Welcome to Litsy!

I‘m posting one book a day from my massive collection. No description, no reason for why I want to read it (some I‘ve had so long I don‘t even remember why!). Feel free to join in!

#ABookADay2024

This book sat on my shelf for ages. I had the mistaken impression it was a man's grim journey of alcoholism. I could not have been more wrong. This memoir cover his father's abandonment, his mother's courage, his family - a cast of odd and scary characters - and Uncle Charley, a bartender at a very special bar, who takes him under his wing at a very young age and introduces him to men who care for him over the years. (continued...)

I have not seen the movie of this book,but the critics say it is actually tender, unlike the book. A memoir of a boy living in Manhasset,NY with a single mother who believes her son‘s success depends on going to Yale. J.R.‘s life revolves around the Dickens Bar and its cast of characters,where everyone drinks and then drink some more. While the mother/son relationship is filled with love, the glorification of alcohol was disturbing. Good writing.

“Every book is a miracle,” Bill said. “Every book represents a moment when someone sat quietly- and that quiet is part of the miracle, make no mistake-and tried to tell the rest of us a story. … He said it was no accident that a book opened just like a door. Also he said, intuiting one of my neuroses, I could use books to put order to chaos.”

A good friend was appalled that I had never read this one. So,the Library to the rescue!

3-26-22: My 28th finished book of 2022! What a fantastic memoir. JR moved to Manhasset with his mom when he was 7, into the “shit house” filled with an eclectic cast of characters. The biggest character, though, was the bar down the road, Publicans, where his uncle Charlie bartended. We go through JR‘s life from 7 through to adulthood and all his trials and tribulations and Publicans is usually at the center of things. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️📖#️⃣2️⃣8️⃣

Of course, the book was better than the movie, but the memoir is a kind look back at relationships J.R. formed with the men at the #pub as he grew up with a mostly absent and always unreliable father. I must have been about 5 or 6 when my dad's buddies would set me up on the bar and bring me treats while my dad took his turn bowling. Pic of our nearby hole-in'the-wall dive with great food!.
.#SavvySettings @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Eggs

#savvysettings #pub

I‘ve been meaning to get to this one for ages, especially now that the movie is out. A memoir set in a bar on Long Island.

I loved this coming-of-age memoir and regret that I gave away my hardcover copy a while back in lieu of obtaining an audio version. (Also regret that it‘s abridged, since it came to an end too quickly.). There‘s just something about Moehringer‘s writing style that appealed to me.
Just recently read that Prince Harry has chosen him to co-write his autobiography, supposedly being published later this year. I will be all over that!

This is the only book I could think of for today‘s prompt. It was mildly interesting, about growing up in a dysfunctional family who operated a local bar. I kept waiting for the author to own up to his own alcoholism.

#LitsySpringBreak Local Pub

#litsyspringbreak #localpub

I recently read this memoir going to be made into a movie. I need to push it up on my tbr

Hey @Julie548- I got your book the other week and I will be sending it back your way tomorrow.

I find The Tender Bar a nice tribute to his mother as J.R. tries to figure himself out his manhood and the lessons he has gained over this life. I did find the book a bit slow at times though.

This one quote says it all.

A friend recommended this book years ago.

I liked this more in its second half, even though at times I wanted to throttle the narrator. 😂 Thanks for the read, @Julie548 ! @TheReadingMermaid I‘m sending this off to you on Saturday! @WriterAtHeart #womenreading #lmpbc

Pumpkin Pie wood wick candle burning and Sipping some Honey Tumeric Chai and trying to plow forward in the tagged book so I can send to @TheReadingMermaid next weekend. #womenreading @WriterAtHeart @Julie548

Cracking this open tonight - thanks @Julie548 !! Once done, I‘ll get to @WriterAtHeart ‘s pick and send off to @TheReadingMermaid 🤗🥰

#WomenReading #LMPBC

Dudes “reading“...

I have a thing for books set in #NewYork. #letstravelaugust

https://wellreadneck.wordpress.com/2019/07/22/the-tender-bar-j-r-moehringer/

#MonthofMemoirs

In an effort to clean out, I decided to try to read only books I own this year. TRY being the key word there...I‘m sure I will fail miserably!! And won‘t be too upset about it! 😂

@WriterAtHeart @Melismatic @TheReadingMermaid
This is my pick for this non-fiction cycle!

Quote 2 of two “quotes“ I promised in my review:

Already in young years JR adopts a useful and witty mantra (I think from his mother) which I would like to keep in mind for further smaller and bigger times of trouble in my own life:

“I will not worry about something that won‘t happen.”

Quote 1 of two “quotes“ I promised in my review:

JR‘s mother once tells him she has an “affair” with the truth and that sometimes that “affair” requires, like in all relationships do, the will to compromise. Lies, so is her attitude, are no bigger sin than to turn the volume of the radio down to protect him, JR, from the voice of his father that comes out of the loudspeaker.

By doing this his mother only turns the truth a little bit lower.

The blurb: A lie. It‘s no book about a boy growing up in a bar. I feel betrayed. As well because what forms the protagonist never ever is his time at the bar – even if he makes his audience believe so.

Apart from two „quotes“ I will post hereafter I won‘t keep much of the book in mind. Technically it‘s well done and that species of „barstoolers“ seems well portrayed, too.

But I resent the wrong expectations created by the marketing department.

The story reminds me of Elizabeth Strout‘s „Das Leben, natürlich“ which is also told slowly and has no real suspense curve. That alone doesn‘t matter to me but I can‘t get rid of the impression that the real important things that happened to JR in his own retrospective – which this book is although it took me long to notice this – are not given the significance they actually have had for him and his life. This he hides between the lines. ?

How to have a sleepless night professionally:

1) Turn on your audiobook
2) Set a sleep timer
3) Listen
4) Fall asleep while listening, as intended
5) Wake up when the sleep timer has counted down and the “noise” stops
6) Start again with 1).

Buuuut – by using this method I got ahead with the story quite well.

Meanwhile it has lost some intensity. It does not really drag but it also has no suspense curve.

Dropping into bed real tired. 😴 That‘s why I prefer a few minutes of this to “Infernale” although I came home skimming immediately for my ebook. Only to change my mind minutes later. 🤷🏽‍♀️

Apart from that unlikely richness of details I really like it. It‘s, intendedly, I suppose, a kind of “boy‘s-book”. To me as a woman those wannabes whose only purpose in life seems to be hanging on barstools are not very attractive …

But I can understand why the lack of male idols pulls the boy almost magnetically towards them. In this aspect the book is well written although I cannot quite follow his prompt fascination for the “Dicken‘s”.

I am not informed well enough to judge if this is supposed to be one of those “great big US-American social novels”. Anyway, it‘s the first time I really realise how unrealistic such (coming of age) stories sometimes are. I mean, I can‘t remember so many detailed passages of my life between the age of seven and nine years. Can you❓

? „And then she asks me, »Do you feel all right?«
And I say, »Yes, I feel wonderful tonight«" ?

This line fits picture perfect on so many little occasions. Thanks Mr. Slowhand. ?

I am a bit on the fence.

I waver between keep on reading my book or – of course – put this morning‘s word into action and listen to my audiobook. #Booknerdproblems

As the first part of my book just ended, I think I‘ll take the opportunity to switch mediums.

Goal for today: Call it a night early and finally notably proceed with this one.

I am still convinced it will do great as an audiobook because I like the plot setting. But to really find a “valid” opinion it would be great to make more progress than 10 minutes here and there. 🤷🏽‍♀️

Sleepless. The last three days completely crashed my day-night-routine.

So I‘ll figure out if I remember enough of the story so far to find back in.

À propos, I‘d have an alarm clock ⏰ that will go off in a few hours time. Anybody interested in giving it a temporary home❓? Let‘s say – until the end of March❓?

Having a real hard time the day before Christmas Eve.

Watching the ones you love suffer huge pain and not being able to help is 🤐. Not sure if the medication prescribed by standby duty 👩🏽‍⚕️ helps. 🥴

I am nervous and uneasy and don‘t dare to sleep. That‘s why I chose this audiobook. I feel really bad. I am not very religious but if prayers ever helped I will be heart-felt thankful for everybody willing to send good wishes for health.

I‘m a day behind, but I loved the idea of #adventrecommends so I‘m doing a two-for today! A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is my all time favorite and The Tender Bar is right up there. I love New York settings so much!

Pretty good.

#spotlightgiveaway

A book I think needs to be in the spotlight for more Littens to read is The Tender Bar. It is an all-time favorite that I have read at least 3x. It‘s a poignant coming of age story dealing with masculinity, drinking, New York, and best of all...BOOKS! I love it, and know that littens will, too!

Congrats, @BarbaraBB on your milestone!

These are just a few of my #unforgettable books. Though I don‘t have the print copies handy at the moment for a photo, I would add A Man Called Ove, Between Shades of Gray, and The Nightingale to this list. #decdays

"While I fear that we're drawn to what abandons us, and to what seems most likely to abandon us, in the end I believe we're defined by what embraces us."

One of my favorite #quotable books. #spookyoctober

I ordered this #signed book and the bookseller sent me one that was not signed. When I complained they just said "you can send the book back." That's it. Just that. They didn't even address me in the email. So, after another email about how that didn't solve the problem of me not getting what I ordered, they have finally sent me this. Poor customer service, but I am happy to put this on my shelf!

Ci andavamo per ogni nostro bisogno. Quando avevamo sete, naturalmente, e fame, e quand'eravamo stanchi morti. Ci andavamo se eravamo felici, per festeggiare, e quand'eravamo tristi, per tenere il broncio. #thetenderbar

Growing up with an absent father, JR learned to be a man from a group of surrogate #fathers at the bar where his Uncle Charlie worked in Manhasset, NY. This coming of age story is beautifully written, poignant, and memorable. Since JR grew up to be a writer, it is also full of bookish moments as well. It is one of my all-time favorites. #junebookbugs

Waiting on a new friend, drinking a delicious g&t, and swooning over the language in this book. Living the dream.

This book has been with me for almost ten years, three states, and five moves. Better late than never on finally starting it, right? Am only about ten pages in and I am already in love. I just really dig the "regular person memoir" genre.

#readjanuary

I don't often read #autobiography and if I do I get them from the library. Instead here are some memoirs from my shelves.

#readjanuary #publishedinthe2000s
I've had TWO exes in two days text me out of the clear blue, both asking for book recs. I blame the full moon/icepocolypse. I recommended this for both men, for different reasons. It's compelling and amazing, but one of these men grew up w/o a bio dad and has a drinking problem, so it has messages he can relate to. The writing is very masculine, but also beautiful. I may need to re-read again!

"People just don't understand how many men it takes to build one good man. Next time you're in Manhattan and you see one of those mighty skyscrapers going up, pay attention to how many men are engaged in the enterprise. It takes just as many men to build a sturdy man, son, as it does to build a tower."

"The indefatigable pursuit of an unattainable perfection, even though it consist in nothing more than in the pounding of an old piano, is what alone gives a meaning to our life on this unavailing star."
--Logan Pearsall Smith

"The fascination of what's difficult has dried the sap out of my veins and rent spontaneous joy and natural content out of my heart." --W. B. Yeats