eclectic range of people and events going on around him that only New York would be able to encompass. His first list is present when he is describing the many different historical events that involved well known people that were just mere blocks away from his hotel room. This list stresses that although he is locked away in a seemingly remote hotel room, he is unable to escape the history and landmarks that are around. Another list that White makes is his list of the types of people that gravitate toward New York. This serves to show that although there is a wide range of different characters of people coming to New York, they somehow all fit together are share New York. The lists that White makes in his book intentionally list eclectic ranges of people to show that only in New York would every type of person be able to fit in perfectly no matter what their goal or trade.