sonia_reppe's review against another edition
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 against another edition
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 against another edition
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.Â
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.Â
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 against another edition
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 against another edition
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.
fictionfan's review against another edition
4.0
The Comeback Kids...
It’s 1979, and Anton Winter has returned to his parents’ home in New york after a spell with the Peace Corps in Gabon which came to an abrupt end when Anton nearly died of malaria. As he recovers, he draws closer to his father, Buddy, who is also recovering, from a nervous breakdown which caused him to have an on-air meltdown, bringing his hugely successful career as a talk-show host to a halt. Now Buddy wants to revive his career and he wants Anton beside him, working behind the scenes just as he used to do. Anton is beginning to wonder, though, if this how he wants to spend his life, as a kind of adjunct of his father’s. This is the story of both men’s journeys towards resuming their interrupted lives. And it’s also the story of Anton’s friendship with a neighbour of theirs in the famous Dakota apartment building in New York – John Lennon – another man on the point of making a comeback...
I had two distinct disadvantages while reading this novel. Firstly, I was never a serious Beatles or John Lennon fan, so many of the references flew over my head, and I was never in a position to say whether the depiction of John’s personality was authentic. Secondly, the book is filled with references to American culture of the era. Some of these are globally famous – movies, major actors, Presidents and major political events – but some are more specific to the US, such as TV shows, chat-show hosts, New York clubs and so on. Neither of these seriously impaired my ability to understand the story nor my enjoyment, but I feel I’d have got more of that pleasurable frisson of recognition that comes from being drawn back to a specific point in time if I’d been more steeped in the prevailing culture.
It’s very well written and the characterisation of both Anton and Buddy is excellent. Buddy is one of those sparkling, gifted people who dominate their company wherever they go – the type of person people want as a guest to entertain them. Anton loves his father dearly, but is beginning to feel that he wants something more than to be his father’s beloved son and chief assistant. Following his breakdown, though, Buddy is vulnerable and Anton feels a rather onerous duty, as well as a good-natured desire, to help his father back onto his pedestal. Anton’s growing friendship with John Lennon provides him with an escape from the somewhat claustrophobic atmosphere of living and working with his family, and at the same time gives him an insight into the kind of excitement of being friends with the famous which he has seen from the other side, with people wanting to be seen to be with Buddy. It’s an interesting examination of the impact of fame on those around the famous.
The New York Anton has always known is the glittering, glamorous bit where everyone, it seems, is a celebrity of some kind, and where everyone knows everyone else. But of course there’s another New York, and even Anton, with his cushioned life, is becoming aware of the growing poverty and drugs problems that are leading to an atmosphere of violence and danger. It’s also a time of comebacks – apart from Buddy and John Lennon, Teddy Kennedy is running for the Presidential nomination, trying to recover from the scandal of Chappaquiddick, while Muhammad Ali is about to make his final comeback in a bout against Larry Holmes. Anton, watching these events, is wondering if comebacks are ever really possible, or even if they’re desirable. Is holding onto past glories a way of losing out on future possibilities? Again, even this non-American reader knows that New York too hit rock bottom and had to make a spectacular comeback of its own.
The other strand that runs lightly through the book is the question of why people become obsessed with celebrities. Lennon fans stand outside the Dakota in all weathers, hoping for a glimpse of their hero. For some, this is just a way of showing healthy appreciation, but Barbash shows the more fanatical side of it, such as the girl who is convinced that John is going to leave Yoko and marry her instead. We don’t meet the man who killed Lennon, but knowing that he’s out there adds a chilling edge to the fan worship that Anton has always accepted as part of celebrity life.
There’s a little too much referencing and name-dropping for my taste. While some of the anecdotes about various celebrities are amusing and/or interesting, I felt that fewer of them would have led to a tighter book overall. However, that’s a small criticism of a book that I found both entertaining and thought-provoking.
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, Scribner.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
It’s 1979, and Anton Winter has returned to his parents’ home in New york after a spell with the Peace Corps in Gabon which came to an abrupt end when Anton nearly died of malaria. As he recovers, he draws closer to his father, Buddy, who is also recovering, from a nervous breakdown which caused him to have an on-air meltdown, bringing his hugely successful career as a talk-show host to a halt. Now Buddy wants to revive his career and he wants Anton beside him, working behind the scenes just as he used to do. Anton is beginning to wonder, though, if this how he wants to spend his life, as a kind of adjunct of his father’s. This is the story of both men’s journeys towards resuming their interrupted lives. And it’s also the story of Anton’s friendship with a neighbour of theirs in the famous Dakota apartment building in New York – John Lennon – another man on the point of making a comeback...
I had two distinct disadvantages while reading this novel. Firstly, I was never a serious Beatles or John Lennon fan, so many of the references flew over my head, and I was never in a position to say whether the depiction of John’s personality was authentic. Secondly, the book is filled with references to American culture of the era. Some of these are globally famous – movies, major actors, Presidents and major political events – but some are more specific to the US, such as TV shows, chat-show hosts, New York clubs and so on. Neither of these seriously impaired my ability to understand the story nor my enjoyment, but I feel I’d have got more of that pleasurable frisson of recognition that comes from being drawn back to a specific point in time if I’d been more steeped in the prevailing culture.
It’s very well written and the characterisation of both Anton and Buddy is excellent. Buddy is one of those sparkling, gifted people who dominate their company wherever they go – the type of person people want as a guest to entertain them. Anton loves his father dearly, but is beginning to feel that he wants something more than to be his father’s beloved son and chief assistant. Following his breakdown, though, Buddy is vulnerable and Anton feels a rather onerous duty, as well as a good-natured desire, to help his father back onto his pedestal. Anton’s growing friendship with John Lennon provides him with an escape from the somewhat claustrophobic atmosphere of living and working with his family, and at the same time gives him an insight into the kind of excitement of being friends with the famous which he has seen from the other side, with people wanting to be seen to be with Buddy. It’s an interesting examination of the impact of fame on those around the famous.
The New York Anton has always known is the glittering, glamorous bit where everyone, it seems, is a celebrity of some kind, and where everyone knows everyone else. But of course there’s another New York, and even Anton, with his cushioned life, is becoming aware of the growing poverty and drugs problems that are leading to an atmosphere of violence and danger. It’s also a time of comebacks – apart from Buddy and John Lennon, Teddy Kennedy is running for the Presidential nomination, trying to recover from the scandal of Chappaquiddick, while Muhammad Ali is about to make his final comeback in a bout against Larry Holmes. Anton, watching these events, is wondering if comebacks are ever really possible, or even if they’re desirable. Is holding onto past glories a way of losing out on future possibilities? Again, even this non-American reader knows that New York too hit rock bottom and had to make a spectacular comeback of its own.
The other strand that runs lightly through the book is the question of why people become obsessed with celebrities. Lennon fans stand outside the Dakota in all weathers, hoping for a glimpse of their hero. For some, this is just a way of showing healthy appreciation, but Barbash shows the more fanatical side of it, such as the girl who is convinced that John is going to leave Yoko and marry her instead. We don’t meet the man who killed Lennon, but knowing that he’s out there adds a chilling edge to the fan worship that Anton has always accepted as part of celebrity life.
There’s a little too much referencing and name-dropping for my taste. While some of the anecdotes about various celebrities are amusing and/or interesting, I felt that fewer of them would have led to a tighter book overall. However, that’s a small criticism of a book that I found both entertaining and thought-provoking.
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, Scribner.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com