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(More customer reviews)Mr. McDonald vividly describes the unique world of Elaine's, an iconic bar and restaurant in the Big Apple. But that's not all he describes in this hard to categorize Memoir. The book is a redemption story. And it's a celebration of a place that will probably never be equaled for its longevity and its sheer glamor. In addition, Mr. McDonald has written a most sensitive and compelling portrait of Elaine Kaufman. Ms Kaufman has always been enigmatic even to the people closest to her and the people that have previously written about her. McDonald enables us to see the strength, fragility and vulnerability of this complex and enormously successful "Queen of New York." She is just human after all. However, the most significant aspect of 'Last Call at Elaine's' is the author's portrayal of his own alcoholism and the concomitant and destructive denial that all alcoholics must have in abundance to keep doing what they do. There is nothing trite, maudlin or sensational about the way McDonald describes this insidious disease. I feel richly rewarded for the sleep I lost staying up to read this book. I am glad McDonald took Elaine's advice to 'Just tell the Story.'
Click Here to see more reviews about: Last Call at Elaine's: A Journey from One Side of the Bar to the Other
Brian McDonald was a few years sober when he took a job as bartender at the renowned Elaine's restaurant on Second Avenue at 88th street in Manhattan. During his eleven years at Elaine's, he saw, served, and overheard many famous customers, from Woody Allen to Kurt Vonnegut to Mick Jaggar. He also developed a unique friendship with Elaine herself. Last Call At Elaine’s is an intimate look at the well-known and beloved restaurant, its owner, and its famous literary and luminary clientele.At the same time, McDonald’s memoir is the deeply personal story of how a bartender became a writer, fell off the wagon and got back on, and found himself through the window of a very famous restaurant. Last Call at Elaine's is Brian McDonald's colorful and sensitively drawn memoir of drinking, serving, writing, and finding his way out from behind the bar.
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