Last Call at Elaine's

Book excerpt: Brian McDonald was a few years sober when he took a job as bartender at the renowned Elaine's restaurant on Second Avenue at 88th street in Manhattan. During his eleven years at Elaine's, he saw, served, and overheard many famous customers, from Woody Allen to Kurt Vonnegut to Mick Jaggar. He also developed a unique friendship with Elaine herself. Last Call At Elaine’s is an intimate look at the well-known and beloved restaurant, its owner, and its famous literary and luminary clientele. At the same time, McDonald’s memoir is the deeply personal story of how a bartender became a writer, fell off the wagon and got back on, and found himself through the window of a very famous restaurant. Last Call at Elaine's is Brian McDonald's colorful and sensitively drawn memoir of drinking, serving, writing, and finding his way out from behind the bar.