TENDER BAR, THE

Reviews (See all 434) Write a reviewfor this

It's a hit!

Yikes, I finished this a couple weeks ago and health issues fog my memory. Having read all the excellent short blurb/reviews, I think I expected t... (show more)

Yikes, I finished this a couple weeks ago and health issues fog my memory. Having read all the excellent short blurb/reviews, I think I expected this highly entertaining book to be of a slightly higher caliber than that which I felt it to be. Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoying this "tender' memoir of our protagonist and his fond memories of the "larger than life" bar which he frequented from before the years he was even drinking at this establishment.
He poignantly paints a picture of a soul who feels quite out of his element in the mighty halls of Yale, yet glamorizes the best bar in his hometown of Manhassat to be the friendly home where everyone knew his name. He found himself more frequently seeking refuge in this bar, with its colorful characters, as well as the drink that did flow there.
It is a telling story of enlightenment, in a way... the realization that what he painted for all those he most wanted to impress was perhaps more a refuge from the cold, cruel world, not only because of everyone who knew his name... those characters whom he described so vividly and with such passion, but increasingly from the warm whiskey that warmed his soul and carried him away from his more mundane concerns.
It's a tribute, as well as a story of what it really means to grow up, where we really choose to call our home, how we define ourselves, and how we find ourselves. (show less)

 

 

by Facebook User

No, it's a flop!

Not a fan of memoirs, especially about people who don't actually DO anything. J.R. didn't do anything but whine throughout his whole childhood and... (show more)

Not a fan of memoirs, especially about people who don't actually DO anything. J.R. didn't do anything but whine throughout his whole childhood and adolescence. There were a couple of cute little stories in there, but none worth writing a novel about.... (show less)

 

 

by Jennifer Daley

More Reviews

• 
  

  Ok....this is going to sound mean, but I really don't think JR's life was interesting enough to write a memoir about. I'm three-quarters of the way through this book and I am finding that I honestly just don't care about what happens to him next. He doesn't have a father figure....his mom struggles to make ends meet....he hangs out in a bar a lot and gets his heart broken in college. Um...so? That's the same life story as millions of other people. The only thing that makes this somewhat inter... (show more)

  Ok....this is going to sound mean, but I really don't think JR's life was interesting enough to write a memoir about. I'm three-quarters of the way through this book and I am finding that I honestly just don't care about what happens to him next. He doesn't have a father figure....his mom struggles to make ends meet....he hangs out in a bar a lot and gets his heart broken in college. Um...so? That's the same life story as millions of other people. The only thing that makes this somewhat interesting, is that Yale and a job at the New York Times gets thrown into the mix. The book is supposed to revolve around this bar that he sort of grew up in, but I found that to be the least interesting part of the story and I felt absolutely no connection to the bar or any of the characters contained therein. As a matter of fact, they really annoy me. I'm really not a fan of his writing style....granted, the book is fast-paced and fluently written, but at times it felt like....I don't know, like he was trying too hard to be witty and poignant. A lot of the humor fell flat for me and gave me that same awkward feeling as that guy at a party who keeps cracking lame jokes and thinks he's very clever but everyone else just wants him to shut the hell up already. I know this review is kind of harsh but I don't hate the book or anything. Its good. I just don't think it's worthy of all the praise that's been heaped upon it and I feel like there are a lot of other memoirs out there that are much better. (show less)

   

  by Facebook-användare on Sep 16, 2009 at 11:32PM

  Already read

  Is this review helpful? yes no
   
• 

  While working on my own memoir for my masters thesis, I read this book while studying various authors' styles. Moehringer describes growing up without a father, but finding father figures in the men at the local bar. He has an obnoxious flair for figurative language, but if you can look past that, he's a fantastic story teller. Some of my favorite bits include the craziest boy's first sexual experience I've ever read, a friend's drunken driving to the beach, and painful childhood honesty a... (show more)

  While working on my own memoir for my masters thesis, I read this book while studying various authors' styles. Moehringer describes growing up without a father, but finding father figures in the men at the local bar. He has an obnoxious flair for figurative language, but if you can look past that, he's a fantastic story teller. Some of my favorite bits include the craziest boy's first sexual experience I've ever read, a friend's drunken driving to the beach, and painful childhood honesty about the adults of this world. I can't gush about it the way I'd like to, but let's put it this way - it gives Frank McCourt's Angela's Ashes a good run for its money. (show less)

   

   

  by Facebook-användare on Jul 15, 2009 at 01:40AM

  Already read

  Is this review helpful? yes no
   
• See all reviews
  Write a review