The Bar Stories: A Novel After All

by Nisa Donnelly

On a nondescript street somewhere in San Francisco sits Babe's bar, a legendary place where women who love women come to celebrate, to dry their tears, to spin dreams, and, every once in a while, to have their dreams come true.

The Bar Stories presents a panoramic view of the lesbian nation, and celebrates lesbian survival in a world more often hostile than tolerant. These stories are about women whom life hasn't been able to beat and so, grudgingly, respects. "We're respectable," Babe Daniels says, "because we survived...and we survived because we knew how to kick ass."

Genres: Lesbian, Fiction, Queer, LGBT, Lesbian Fiction, Short Stories, Romance

368 pages, Paperback

Published November 15, 1989

Reviews

[Maija]

Was okay some chapters were so weird though. Like randomly a chapter about vampires, and then one about a cat so pretty odd.

[Chere]

The book collects several stories with lesbian protagonists, all connected by the thread of Babe's bar. Some were better for me than others; my favorite parts were those about Babe and Sharon. I didn't very much like the vampire part, however; I thought it suddenly strayed into different territory. Overall, the book was an interesting read, giving one a look into lesbian life -- their loves, their troubles, their triumphs.

[Mars G.]

Overall, I enjoyed this book and I liked how the different stories were segmented but all entwined. There were some... interesting story decisions (incest vampire?) but overall it was enjoyable, if dense at times.

[Emma]

This took me 4 months to read but seeing as I don’t usually finish books i’m calling it a win. I wasn’t following the vampire chapter but fuck if i know it was probably a metaphor for something. I found this in a used bookstore in the gayborhood so checks, overall a decent read I am happy.

[Vyu]

9%. A little too old school enough to be boring unfortunately

[Taylor Ann Marie]

Love. Sex. Cheating. Death. Vampires. Roller Derby. Softball.

I got this book second from an Out Of The Closet thrift store, and it blew my socks off. Babe was incredibly charming, I'd easily read another book about her. I also liked Kate, Sharon, and Matty. Some stories aren't as strong as others in here, but most of them are amazing. Makes me a little sad communities like this are dying.