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The Bar Studs
In the "Anything Goes" era of the 1970s, Manhattan's stunning nightlife is seen through the eyes of six bartenders:
• Adrian, whose establishment provides whatever high anyone may be looking for
• Johnny, whose good looks the wild young women he serves find irresistible
• Leo, master of the East Side pick-up joint where everyone finds a partner except Leo himself
• Teddy, star bartender at a Village gay bar simmering with pent-up violence
• Jake, a Bowery holdout whose cynicism is a deadlier weapon than any gun
• Houlihan, who sees nightly the ugly underbelly of high society from his perch behind the bar of the Plaza Hotel's fashionable Oak Room
This new edition of the cult classic from Len Levinson — heralded as a "trash genius" by Paperback Fanatic magazine — features an all-new afterword by the author.
"Tough as they come but surprisingly well done."
— Publishers Weekly
• Adrian, whose establishment provides whatever high anyone may be looking for
• Johnny, whose good looks the wild young women he serves find irresistible
• Leo, master of the East Side pick-up joint where everyone finds a partner except Leo himself
• Teddy, star bartender at a Village gay bar simmering with pent-up violence
• Jake, a Bowery holdout whose cynicism is a deadlier weapon than any gun
• Houlihan, who sees nightly the ugly underbelly of high society from his perch behind the bar of the Plaza Hotel's fashionable Oak Room
This new edition of the cult classic from Len Levinson — heralded as a "trash genius" by Paperback Fanatic magazine — features an all-new afterword by the author.
"Tough as they come but surprisingly well done."
— Publishers Weekly
239 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2013
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
June 11, 2023
This book was originally published in 1976 by Fawcett Gold Medal under the pen name Leonard Jordan. Levinson wrote a total of 86 novels under 22 pen names. As a bonus, Levinson includes an
autobiographical tale about how he followed his dream and struggled to make it as a writer and a short piece on meeting John Lennon. Both bonuses are worthwhile, but I wouldn't buy the book just for that.
The book is called " Bar Studs" and it's a series of stories about six or seven New York City bartenders. One runs a bar that carries his name but is owned by his girlfriend who doesn't take too kindly to his bedding the waitress. Another runs a bar in the Bowery and barely tolerates the bums who are his customers, chasing some out with a crowbar. Another bartender goes home with a hot number that shows an interest in him and pawns her jewelry the next day. One bartender works a gay bar and also dates his customers. Another works in a snazzy uptown joint and befriends his wealthy clients. Yet another can't seem to get a date and offers a customer down on her luck a spare bedroom, hoping he will get lucky. The book is not for children. It contains sex, drugs, booze, and violence. It's the 70s and anything goes and there are one night stands, threesomes, cocaine use, and scenes reminiscent of Kit Tolliver's actions. Of course, when bartending doesn't work out, some of our guys turn to becoming drug dealers and mafia hitmen, but, again, it is the seventies.
On one level, it's an exploitation book with tawdry details, but on another level Levinson manages to create authentic portraits of these characters and their lives. You get a real feel for the era. It's not just schlock. And, it's fast reading.
autobiographical tale about how he followed his dream and struggled to make it as a writer and a short piece on meeting John Lennon. Both bonuses are worthwhile, but I wouldn't buy the book just for that.
The book is called " Bar Studs" and it's a series of stories about six or seven New York City bartenders. One runs a bar that carries his name but is owned by his girlfriend who doesn't take too kindly to his bedding the waitress. Another runs a bar in the Bowery and barely tolerates the bums who are his customers, chasing some out with a crowbar. Another bartender goes home with a hot number that shows an interest in him and pawns her jewelry the next day. One bartender works a gay bar and also dates his customers. Another works in a snazzy uptown joint and befriends his wealthy clients. Yet another can't seem to get a date and offers a customer down on her luck a spare bedroom, hoping he will get lucky. The book is not for children. It contains sex, drugs, booze, and violence. It's the 70s and anything goes and there are one night stands, threesomes, cocaine use, and scenes reminiscent of Kit Tolliver's actions. Of course, when bartending doesn't work out, some of our guys turn to becoming drug dealers and mafia hitmen, but, again, it is the seventies.
On one level, it's an exploitation book with tawdry details, but on another level Levinson manages to create authentic portraits of these characters and their lives. You get a real feel for the era. It's not just schlock. And, it's fast reading.
Displaying 1 of 1 review