Buster Midnight's Cafe

by Sandra Dallas

May Anna Kovacks was discovered on the dustry streets of Butte, Montana and went on to become a Hollywood star. War, fame, marriage, love, and heartbreak came and went. What never changed was the bond she shared with her two best friends, Effa Commander and Whippy Bird. When scandal, murder, and betrayal made a legend of May Anna, only Effa and Whippy Bird could set the record straight.

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Book Club, Mystery, Historical, Adult Fiction, Friendship

286 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1990

About the author

Award-winning author SANDRA DALLAS was dubbed “a quintessential American voice” by Jane Smiley, in Vogue Magazine. Sandra’s novels with their themes of loyalty, friendship, and human dignity have been translated into a dozen foreign languages and have been optioned for films.

A journalism graduate of the University of Denver, Sandra began her writing career as a reporter with Business Week. A staff member for twenty-five years (and the magazine’s first female bureau chief,) she covered the Rocky Mountain region, writing about everything from penny-stock scandals to hard-rock mining, western energy development to contemporary polygamy. Many of her experiences have been incorporated into her novels.

While a reporter, she began writing the first of ten nonfiction books. They include Sacred Paint, which won the National Cowboy Hall of Fame Western Heritage Wrangler Award, and The Quilt That Walked to Golden, recipient of the Independent Publishers Assn. Benjamin Franklin Award.

Turning to fiction in 1990, Sandra has published eight novels, including Prayers For Sale. Sandra is the recipient of the Women Writing the West Willa Award for New Mercies, and two-time winner of the Western Writers of America Spur Award, for The Chili Queen and Tallgrass. In addition, she was a finalist for the Colorado Book Award, the Mountain and Plains Booksellers Assn. Award, and a four-time finalist for the Women Writing the West Willa Award.

The mother of two daughters—Dana is an attorney in New Orleans and Povy is a photographer in Golden, Colorado—Sandra lives in Denver with her husband, Bob.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/sandra...

Reviews

[Taury · Rating 3 out of 5]

Buster’s Midnight Cafe by Sandra Dallas. I have to say this is not Sandra Dallas’ better books. I have to laugh at some of the names such as Effie Commander, Whippy Bird, and Moon. Sounds like names from the 60’s vs the 40’s. The book kisses husband’s goodbye as they leave for WW2. Best friends Effie Commander, Whippy Bird and May Anna. May Anna went on to become famous in Hollywood. Husband’s didn’t come home One birthed a boy -Moon and the other Maybird. The story intertwines with love romance fame and death.

[Debbie Zapata · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dec 12, 9am ~~ Review asap.

Dec 12, noon ~~ This book was one of those impulse buys I come across so often at Thriftbooks. I had never heard of this author but the title and summary caught my attention so into the cart it went.

The characters are wonderful: Whippy Bird, Effie Commander, Buster McKnight (known in the boxing world as Buster Midnight), Toney McKnight (Buster's brother and manager) and Marion Street, the movie star who began life as May Anna Kovaks in Butte Montana.

It is a quirky story, and I admit it took me a chapter or so to adapt to Effie Commander's narration style. The idea is that in their Golden Years Effie Commander and Whippy Bird decide to tell the complete and true backstory about May Anna (and the scandal). Mostly because they are tired of a certain outsider-turned-local writer who thinks he knows it all.

But the story is not just about May Anna. We get to know the town of Butte, the relationships between our gang and other children in the town (and how those relationships changed as they all grew up) and we peek into the worlds of boxing and Hollywood. But mostly we see the strength of the bond between our three women: through thick and thin, good times and bad, highs and lows, the friendship never falters. They are friends for life. How many of us in the real world have managed such a feat?

I enjoyed the book, cried here and there, and cheered for Effie Commander at the end. And of course I went exploring the author's page at Thriftbooks and ordered another novel for myself and a non-fiction about quilts to give to Mom. So I think I can safely say that this impulse buy was a success!

[Jaime · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'll be returning to the Sandra Dallas section in the library after reading this one, my first of her novels.

I loved the voice of Effa Commander and, through her, Whippy Bird's inputs. Characters' lives, locations, and immediate surroundings felt fully fleshed out; I could imagine going into Effa Commander's kitchen, pulling open a drawer, and actually finding silverware. The rich combination of characters and storytelling is what made this book wholly satisfying, but the ending was really rewarding. It doesn't often happen, but when the last paragraph rolled around, I knew immediately how I wanted it to end and how it "should" end, and Sandra Dallas couldn't have written it any better than she did.

[Marleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was by happenstance that I came across a few reviews of Sandra Dallas books, and I liked what I read. Another total coincidence is that I actually picked her first book written in1990 to start with.
I will admit that her style is a bit reminiscent of Fannie Flagg or Billie Letts, both authors I utterly adore.
Buster Midnight’s Café is indeed very sweet, compelling, funny, melancholic and charming. It’s the story of three friends from the time they were very young children (in the 1920ies) to their old age (in the 1990ies) but more importantly the reason why and what brings the narrator (Effa Commander) to write down “their story” at the advanced age of 75.
It’s not so much the content of these pages that are earth-shattering (one – May Anna Kovaks becomes a famous movie star, known as Marion Street) while Whippy Bird and Effa Commander stay in the copper-mining city of Butte, Montana. During all that time their friendship remains unwavering. What is so special about this book is the narrative style; it’s simple and quirky, but absolutely engaging and sweet. As a reader you can’t stay unmoved by what life brings their way because it’s told in the most honest and disarming way. I was moved to tears when these two brave ladies lose their husbands Pink and Chick while fighting overseas in WWII.
I am certainly going to re-read this one because there’s so much more you understand coming to the conclusion, and there will be even more pleasure reading it a second time around. For me this book is about simple people who lead extra-ordinary lives doing nothing more than the most ordinary things.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hesitate to label this book "amazing," but I'm giving it five stars because it is SUCH a charming read and an excellent story about the power of friendship. Sandra Dallas is a pro at developing characters, and these characters were quirky and lovable and totally "Montana." Having lived in Butte for 4 years of my life, I was impressed with how well the author captured the atmosphere and peculiar charm of the place.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read a lot of books--in fact I read all day long for a living--and it takes a lot to stir me to tears--this book did that. Sandra Dallas's characters truly touch me. She is one of the best at characterization writing today--I loved this novel and want Whippy Bird and Effa Commander to be my best friends, too!

[alisonwonderland (Alison) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been wanting to read Sandra Dallas for a long time, so I was eager to get to this one for the October meeting with my "book lunch girls." I finished it this rainy Saturday morning while wrapped in a blanket in bed.

I think I started the book with a misconception. Sue, who picked this month's book, had said we needed some lighter reading than we'd had recently, and she called the narrator "hilarious." My fourteen-year-old daughter, who read the book before I got to it, also said the book was "funny." As I started reading, however, although I found the characters to be fun and quirky - especially the names of Effa Commander and Whippy Bird - I wasn't finding the story to be at all funny. Poverty, prostitution, cancer, even boxing, are not light topics. Even the theme of friendship is one that I find more meaningful than light-hearted. (I looked up "light-hearted" in the dictionary: "Not being burdened by trouble, worry, or care; happy and carefree.") While friendship can, at times, be happy and carefree, I prefer relationships that are occasionally burdened by trouble, worry, and care - and the friendship of May Anna, Effa, and Whippy is certainly one with burdens.

I was about halfway through the book when I decided that it wasn't a light-hearted book and that I should just continue reading it through my personal worldview. Once that happened, I enjoyed the book a whole lot more. The power of friendship to sustain people through war, loss, and death. The ability of friends to come together to support and strengthen one another. The importance of assuming the best of those we love and seeing the good in them. Those are all themes I found in the novel. Dallas does a good job of exploring them through the lives and relationships of fun, quirky characters with an interesting and compelling storyline. I look forward to reading more of her work!

There is one aspect of the book that really bugged me. Effa Commander, the narrator of the story, frequently uses bad grammar - especially "me and ..." as the subject of a sentence. I understand that this was supposed to give the reader a sense of who Effa is, and while I accept that she is uneducated and unpretentious, her use of words in other ways is so beautiful and so effective that these instances of bad grammar grated on my nerves.

[Melinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

As if character names such as Effa Commander and Whippy Bird alone do not merit a reading of this novel, the scandals, true friendships and portrayal of Butte,Montana just might. This novel elaborates on the melodrama-esque nature of early Hollywood as May Anna Kovaks, now Marion Street, finds her stride as an up and coming cinema celebrity, all while her best friends, Effa Commander and Whippy Bird follow her rise to fame from their quiet corner in Butte.
I liked how true and lasting the friendship of the "unholy three" really was - through thick and thin, meaty and lean. I listened to this book, and narrator Cynthia Darlow epitomized the heart, language and hick-like dialect that this book portrays. She was a perfect voice for Effa Commander and made the story flow and come alive.

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a find! Sandra Dallas is a wonderful, authentic American writer. I like her as much as Billie Letts. I can't figure out where she comes up with the names of her characters - but I love them, especially Effa Commander and Whippy Bird.

I am still reading this book, but I know when I finish it I will have that forlorn feeling of losing my best friends.

Seek this one out, and enjoy!

[Carole P. Roman · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I started Buster's Midnight Cafe, I didn't know if I would enjoy it. I found the characters just a bit on the corny side, like an old Andy Griffith show. I love Sandra Dallas and prefer the nineteenth century frontier she usually writes about. I pushed though the beginning, curious about where she was headed and ended up wishing the book would not end. Whippy Bird, Buster Midnight, Effa Commander, May Anna, Pink and Chick all became my friends as well. Their genuineness, loyalty, depth of character reawakened a simpler time,when people said what they meant and meant what they said. The story follows a group of friends born in the mining town of Butte Montana during the depression. Specifically, it traces the deep friendship of Whippy Bird, Effa Commander, and May Anna as their roots of their relationship grow deeply entwining with each other, their branches grow in different direction. Whippy Bird and Effa marry and stay in Butte, while May Anna seeks fame and fortune in Hollywood. There are twists and turns, tragedy, even a murder, yet the friendship stays strong in a unbreakable bond. This was a delightful book, reminding us that when we love a friend unconditionally, the greatest gift returned is when they love you back with equal intensity.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/B

[Joni · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Audio book is certainly enjoyable to listen to and Effa Commander is quite a character. The ending was so perfect. I highly recommend listening to this Sandra Dallas story!

[Amie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Any book you can finish in a day and then feel surprised that the day has passed and the book is over deserves 5 stars.

I’m a big fan of Sandra Dallas. I love that she writes female characters who are REAL. Vulnerable and flawed and tough and messy, but not doormats. I love that she includes so much “local color” (if you’ve read the book you’ll get the reference). I love that her books make me laugh, cry, get angry, and cheer. This one definitely lived up to my expectations.

3 young girls, best of friends, but one is always different. Her childhood is different, her plans are different, and in the end her entire adult life is very different. She becomes a famous movie star. The other 2 stay home and become housewives. Tragedy strikes again and again. All three have their moments of horror and of triumph. Through it all, despite some major trials and with careful consideration, they remain true to each other.

More than anything, this is a story of friendship.

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think Sandra Dallas is my new favorite author! I love the quirky characters and their goodness. She adds a little mystery and a lot of humor. The storyline for this book takes place in Butte, Montana before during and after WWII. It's about three childhood friends, the "Unholy Three" and the path their lives follow from childhood to senior citizens.

[Connietrue Simons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seriously one of the best books I've read in a long time. I expected nothing from the title and, dare I say, the cover, but was so surprised. Had a narrative flavor reminiscent of Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe, and not because they both mention cafes in the title. Made me laugh and cry out loud. To me, that is the mark of a good book..

[Dianna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the fourth book I’ve read by this author and boy, it was tough getting into. At first. With names like Whippy Bird, Effa Commander and May Anna, it took me longer to read. You try saying those names in every other sentence because Every character uses them a lot! They are best friends and call themselves the Unholy Trio. We follow their lives (and their friends’ lives) from kindergarten to well into their 80’s. After the slow start, I was immersed in their stories.

[Leslie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well written in the strong voice of a woman telling about the complicated and unique lives of her friends during the mid-2oth century. Sweet, funny and interesting as the story travels from Butte, Montana to New York and Hollywood.

[Jenna Plump · Rating 3 out of 5]

I gave this book 3 stars because it was cute for what it was. I had low expectations since it’s a book I found at a library sale, and it was about what I expected. It a charming story about best friends and their life together. The “scandal, murder, and betrayal” that was noted in the blurb didn’t happen until 80% of the way through so it was a slow build.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book, although I think part of that is that my mother was from Butte, Montana, where the book is set. The narrator's voice is so perfect, and the telling of the story so captures Butte's unique atmosphere, that it almost felt as if I were listening to my mother tell the story.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had the hardest time getting into this book. I’m not sure why, but I really enjoyed it once I did. Effa Commander and Buster were my favorite characters. One thing is certain, I abhorred the characters’ names. Toney had the only normal name. Such weird names. They distracted me throughout the entire book. 3 1/2 stars rounded up.

[Jan Polep · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, if Fannie Flagg and Kent Haruf got married and had a book, this would be it. Three girls from a small town in Montana form a friendship that knits together growing up, staying put, moving on, and growing old. Toss in national events, economic problems, Hollywood, and murder and it's a keeper of a story.

[Margaret · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've enjoyed other Sandra Dallas books more ("The Persian Pickle Club" in particular) - this one is a slighter effort and one that never gains as much heft as her other titles, and since, in truth, her books aren't of the "hefty" kind, that doesn't really leave much meat on the bone... Although primarily set in Butte, MT, the book falls into the "southern female story of recent vintage with quirky characters" genre (think Ya Ya Sisterhood...), and, personally, I think I'm now done with that genre. The two main characters enjoy the requisite quirky names - Effa Commander (the narrator) and Whippy Bird - and given the first person narration we are of course subjected to dialect with questionable grammar. If well done, this doesn't bother me; however, if I read "me and Whippy Bird" one more time in the context of object pronoun - used at least a half dozen times per page - I was going to scream. Nails on a chalkboard... Beyond that, the story is interesting enough, but suffers from the fact that the main character in this "biographical novel" is off stage for most of the book.

[Mary Helene · Rating 2 out of 5]

WHY do my friends like sappy books? (Or why do I have such a low tolerance for sentiment?) This is Norman Rockwell writ large: a hooker with a heart of gold, a vet with one leg, a sad infant death, a lace of anti-Catholicism to add some edge and lots of getting drunk for fun. The language is cutesy. Sigh. I read it because (a)my friend gave it to me and (b) it was set in Butte but I kept going because (a) the author had an intriguing style of plot uncovering. A surprise sentence always preceded the action. So, for example, "Whippy Bird claimed that she was the one who turned Buster McNight into a fighter."(p.17) One doesn't hear about Buster becoming a fighter for several more chapters. Almost every detail is teased this way. (b) I kept going to figure out what really happened, "the truth." So: if you read the book: what do you think the truth was? I'd be interested in hearing. The core of this story was not sap. It is that question, and that's why I finished the book.

[Coleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have probably owned every one of Sandra Dallas' books over the years and this is the first one I've read. I know I did own it but maybe donated it or maybe it's buried on my shelf. In any case, I checked out the audio book from the library. I listened to it in one day.

I had the pleasure of meeting Ms. Dallas at a book signing last week and was so enchanted by her that I told myself I have to read something by her soon! Mission accomplished!

Buster Midnight's Cafe is a sweet and tangy book about a hometown girl and boy who made it big...but it's so much more. It's about friendships - lifelong friendships. Loyalty and love! I love the matter of fact way the book is narrated by Effa Commander (with side comments by Whippy Bird). You get all of the implications of the more seedy side of life without the actual description and nothing is missing.

Great book and I'm happy I've been stockpiling this great author's works!

[Blaine DeSantis · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great first novel from Sandra Dallas. Loved her setting of Montana, and the nicknames of all the characters. To me it really showed the way things used to be in that era. Everyone striving for a better life. Some went into movies, others athletics, some stayed home.

And things have not changed since then. When you look at todays youth you see the same patterns of people trying to elevate themselves. Some with music, others TV, reality shows, whatever they can do to make it upward in society. So while this book dealt with another era in America, the lessons and stories seems to be parallel to todays society.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Effa Commander and Whippy Bird write the 'true' story of their good friend May Anna Kovacs, who became movie star Marion Street.

Good thing: This book narrated everyday life in a small town perfectly.

Bad thing: I'm not interested in boxing so this portion of the story was not my cup of tea.

This is a warming story of three friends who remain loyal to each other across distance, years, and gulfs of lifestyles. I've enjoyed every Sandra Dallas book I've read (in this order from most liked: Diary of Mattie Spenser, Tall Grass, Persian Pickle Club, Buster Midnight's Café, Quilt for Christmas) and will read more.

[Sherry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sandra Dallas writes the most lifelike warm stories and I have enjoyed reading several of her books lately. When I began this one it seemed a little trite and silly with the names and all. My husband started out his legal career working for Anaconda Copper Corp. and Butte Montana was the center of things other than NYC where we were. Anyway, that kept me reading and I eventually was pulled right in. The characters are so real and it made me feel the friendship and want to see it grow. Charming book. She can tell a tale.

[Gail · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to this on audiobook and really enjoyed it. Part of that had to do with the super job the reader did of inhabiting these characters. It was a spunky, endearing story of female friendship, and I enjoyed listening. It was also a love letter to Butte, Montana, which is more interesting than you might think. Or at least more interesting than I expected.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I truly enjoyed this book so much.
It was a well done STORY.
I hung on to it all----the characters, timeline, the cityscape were all so well done.
You really grew to love, understand & care for the main characters.
I laughed out loud, then turned right around and cried for the next 5 pages.
A very sweet tale of love, war, old Hollywood and life in general.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book with down to earth characters. It takes place in Butte, Montana and Hollywood, CA. 3 women friends since age 5 grow up and while one becomes a movie star legend the ties that bind them together endure through WWII to old age, through love and one single act of violence. Both the female and male characters in this book are strong. Great read.