My Review:
The Tender Bar is full of atmosphere! The people portrayed in the story are true characters, from Joey D. and his "mouse" (he talks in the general direction of his pocket so J.R. decides he must keep a pet mouse in there) to Chas who speaks like Yogi Bear, to Uncle Charlie who loves his booze almost as much as his gambling.
J.R. grows up in his grandparent's dilapidated old house in Manhasset, NY with his grandparent's, his mother, his Uncle Charlie and at different times, his aunt and cousins--where the general goal of most of them is to move out. He spends many of his boyhood evenings and summer days listening to his radio in search of The Voice that belongs to his father, who DJ's for various stations throughout the years and imagines that he is just like his radio personality.
Through much struggling, J.R. and his mother finally move out and head for Arizona. But it is on his summer visits back to NY that J.R. discovers the camaraderie of Publicans, the neighborhood's favorite bar where his Uncle Charlie works. It is there that J.R. finds the acceptance of men that he searched for his whole life.
As the years go on, J.R. continues to grow, learn and mature. He takes us on his journey through high school, college, first love and first career--always entwined with Publican's Bar and it's regulars. At times in his life he struggled with his writing, using too many words...to big of words...and not making "true" with his characters. His mother tells him to tone down and simplify, and apparently he has learned to do just that. The Tender Bar is his first book and it's a wonderfully put together story. Every word, every character rings true and real.
My Rating: 5/5
Hardcover: 384 pages
ISBN-10: 1401300642
ASIN: B000JGWE36
Customer Review: 4.5/5
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