NATHANS ON A SUMMER NIGHT
I know, I know. This happened yesterday. But sometimes it takes 24 hours for a pop to produce its ripple. The Washington Post's "Reliable Source" column yesterday gave my memoir, "Innocent Spouse," a mention called "Carol Joynt...and... her surprising new memoir." It was nice. Maybe not universally popular, but as I say to anyone who comments after reading a shard of my book, "please, read the whole book." Note to haters: why?
But back to the ripple. I got an email from RS writer Amy Argetsinger today that said, "I'm beginning to get a feeling of what your daily life must be like: Ever since the story came out I've been besieged by people wanting to share their Nathans nostalgia stories with me!"
Isn't that wonderful? The best of Nathans were the patrons. I know full well their memories run the gamut from sweet falling in love stories to happy waffle brunches to Dom Perignon dance parties to raucous coke-infused all nighters. It was a saloon, after all, and its heyday was the heyday of Washington saloons! It was the best. I know that, too. Almost all the good times happened on Howard's watch because he created a great bar. My task was to try to keep that illusion alive even though I was left with basically the Titanic (and I was no Howard, I was not the fun one).
But Amy's email got me thinking: it's too bad no one is writing the Nathans story. Amy even wondered "if there's a market for a photo-heavy book about the Georgetown nightlife scene of the 70s and 80s." It certainly had it all, quite white hot and diverse, (Nathans, Clyde's, Apple Pie, Cellar Door, Whiskey A Go Go, etc), which is difficult to believe by the crop of bars we have now. Those that make any money are too often pandering to sports nuts and teens with fake ID's. Howard didn't allow blenders or blender drinks or Red Bull. He was the last adapter to TV's and the two he put in were tiny. Yay. I was the one who put in the flat panel monsters that made bar patrons into morons.
I'd love to collect Nathans memories here on the site. They would be a tasty adjunct to my book. Gotta figure out how to do it. Suggestions welcomed. But I don't how much flexibility Typepad provides.
Author, interviewer, and photographer. 
Here is information for book clubs that have chosen Innocent Spouse: 
You should be able to create a form and allow people to type in their Nathan's story, submit it and have it delivered to any address. I'd suggest you create an alternative email to receive the stories.
Posted by: andy | 04/14/2011 at 06:42 AM