Luncheonette: A Memoir [Hardcover]

Steven Sorrentino (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2005

When his father contracted a sudden illness that left him paralyzed, Steven Sorrentino stowed away his dreams of Broadway stardom and returned home to West Long Branch, New Jersey, to help his family out. Taking over Clint's Corner, his father's luncheonette, Steven found himself at the grill flipping porkroll, serving a counter full of eccentrics, and confiding in Dolores, the crusty head waitress with a particular flair for butchering the English language. From this unusual post, Steven watched his ailing father who, though confined to his wheelchair, refused to accept defeat and even managed to further his career in local politics. Somehow, the more his father triumphed, the more Steven's own life seemed to stall. Guilty and confused, Steven made a shocking and desperate decision -- not knowing that he was about to stumble upon the secrets of his father's resilience. Luncheonette is an irresistible true story about the unexpected lessons life brings -- and of the inspiration we find in the least likely places.

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Aspiring actor Sorrentino's plans of making it big in New York are squelched when his father contracts a debilitating illness that paralyzes him from the chest down. Dutifully taking over dad's role as proprietor of Clint's Corner, a New Jersey shore luncheonette, Sorrentino goes from being a 24-year-old gay performer to a firmly closeted, burger-flipping "Jersey Boy." While his loyalty to his Italian-American family is strong, as time passes and his father begins to recover, Sorrentino finds himself increasingly cemented in his new life, watching his ambitions fade as he struggles with his identity and sexuality in a parochial town where everyone knows everyone else's business. Sorrentino does a nice job portraying the diner's quirky cast of characters (including a Polish waitress who swears like a sailor in several languages and regulars like "Half-Cup Harold"), yet despite these amusements, he eventually becomes so caught between family responsibilities and his own dreams that depression sets in. With the help of therapy and the sale of the restaurant, Sorrentino finally overcomes his inertia and helplessness, regains an identity and a life back in New York, celebrating his father's life (as well as mourning his death, 16 years after his paralysis). The grand resolution seems tacked-on, but the book's core struggle is poignant.
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Review

“Poignant.” (Publishers Weekly )

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow; First edition (February 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060728922
• ISBN-13: 978-0060728922
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.3 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,485,738 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Tasty Treat from LUNCHEONETTE, February 17, 2005

By 

P. Ojeda "Actor" (New York, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Luncheonette: A Memoir (Hardcover)

Sorrentino welcomes us to the inner workings of his quirky, funny, dark and sometimes suicidal soul through the prism of his family's business, "Clint's Corner," a luncheonette. As a young, hopeful actor pursuing his career in the Big City, Sorrentino puts his own dreams on hold when on Christmas Eve the twenty-three year old narrator watches helplessly as his father, Clint, is paralyzed with a rare neurological illness. Trying to play the part of the "Good Son," Sorrentino chronicles his adventures and hubris in trying save his father and his father's business when ultimately Clint, unknowingly, saves his son from destroying himself.

Told with a jaunty, sardonic and intelligent wit and filled with colorful unforgettable (but infinitely recognizable) characters, Sorrentino's debut memoir is a must read for all of us: sons, fathers and children who have struggled to find their own identity in the face of tragedy ... like growing up.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Enriching and Wonderful, February 17, 2005

By 

Tana Carlson (Massachusetts, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Luncheonette: A Memoir (Hardcover)

This book is not only hysterically funny in an off beat way, it is so much more with quirky characters, a poignant story, overwhelming personal struggle, moral messages beyond description, and a picture of small towm America, warts and all, at it's best.
I read this book, obviously a labor of love, as a tribute to a father, testimony to the real meaning of family. Further, it is the harsh reality that all of us, at some time or other must commit ourselves, face mortality, and do the right thing regardless of self. It also lets us know that when some doors are closed, painful as that may be, others seem to open leading us to avenues in our lives that otherwise never would have been traveled.
This book is about fathers and sons, about commitment to family, and of course about "keeping the faith" with a remarkable sense of humor.
I read this book slowly so that it wouldn't end to quickly.
This book is not to be missed.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Luncheonette is DELICIOUS!, February 16, 2005

By 

Jasper "Jasper" (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Luncheonette: A Memoir (Hardcover)

I really enjoyed Luncheonette! It's effortlessly funny in a truth-is-stranger-than-fiction way. I prefer reading non-fiction and love to read memoirs. Luncheonette has become one of my favorites. Sorrentino is a talented writer who not only takes beautiful risks, but never loses sight of what matters most. It's hard to believe that this is his first book! Luncheonette has heart, soul and Dolores! Who could ask for anything more?