cdfeeney's review
Loved the John Lennon parts- very interesting history here (Real? Made up?). I also like the insight into the life of late 70s-early 80s NY upper west side “royalty”.
sonia_reppe's review
4.0
New York City, 1980. Anton, 23, is the 1st-person narrator looking back on one year, "a year of comebacks," in which he comes back from the peace corps, recovering from malaria while his father recovers from a breakdown, and they together try to revive his father's career as a TV persona/host. The family has to sell some of their wealth, but as long as they are able to keep their residence at the prestigious Dakota on the upper West side, they are in good standing; but that won't last long if the father's career is over.
Despite the high-brow lifestyle which might be foreign to most people, readers will be able to connect with the familial and coming-of-age themes. The family members show genuine affection for each other and the eccentric parents are in love. Anton's voice reminded me of Capote's Breakfast at Tiffany's: clean-pressed and tidy, smartly observant, with martini in hand. All of the pop culture references give this a 70's vintage feel.
Despite the high-brow lifestyle which might be foreign to most people, readers will be able to connect with the familial and coming-of-age themes. The family members show genuine affection for each other and the eccentric parents are in love. Anton's voice reminded me of Capote's Breakfast at Tiffany's: clean-pressed and tidy, smartly observant, with martini in hand. All of the pop culture references give this a 70's vintage feel.
triceratopper's review
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
0.5
Why did this quickly become RPF for The Beatles... where the OC is basically responsible for the continued success of the group... 🤨
inyu's review against another edition
inspiring
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
lonestarwords's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.5
Most great men begin great lives by getting out of their comfort zone.
The Dakota Winters
Tom Barbash
•
Last week when I was packing to head up to NYC to see my daughter, I was searching for an audiobook for the flight and a friend recommended this "right up my alley" backlist title.
•
It was clear from the first chapter of The Dakota Winters that its author had actually lived in NYC. Often the setting is used to sell books but then falls off the mark. Barbash grew up on the UWS and his familiarity with the entire city and the lore surrounding the infamous Dakota was easily my biggest draw.
•
The Dakota Winters is a well drawn time capsule. It opens in 1979 when Anton Winter, the son of the well known television personality Buddy Winter, returns to NYC after being in the Peace Corps. His father is in the wake of a nervous breakdown and the story centers around the family’s support of their father while we also watch Anton in a sort of belated coming-of-age tale.
•
The Dakota is best because it was where John Lennon resided and also where he was killed. Lennon plays a significant role in this story as he is a family friend to the Winters and figures largely into Anton's life. Here the book almost feels like non-fiction and did feel a bit awkward. The Winter's hobnob with lots of “socialites" from the Lennons, to the The Kennedys, to Mary Lou Whitney -- it's a who's who of NYC in this time period and they all play a role in the story.
•
For the first half of the novel I was totally absorbed in Barbash's description of NYC in the 1980s, one that is quite different from the city of today. I did become a bit bored when Anton leaves on a sailing trip with Lennon and I felt that the story drifted (pun intended) out of its comfort zone.
•
All in all it was a great companion for my NYC trip, complete with strolling by The Dakota as we were walking the UWS on Saturday afternoon. It doesn't matter how many times I've walked by this landmark, I always stop and imagine the history hidden behind closed doors. Although this wasn’t what I’d expected, all in all it wasn't half bad.
The Dakota Winters
Tom Barbash
•
Last week when I was packing to head up to NYC to see my daughter, I was searching for an audiobook for the flight and a friend recommended this "right up my alley" backlist title.
•
It was clear from the first chapter of The Dakota Winters that its author had actually lived in NYC. Often the setting is used to sell books but then falls off the mark. Barbash grew up on the UWS and his familiarity with the entire city and the lore surrounding the infamous Dakota was easily my biggest draw.
•
The Dakota Winters is a well drawn time capsule. It opens in 1979 when Anton Winter, the son of the well known television personality Buddy Winter, returns to NYC after being in the Peace Corps. His father is in the wake of a nervous breakdown and the story centers around the family’s support of their father while we also watch Anton in a sort of belated coming-of-age tale.
•
The Dakota is best because it was where John Lennon resided and also where he was killed. Lennon plays a significant role in this story as he is a family friend to the Winters and figures largely into Anton's life. Here the book almost feels like non-fiction and did feel a bit awkward. The Winter's hobnob with lots of “socialites" from the Lennons, to the The Kennedys, to Mary Lou Whitney -- it's a who's who of NYC in this time period and they all play a role in the story.
•
For the first half of the novel I was totally absorbed in Barbash's description of NYC in the 1980s, one that is quite different from the city of today. I did become a bit bored when Anton leaves on a sailing trip with Lennon and I felt that the story drifted (pun intended) out of its comfort zone.
•
All in all it was a great companion for my NYC trip, complete with strolling by The Dakota as we were walking the UWS on Saturday afternoon. It doesn't matter how many times I've walked by this landmark, I always stop and imagine the history hidden behind closed doors. Although this wasn’t what I’d expected, all in all it wasn't half bad.
saracook's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
maxhasfun's review
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
susanlawson's review against another edition
4.0
Fiction mixed up with an awful lot of fact. Anton Winter's father, Buddy is an ex-chat show host who is attempting a comeback with emotional and professional support from his son. The family live in the Dakota building in New York and the novel is set during the year leading up to the murder of John Lennon, a close friend of the family.
tommooney's review
3.0
There's plenty to like about this vision of late 70s New York. The book follows Anton, son of a talkshow host who's trying to rebuild his career after an on-set breakdown. The family occupies the Dakota, NYC's celeb spotting hotel, but their membership of the elite is under threat from their dwindling finances.
It has hints of Chabon, Fitzgerald, Wolfe, Yates and others. But I'm not sure how urgently we need novels about the existentialist meanderings of rich white dudes. It's been done a million times and it doesn't sing about New York in the same way as Kav and Clay, or Bonfire of the Vanities.
My main issue, though, is the inclusion of John Lennon (and some others) as a major character in the novel. It's always such a difficult trick to pull off, bringing a real life historical figure to life, and I don't think Barbash ever convinces us that this is John's voice.
Still, it's a decent read and will hold interest for certain readers, but not one I'll be foisting on everyone in sight.
It has hints of Chabon, Fitzgerald, Wolfe, Yates and others. But I'm not sure how urgently we need novels about the existentialist meanderings of rich white dudes. It's been done a million times and it doesn't sing about New York in the same way as Kav and Clay, or Bonfire of the Vanities.
My main issue, though, is the inclusion of John Lennon (and some others) as a major character in the novel. It's always such a difficult trick to pull off, bringing a real life historical figure to life, and I don't think Barbash ever convinces us that this is John's voice.
Still, it's a decent read and will hold interest for certain readers, but not one I'll be foisting on everyone in sight.