The View from Nowhere: The Only Bar Guide You'll Ever Want -- Or Need

by Jim Atkinson

Describes and rates bars and taverns across the United States, and discusses the prerequisites of a good bar

288 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1987

Reviews

[Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

More of a travel memoir than a field guide -- I mean, it was written in the mid-80s, how many of these places are still around? Full of fun facts and drinking advice, this book isolates a specific culture -- watering holes for under-cultured, white, middle-aged guys who want to drink to get away from it all in places the author refers to as bar-bars. The author employs a scoring rubric to quantify his findings at about 100 bars around the U.S. (and one in Mexico), but everything is a bit arbitrary as he breaks all of his own rules. Things he likes: Random crapola on the walls, ceiling, and floor, old farts, pointless conversations, dark rooms, and simple food that doesn't overshadow the drinking (even better, no food). Things he doesn't like: Yuppies, eligible ladies in the place, homosexuals, frou-frou drinks or food, and bars that resemble theme parks or casual dining establishments. The anachronistic tone alternates between refreshing and grating. I found that I enjoyed this book best in moderate doses. Reading only an entry or two made the book feel empty, like reading a review in an old newspaper weekly of a place to which I never plan to go. Reading too much at once made the language seem repetitive, and I felt a bit guilty that I could be reading something better. Recommended for longer-than-average-on-the-can reading or if you take a lot of short rides on public transportation.

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very odd, but interesting way of looking at bars.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked Jim Atkinson's "The View From Nowhere" so much that long ago (early 1990s?) that I bought five copies to lend to friends. Of course, some of them liked it so much that I'm now down to just one copy. I think it's one of the funniest books I've ever read -- my 1998 note at the time of my second reading was "the funniest book on the face of the earth" -- and it's certainly one of the most original.

Let's be plain -- as a guide to bars, it's no longer worth much. The book is out of date, and even when current, the bars it covered were NOT bars for the average person. But none of that really matters because "The View From Nowhere" is much MORE than a guidebook. It's really a way of looking at life. Cosmology, if I remember what that means.

If you've never been in a "bar-bar," this book will either make you want to visit one or make you more determined than ever NEVER to go near a "bar-bar." But if, like me, you're a fan of "bar-bars," you'll identify with "The View From Nowhere" and appreciate Atkinson's insights. Either way, you'll laugh.

The June 1998 date was my second reading. I've read it at least once since then, perhaps twice.

Will read it again one of these days and update this review.

April 2006--a re-read for the third or fourth time. Still an LOL favorite.

July 2021: I've decided to visit the sites of the Kansas City bar-bars mentioned and provide an update. But as you might expect, some are gone gone gone. Stay tuned.

March 2024: I didn't make that site survey of the KC bar-bars threatened above, but still might. But have noticed that at least on still standing in 2021 now is defunct.