Customer Reviews

Tales from Gavagan's bar

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Incredible collection of short stories that bend our ear as it bends reality. The perfect combination of "Cheers" and "Twighlight Zone". Light enough reading to be taken anywhere.

L. Sprague De Camp (1907-2000) and Fletcher Pratt (1897-1956), two noted science-fiction authors, concocted a number of related fantastical "bar room" stories collected for our enjoyment under the title "Tales From Gavagan's Bar".

The twenty-nine stories, which comprise the entire body of works, were first published between 1950 and 1959; twelve were published in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, three in Wierd Tales magazine and two in Fantastic Universe magazine.

Each story begins and ends at Gavagan's Bar. Several of the regular customers will gather - Mr. Witherwax Doc Brenner, Mr. Jeffers order their preferred beverage - Yellow Rattler, Double Zombie, boilermaker with a long shot - all served by Mr. Cohan the bartender and the tales begin. An unfamiliar person with a quandary, an implausible occurrence, a recalcitrant spouse or a mystifying artifact perks the regular's interest and the story unfolds.
One could only wish to slide up to the bar, order you favorite beverage and be able to add an insight, ask a question or just take in the ambience.

After a few rounds the conversation sometimes dispenses some 1950's wit and wisdom such as:

- "Mr. Baggot" I would say to him. Mr. Baggot, one of these fine days you'll be stepping off with some girl yourself and then you'll find out that a man may choose his own wife, but his friends she will pick for him, by God, just to remind him he has a leash around his neck." from "A Dime Brings You Success"

-"What's that smell all of a sudden? It's like a whale died in here, a long time ago" from "Bell, Book and Candle"

-When asked to relate a story a Mr. Medford tells bartender Mr. Cohan "Another one of these - double scotch - I can't fly on one wing". from "Gin Come in Bottles"

-"This Joe was a feeble minded kid; I don't think he ever got beyond third grade and that was in a school for backwards kids". from "Gin Come in Bottles"

The cover of my Bantam paperback states "A round of strange and supernatural anecdotes - it's on the house" I fully agree.

Far superior to that one trick pony "Spider" Robinson.. no rabbits out of hats, no SUPER group unable to deal with one little old lady next door, no whining, for gohds sake!,... NO WHINING!

Get it, love it, it's a bit dated but at least THIS book is SUPPOSED to be.. [and probably knows it unlike the losers at Callahans who long ago lost their cachet...].

Fun and quirky stories loosely connected to a neighborhood bar. Interesting for awhile, but, about halfway through, the lack of real spark began to take it's toll, and I elected not to finish the book. Worth a read - some might find more in the storries, and they are fun stories.

Ham tastes wonderful.
This book is wonderful.
Mmmm....Gavagan's Bar

Ham tastes wonderful.
This book is wonderful.
Mmmm....Gavagan's Bar