Received a complimentary copy of Last Call at Coogan’s—The Life and Death of a Neighborhood Bar by Jon Michaud from St. Martin’s Press/NetGalley. Scroll past the BOOK REPORT section for a cut-and-paste of the DESCRIPTION of it from them if you want to read my thoughts on the book in the context of that summary.

BOOK REPORT
Recently, I was telling my husband that I will forever connect white barbecue sauce with having it served with grilled chicken at a particular much-beloved and now long-defunct local restaurant. And that, as a result, I also always remember the context in which I came to have that meal.

I had been set up on a blind date by a co-worker (this was obviously in my Pre-Husband Era), and, on paper—so to speak—he was a perfect match for me. Smart, focused on his career, liked to keep up with current events, like to hang out in bars, liked to go hiking, liked Alabama football. You know, the core fundamentals to a relationship on my particular planet at that time. Went out with him once, and it was OK, nothing great, but pleasant enough that we both agreed we wanted to see each other again. Went out with him a second time. He called to ask me out on a third date (the oh-so-critical third date), and I said, “John, thank you, but I think we are better suited to being friends than dating.”

Bless his heart (in the good way), the man said something to the effect of he felt the opposite and thought we should spend at least a little more time in each other’s company before I made that decision. OK, fair enough. So off we went for a nice meal; which, if memory serves, also included two of my other favorite things on that restaurant’s menu, zucchini muffins and squash casserole. I still remember what I was wearing that night because I have a print photo of myself that my brother took when I came home early because I WAS BORED OUT OF MY FREAKING MIND AND I HAD ZERO CONNECTION TO THE GUY. But it was a really cute look, and I wanted it commemorated, LOL. I also remember that I called up a college ex-boyfriend that night and suggested that we start keeping company again because at least I knew he and I connected on multiple levels, especially mental and emotional. (No, it didn’t work out that time, either. What were we thinking?)

What does this have to do with Last Call at Coogan’s? Which was extremely well-researched and very well-written? Which I tried and tried and tried—a third time—to really connect with and keep reading?

Oh, c’mon. You’ve gotta know.

I was bored out of my mind. And had zero connection.

But my hat is off to Jon Michaud for actually writing a book about something that obviously mattered a lot (and still does) to so many people, for so many years. And I have to wonder if I had been reading about Egan’s in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and/or Molly’s at the Market in New Orleans, Louisiana, if I would’ve felt differently, even with the same textbook/historical depiction approach.

I dunno.

And we all know _I’m_ too lazy to write a book. So take my opinion with some salt.

And tequila.

DESCRIPTION
The uniquely inspiring story of a beloved neighborhood bar that united the communities it served.

Coogan’s Bar and Restaurant opened in New York City’s Washington Heights in 1985 and closed its doors for good in the pandemic spring of 2020. Sometimes called Uptown City Hall, it became a staple of neighborhood life during its 35 years in operation—a place of safety and a bulwark against prejudice in a multi-ethnic, majority-immigrant community undergoing rapid change.

Last Call at Coogan’s by Jon Michaud tells the story of this beloved saloon, from the challenging years of the late 80's and early 90's, when Washington Heights suffered from the highest crime rate in the city, to the 2010’s, when gentrification pushed out longtime residents and nearly closed Coogan's itself; only a massive community mobilization including local politicians and Lin-Manuel Miranda kept the doors open.

This book touches on many serious issues facing the country today: race relations, policing, gentrification, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Along the way, readers will meet the bar’s owners and an array of its most colorful regulars, such as an aspiring actor from Kentucky who dreams of bringing a theater company to Washington Heights, a television reporter who loves karaoke, and a Puerto Rican community board manager who falls in love with an Irish cop from the local precinct. At its core, this is the story of one small business, the people who worked there, the customers they served, and the community they all called home.

A wonderful book an intimate look at Coogans’s bar the people the history.Located in Washington heights we travel through current and past events.I love how important Coogan’s was to the neighbors who were like family.#netgalley #st.Martins

Nothing beats a book of nostalgia and history. This was no exception. You feel connected to the storyteller and learn so much about what Coogan's went through as a bar. A very informative and detailed read!

Thanks so much Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC!

Jon Michaud's "Last Call at Coogan's" is a deftly crafted account of life in New York City over a 35-year period told through the experience of a neighborhood bar and the cast of characters making it special. Michaud renders the story through a journalistic prism that belies the tenderness the author feels for the people in the story and their circumstances.

Coogan's location and longevity necessarily entwined the saloon with the politics and societal issues that were experienced in New York (often representative of the US at large.) The book's story is, on the one hand, of inspiration and perseverance and, on the other hand, of the vicissitudes in business, human relationships, and societal evolution that demand perseverance.

Readers may realize that, on finishing the book, "Last Call at Coogan's" was hardly about the bar business. Rather, the details of life as experienced in this bar are universally applicable today in whatever setting we can imagine. If "all politics is local," "Last Call at Coogan's" provides us special insight into, not just the politics of government, but politics more broadly defined as the art and artifice of people living together.

Thank you to NetGalley and to St. Martin's Press for providing me with an ARC of this title in return for my honest review.

Last Call at Coogan's by Jon Michaud was a striking memoir of a very special place and time. The amazing history of Washington Heights, and everything that came along with it was truly incredible and very entertaining.
Reading about Coogan's Bar and Restaurant was a rewarding experience.
Hearing the stories from the owner and those who loved going here was a huge part here and I loved every second of it. The ups and downs this book is told with heart, sweat and tears.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

A love letter to the neighborhood Irish pub, Last Call At Coogan's immediately perked my interest. I'm a sucker for nostalgia, always getting a little weepy having breakfast in my hometown diner and forcing all my girlfriend to the local martini pub simply because its proximity made for a fun tradition even if none of us particularly craved martinis. So needless to say, I obviously teared up when Coogan's rallied throughout this book, organizing community events, showing up for patrons in need, and its eventual closure during covid absolutely broke my heart. There were some super interesting stories and this is a beautiful look at a bar and its neighborhood in NYC.
That said, some parts seemed a tad unnecessary. I hoped for more stories of bar antics and neighborhood interactions and less remarks on the changes in ownership over the years, but I guess that all backs the story of Coogan's resilience. It's one of those books that made me FEEL like I was in that place and that time, having a beer in the local bar alongside police officers and rowdy families. I pictured the wakes and the weddings and giggled at the images of karaoke nights.
It's a well-written memoir of a place and a time. I feel sad I never got to go there. The history of Washington Heights, the racial tension and inclusion and attempts to gentrify were so interesting.
Overall a great read. I definitely recommend for people in the service industry and anyone missing their hometown pub and wanting to scratch that nostalgic itch.

If I had ever been to Coogan’s or if I had lived in or around Washington Heights, I would have LOVED this book. It does such a marvelous job of telling the stories of who visited Coogan’s, the events they hosted and/or planned, etc. It explains the issues Coogan’s experienced through the years- a dangerous neighborhood, political turmoil, 9/11, covid…

Even without being personally acquanted with Coogan’s, I still thoroughly enjoyed reading this. The “blood, sweat, and tears” that it took for them to get going, the community that rallied behind them, the staff that became as close as family. It reads like a friend telling another friend story.

This was a wonderful book. Bars can be true community institutions, "third places" in the words of Robert Putnam. This book features the rise and fall of a bar in New York as it grapples with struggles related to the COVID pandemic. Thanks to the publisher for early access to this title.

I have just read Last Call at Coogan’s : The Life and Death of a Neighborhood Bar, by Jon Michaud

A Thoroughly Enjoyable Read!

I enjoyed everything about the book. It was incredibly interesting, well researched and informative.

This is a unique book about a long time New York City’s Washington Heights area Bar and Restaurant, that closed after 35 years.

I found the whole story so easy to read and found that I learned so much about the area, times, and culture that it touched on.

I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting a one-of-a-kind book that covers years of the life of this establishment, and all that passed through its doors.

Thank You to NetGalley Jon Michaud, and St. Martin’s Press for my advanced copy to read and review.

#netgalley #stmartinspress

Just like an old friend you find comfort about going to Coogan's bar. Lots of great information and stories about todays environment. With the covid virus that has been with us since 2020 this book covers the effects that it had on us through the eyes of the bar.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to all fans of food, wine and New York.

This book shows how a microcosm in New York City becomes a cultural icon that was killed by a once-in-a-lifetime virus and its resulting politics.

The book is nice and breezy to read: it's like talking to the bartender and finding out about life and the place you are drinking at and how it makes the neighbourhood seem more alive and personal. The stories are varied and enjoyable as their place in NY history is presented and how the COVID-19 outbreak(s) led to its demise. That is an important part of the story as one reads every day how the downtowns of cities like Seattle, San Francisco and NYC have turned to crime, violence, drugs and well, going "ghetto/skid row"...sorry there is no other word.

The book is relevant today and if you look back in ten years, perhaps even more of a touchstone to how a virus destroyed our cities and their cultural institutions.

I will recommend this to book clubs as well as individual readers with enthusiasm!
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