The Last Fine Time
A nonfiction portrait of a Buffalo bar and the Polish-American family behind it. Through one neighborhood business, the book traces urban change, work, and memory.
Work Information
A single bar becomes a doorway into the history of a city.
Through the story of a working-class bar and the family around it, the book evokes the memory of Buffalo’s multiethnic neighborhoods. It works as both family history and urban history.
Review Summaries
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Its layered portrait of a family business and a changing city is valued as a vivid piece of social history.
Book Information
- Publisher
- Knopf
- Published
- 1991-01-02
- Language
- 英語
- Size
- 15.24 x 2.54 x 22.23 cm
- ISBN-13
- 9780394571959
- ISBN-10
- 0394571959
- Price
- 8902 JPY
- Category
- 洋書/Literature & Fiction/History & Criticism/Movements & Periods
A pivotal moment in history comes to life in this portrait, starting in 1947, of the Wenzeks, bar owners for 50 years, of Buffalo, a city aspiring to greatness, and of urban America when it began to alter beyond recognition
Reviews
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A great look back on the past
A wonderful writing of the history of Buffalo, NY with vivid characters. The author takes you back to a simpler time, then moves forward to the recent past. He entwines the history of the city with the lives of the people. A very engaging and interesting book.
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Old-time Family-owned Bar
Written about a family-owned bar in Buffalo, I especially wanted to read this book as I loved THE RURAL LIFE by Verlyn Klinkenborg and wanted to see another example of his writing. Also, I am fascinated by close families and interaction of the various generations as to how they influenced each other and did not. The other aspect that I valued about this book was that the business the family ran was really a community gathering place much like an English pub once was (and no doubt, still is in some parts of the UK). Few of these types of places still exist where people can drop in and see the same faces, having been replaced by more commercial ventures where to sit there you constantly have to be laying out money. I appreciated the discussion of how the owner of the bar was such a "catch" as a young man as he was involved with the family business and the portrayal of an innocent form of courtship before The Pill changed everything in the early 60's. As a look back on small town America, I really enjoyed this book as well as Mr Klinkenborg's writing style.
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An interesting piece to read
I had to read this book for one of my courses. The book is pretty good, but the author loves to show his enriched vocabulary from time to time. The author has an interesting storytelling style, too. The timeline moves back and forth a little bit, and I felt that the character development of some of the characters could have been more elaborate. Overall, I enjoyed the book.
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George and Eddie's
Well-written history of the Buffalo's Polish East Side in the early to mid-20th century. Author's style makes one want to read and re-read. Many interesting factoids and realia.
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Historical Read
Many sentences and passages in this book are simply beautiful. So well crafted and descriptive is such an original nature. As someone who grew up in Buffalo and has Polish ancestors that settled in East Buffalo and several of which are buried at St. Stanislaus Cemetery I found the references to historical Polish immigrant Buffalo fascinating. But, connection to a story of any sort is very tenuous which made for a difficult read. Long passages were taken to describe Buffalo establishment or Ine entire page was a listing of product made in Buffalo. It seemed almost a melancholic love letter to the promise of a Buffalo that has past and the Buffalo that never will be again.