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Grinders Corner
Grinders Corner explores the world of taxi dance halls in the 1960s in all its raw hilarity. Saucy, sassy and sexy, but not the least bit erotic, it follows the adventures of three young women trying to survive in the glitter palaces of Los Angeles.
Like lambs led to the slaughter, Uptown, a newly divorced English major with panic anxiety disorder and no job skills, Voluptua, an out of work actress, and Mouse, a former child star trying to make a comeback all struggle to make enough tickets to pay the bills. Things get complicated when Uptown falls in love with a customer who happens to be a priest.
In Grinders Corner it was a simpler time, long before gentlemen’s clubs and pole dancers, and it happened in a place where shy, lonely men could talk to women, even dance with them, with no fear of rejection—for about fifteen cents a minute.
Like lambs led to the slaughter, Uptown, a newly divorced English major with panic anxiety disorder and no job skills, Voluptua, an out of work actress, and Mouse, a former child star trying to make a comeback all struggle to make enough tickets to pay the bills. Things get complicated when Uptown falls in love with a customer who happens to be a priest.
In Grinders Corner it was a simpler time, long before gentlemen’s clubs and pole dancers, and it happened in a place where shy, lonely men could talk to women, even dance with them, with no fear of rejection—for about fifteen cents a minute.
368 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 25, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
March 2, 2018
What do you do when you’re newly-divorced, broke, have no job skills, and although you live in Los Angeles, are too anxious to drive on the freeway? That’s the dilemma facing the heroine of Grinder’s Corner, a fictionalized memoir by Ferris H. Craig and Charlene Keel.
Working as a “Beautiful Hostess” at the Romanceland dance hall in gritty downtown LA isn’t exactly the oldest profession, but it’s not that many steps away, either. Uptown (as she is christened by her friends Mouse and Voluptua) endures sweaty bodies, bad breath, wandering hands, constant lewd propositions, and the occasional frottage orgasm as her customers grind themselves against some random body part, all for the princely sum of fifteen cents per minute. It’s a difficult job, not one anyone would choose, but Uptown doesn’t think she has a choice.
Then she falls in love with one of her customers, a handsome, polite, normal-seeming guy—who turns out to be a straying Catholic father. As if her life isn’t complicated enough!
Grinder’s Corner is surprising, entertaining and very smoothly written. Uptown’s educated but somewhat clueless voice dominates the book, while Mouse’s fractured fairy tales and Voluptua’s flamboyant sexuality provide comic relief. Probably the best part of the book is Uptown’s tortured relationship with Don the Priest. Although he’s attractive, clean, shy rather than pushy, and truly loves her, in many ways he’s not that different from the members of the Other Species who haunt the dance halls. Like them, he’s lonely, horny, tends to take women for granted, and feels that his own life and career come first.
The pain he puts Uptown through made me ache in sympathy. Still, she changes and matures in response to the travails of her love affair, growing in confidence and letting go of some of her anxiety. One can only hope that soon she’ll figure out that she has control over her life, that Romanceland or its ilk is not her only option.
I have one criticism of the book. It is set in late sixties southern California, but to me conveyed almost no sense of the time or the place. Aside from the lack of cell phones, and the fact that dance halls are long gone, Grinder’s Corner might have been a contemporary story. The nineteen sixties were tumultuous, garish, troubled, conflicted, wild. There were urban riots and men walking on the moon. None of this ferment comes through in the book. There are few if any period details: no teased hair styles or go-go boots, no hippies or pigs. This isn’t the sixties I lived through.
However, there’s a lot of irony, humor and warmth in this book. I gather from the conclusion that it’s based on real life experiences. Nineteen sixty nine was a long time ago. Perhaps some of the environmental details have faded, but clearly the memories of the job itself are still vivid and powerful.
Working as a “Beautiful Hostess” at the Romanceland dance hall in gritty downtown LA isn’t exactly the oldest profession, but it’s not that many steps away, either. Uptown (as she is christened by her friends Mouse and Voluptua) endures sweaty bodies, bad breath, wandering hands, constant lewd propositions, and the occasional frottage orgasm as her customers grind themselves against some random body part, all for the princely sum of fifteen cents per minute. It’s a difficult job, not one anyone would choose, but Uptown doesn’t think she has a choice.
Then she falls in love with one of her customers, a handsome, polite, normal-seeming guy—who turns out to be a straying Catholic father. As if her life isn’t complicated enough!
Grinder’s Corner is surprising, entertaining and very smoothly written. Uptown’s educated but somewhat clueless voice dominates the book, while Mouse’s fractured fairy tales and Voluptua’s flamboyant sexuality provide comic relief. Probably the best part of the book is Uptown’s tortured relationship with Don the Priest. Although he’s attractive, clean, shy rather than pushy, and truly loves her, in many ways he’s not that different from the members of the Other Species who haunt the dance halls. Like them, he’s lonely, horny, tends to take women for granted, and feels that his own life and career come first.
The pain he puts Uptown through made me ache in sympathy. Still, she changes and matures in response to the travails of her love affair, growing in confidence and letting go of some of her anxiety. One can only hope that soon she’ll figure out that she has control over her life, that Romanceland or its ilk is not her only option.
I have one criticism of the book. It is set in late sixties southern California, but to me conveyed almost no sense of the time or the place. Aside from the lack of cell phones, and the fact that dance halls are long gone, Grinder’s Corner might have been a contemporary story. The nineteen sixties were tumultuous, garish, troubled, conflicted, wild. There were urban riots and men walking on the moon. None of this ferment comes through in the book. There are few if any period details: no teased hair styles or go-go boots, no hippies or pigs. This isn’t the sixties I lived through.
However, there’s a lot of irony, humor and warmth in this book. I gather from the conclusion that it’s based on real life experiences. Nineteen sixty nine was a long time ago. Perhaps some of the environmental details have faded, but clearly the memories of the job itself are still vivid and powerful.
March 8, 2018
It’s difficult to describe this book but not because it isn’t well-written or enjoyable. It’s almost a history lesson full of really good laughs. It was sexy yet sexy with a big dose of sarcasm. Girls (I use the term to match the times) laughing at society and laughing just to get through the job. Though fictional, I would imagine it was pretty close to realistic concerning taxi dancers and dance halls. While I didn’t live during the time they were big, I can sure remember my mom singing “Ten cents a dance” written because of taxi dancers, or “dime a dance girls” as she called them. Taxi dance halls were at their heyday in the early 20th Century, basically 1920 through 1930. Taxi dancers did resurface in the 60’s, which is the setting of this book.
There is some very colorful language in the book. Personally I thought it fit the story line but if you are offended by such language you should check the book out before you buy it. However…remember that taxi dance halls were for guys of all kinds to buy a ticket to dance with a girl. Since many of the men were those that couldn’t get a dance with a girl other than having to pay for it, you can probably imagine what those poor girls had to deal with. Then again, it was a living.
As I said, this was a funny book. The girls were hilarious, talking through their nights and their woes and of course, their love life. Each character was vividly described and defined. An unusual subject written in an unusual style in a book I thoroughly enjoyed.
There is some very colorful language in the book. Personally I thought it fit the story line but if you are offended by such language you should check the book out before you buy it. However…remember that taxi dance halls were for guys of all kinds to buy a ticket to dance with a girl. Since many of the men were those that couldn’t get a dance with a girl other than having to pay for it, you can probably imagine what those poor girls had to deal with. Then again, it was a living.
As I said, this was a funny book. The girls were hilarious, talking through their nights and their woes and of course, their love life. Each character was vividly described and defined. An unusual subject written in an unusual style in a book I thoroughly enjoyed.
March 6, 2018
I have to say, I loved this book! The blurb says it all - three young women, Uptown, Voluptua, and Mouse, are working in a dance hall to pay their bills. Each woman has a story to tell in a unique, captivating voice. The story is told mainly from the point of view of Uptown; however, it is based on the life of author Ferris Craig (Mouse!). That added a lot of depth to the already incredible story.
Most of the tale revolves around the men that come to the dance hall. Some of the men are just lonely for conversation, others are looking for love. Still others are only interested in a quickie with no strings attached - but that's not what's supposed to happen. The dances are timed, and the man pays per minute (15 cents!). I never knew this sort of thing existed, so it was a real eye-opener. In a time where women were not expected to work and were often under-educated and ill-prepared for life - what could they do to earn a living? It's hard to set a time period on the book - it's supposed to be the late sixties, but it feels both older and more modern. And the title of the book, "Grinder's Corner"? Well - the men were supposed to just dance and act like gentlemen, but some of them had other things in mind. The far, out-of-sight corner in the dance hall was nicknamed "Grinder's Corner" and you can imagine why! Saucy and sexy, Grinder's Corner is a fun, interesting read!
Most of the tale revolves around the men that come to the dance hall. Some of the men are just lonely for conversation, others are looking for love. Still others are only interested in a quickie with no strings attached - but that's not what's supposed to happen. The dances are timed, and the man pays per minute (15 cents!). I never knew this sort of thing existed, so it was a real eye-opener. In a time where women were not expected to work and were often under-educated and ill-prepared for life - what could they do to earn a living? It's hard to set a time period on the book - it's supposed to be the late sixties, but it feels both older and more modern. And the title of the book, "Grinder's Corner"? Well - the men were supposed to just dance and act like gentlemen, but some of them had other things in mind. The far, out-of-sight corner in the dance hall was nicknamed "Grinder's Corner" and you can imagine why! Saucy and sexy, Grinder's Corner is a fun, interesting read!
September 14, 2017
This was quite a unique read and one I genuinely enjoyed reading, as it is very tongue-in-cheek and full of lovely little anecdotes. It has a good, lightish story that tells of three women in a very different time, just trying to get by and get through life, whilst having a wide variety of issues that allow hilarity to ensue.
I loved the three ladies we directed toward, as they are the epitome of a woman’s fear, in that they have reached a point in life where they had hoped and expected life to be sorted and hopefully a good deal easier, and instead it all went tits up and they are trying to find the best way to navigate the new storm.
The pace is gentle enough to give you time to take in the story, as well as enjoy the comedy, but still moves swift enough to feel real and very lifelike, in the way the problems and hurdles approach them. You truly felt the roll with the punches sort of speed and it matched the story and comedy well.
Overall, this was a great little read and really gave me a good few giggles. It is definitely one to look out for, if you are wanting something lighter and are in need of chilling out.
**I received and arc and chose to provide my honest review.
I loved the three ladies we directed toward, as they are the epitome of a woman’s fear, in that they have reached a point in life where they had hoped and expected life to be sorted and hopefully a good deal easier, and instead it all went tits up and they are trying to find the best way to navigate the new storm.
The pace is gentle enough to give you time to take in the story, as well as enjoy the comedy, but still moves swift enough to feel real and very lifelike, in the way the problems and hurdles approach them. You truly felt the roll with the punches sort of speed and it matched the story and comedy well.
Overall, this was a great little read and really gave me a good few giggles. It is definitely one to look out for, if you are wanting something lighter and are in need of chilling out.
**I received and arc and chose to provide my honest review.
June 29, 2018
“If someone had told me I’d meet a charming guy, fall wildly in love with him and get my heart broken—in that order—all in a period of 6 months, and that this all-consuming love affair would take place in and around the environs of a dance hall, I would have thought they were putting me on. But that’s exactly what happened.”
Once upon a time there was a newly divorced girl that answered an ad to be a dance hall girl. Given the nickname of Uptown, she is befriended by two others who go by Mouse and Voluptua. These young women, known as The Terrible Trio, are doing what needs to be done to pay the bills, and somewhere along the way, Uptown finds love in the most unlikely of places. Grinder’s Corner is a peek into the not so glamorous life of being a dance hall girl in the 60’s. Uptown’s story is full of wit, snark, cynicism and as with all other aspects of life, heartbreak. A wonderfully written story this reader highly recommends! I honestly can’t remember when I laughed so hard while reading a book! So what are you waiting for? Go snag this book and put on your red shoes and dance like nobody or maybe everybody (depending on your kink) is watching!
Once upon a time there was a newly divorced girl that answered an ad to be a dance hall girl. Given the nickname of Uptown, she is befriended by two others who go by Mouse and Voluptua. These young women, known as The Terrible Trio, are doing what needs to be done to pay the bills, and somewhere along the way, Uptown finds love in the most unlikely of places. Grinder’s Corner is a peek into the not so glamorous life of being a dance hall girl in the 60’s. Uptown’s story is full of wit, snark, cynicism and as with all other aspects of life, heartbreak. A wonderfully written story this reader highly recommends! I honestly can’t remember when I laughed so hard while reading a book! So what are you waiting for? Go snag this book and put on your red shoes and dance like nobody or maybe everybody (depending on your kink) is watching!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews