The Tender Bar: A Memoir
by J.R. Moehringer. (Hyperion books, 2005)
Rating: 4 out of 5
The Tender Bar is an autobiography of a young
boy growing up in Manhasset. JR spent his
childhood listening to Sinatra, exercising his
fascination with vocabulary and tuning the dial
of his radio searching for the voice of his
father, a disk jockey. Never having met him,
JR's father left when he was young and despite
the close relationship with his mother, the
absence left JR craving male attention.

He eventually finds this male companionship in
his Uncle Charlie. Accompanying his uncle to
the bar where he works, JR finds all the male
influence he could want along with a
captivation for the stories he hears there. As
time passes on, JR grows up, is accepted into
an Ivy League college for journalism, lands a
job and meets an attractive girl. But as
opportune as his life seems to be, JR becomes a
fixture at the bar learning the unwritten rules
of tavern etiquette while his life begins to
pass by him. The Tender Bar is a touching story
of young JR and the life changing decisions he
must make.

The award winning author's depiction of the
inner mind of a child and the daily portrayal
of his own struggles is astounding. The unique
characters are well drawn and they help to
craft a distinctive setting. It's no surprise
the author wrote this memoir after being
surrounded by such a diverse community with
such remarkable stories.

Review by Erin Gurry
Copia Magazine
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