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Como Flats
Discover a tale of human authenticity told through a sweet-souled alcoholic who means well and sees good in people.
When the residents of Como Flats see Lonnie Klipsen in the same bar, drinking the same beer, telling the same stories, night after night, year after year, they ask themselves, "How can a man with so little lose so much?"
With no close family and no significant other, Lonnie and his longtime roommate Stan, a widow and non-practicing alcoholic whose been on the on the wagon for many years, etch out an obscure corner of Como Flats to live their lives in modest simplicity.
When personal losses hit close to home, Lonnie struggles to process the feelings, cultivate friendships, and search for a place of belonging and love. A colorful cast of characters kaleidoscopes in and out of Lonnie's life, proving the perceived unrequited love of his life wasn't so unrequited after all.
When the residents of Como Flats see Lonnie Klipsen in the same bar, drinking the same beer, telling the same stories, night after night, year after year, they ask themselves, "How can a man with so little lose so much?"
With no close family and no significant other, Lonnie and his longtime roommate Stan, a widow and non-practicing alcoholic whose been on the on the wagon for many years, etch out an obscure corner of Como Flats to live their lives in modest simplicity.
When personal losses hit close to home, Lonnie struggles to process the feelings, cultivate friendships, and search for a place of belonging and love. A colorful cast of characters kaleidoscopes in and out of Lonnie's life, proving the perceived unrequited love of his life wasn't so unrequited after all.
192 pages, Paperback
Published July 18, 2023
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
November 14, 2023
Every once in a while a writer has the wisdom to step outside their front door and realize that each day is story~ with a brilliant cast of characters right in front of them. And so it goes in Como Flats, Mike Dougherty’s debut novel.
Doughety has the ability to see the extraordinary in the Ordinary, because if you look closely enough as he does, the Ordinary is wonderful.
The setting is a ‘rough around the edges’ neighborhoos in St Paul, MN. But you don’t need to be from anywhere near there to appreciate the universal themes brought up in this book.
In one scene, where lifelong friends Max and Lonnie and driving together, Doughtery writes “While driving, two people could talk intensely about intimate subjects with out the need (or awkwardness) to look at one another. So Lonnie could pour his hear out to his captive audience, Max, without betraying the hurt in his eyes.” I appreciate this, as I have the best talks with my young adult kids while driving.
This book is written with the gentle wisdom that comes with the gift of age. Como Flats delivers that with the humor, acceptance, and a healthy amount cynicism. Cheers!
Doughety has the ability to see the extraordinary in the Ordinary, because if you look closely enough as he does, the Ordinary is wonderful.
The setting is a ‘rough around the edges’ neighborhoos in St Paul, MN. But you don’t need to be from anywhere near there to appreciate the universal themes brought up in this book.
In one scene, where lifelong friends Max and Lonnie and driving together, Doughtery writes “While driving, two people could talk intensely about intimate subjects with out the need (or awkwardness) to look at one another. So Lonnie could pour his hear out to his captive audience, Max, without betraying the hurt in his eyes.” I appreciate this, as I have the best talks with my young adult kids while driving.
This book is written with the gentle wisdom that comes with the gift of age. Como Flats delivers that with the humor, acceptance, and a healthy amount cynicism. Cheers!
Displaying 1 of 1 review