A Tale Told Well

The year is 1960, and the protagonist at the center of this novel, The Bartender's Tale,is Tom Harry, a beloved, no-nonsense bartender in Gros Ventre, MT, a sleepy town in remote northern sheep country. Tom is also a single father working long hours, trying to raise his 12-year-old son Rusty, in this enjoyable, warmhearted story about fathers and sons, growing up, and big life changes. Rusty is the narrator of the novel, and Doig  brings the young man's voice and perspective skillfully to life here. Rusty is puzzled by most of what he sees in the adult world, and there is little he can be sure of, except the love of his father. Doig poignantly captures the charm and pathos of Rusty's efforts to understand this complicated and often baffling adult world. Doig is famous for celebrating the American West, and he also beautifully captures the cadences and details of daily life in this Montana town. Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC

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