Little Chapel on the River A Pub a Town and the Search for What Matters Most, Gwendolyn Bounds. (Hardcover 0060564067) Book Reviews,

Search - Little Chapel on the River : A Pub, a Town and the Search for What Matters Most

Little Chapel on the River A Pub a Town and the Search for What Matters Most
Author: Gwendolyn Bounds

This is the story of a place, the kind of joint you don't find around much anymore, a spot where people wander in once and return for a lifetime. Little Chapel on The River Nestled along the banks of the Hudson River directly across from the United States Military Academy at West Point sits the rural town of Garrison, New York, home to Gu... more »inan's -- a legendary Irish drinking hole and country store. While searching for a place to live and a temporary haven following the September 11th attacks, Manhattan journalist Wendy Bounds was delivered to Guinan's doorstep by a friend. And a visit that began with one beer turned into a life-changing encounter. Captivated by the bar's charismatic but ailing owner, Bounds uprooted herself and moved to tiny Garrison. There she became one of the rare female regulars at the old pub and was quickly swept up by its motley characters and charms. What follows is a riveting journey as her fate, and that of Guinan's, unfolds. Told with sensitivity, humor and an unflinching eye, Little Chapel on the River is a love story about a place -- and the people who bring it to life. Along Bounds's journey you'll meet the people of Guinan's: Jim Guinan himself, the stubborn high priest of this little chapel who spins rich tales of the town's robber barons, castles and mythological swans that feed at his front door; his grown children, whose duty to their father, and the town, have kept Guinan's up and running against immeasurable odds; Fitz, a tough-talking Vietnam vet who eventually takes the author under his wing; Tom Endres, who first rowed to the bar illegally as a cadet and who returned as a full-fledged colonel in the U.S Army; Walter, the kindhearted and neurotic next-door neighbor who torches dandelions with his lighter; and Lou-Lou, the overweight doe-eyed hound and the most faithful four-legged parishioner at the pub. This beautifully written, deeply personal and brilliantly insightful book is as much about remembering to value the past as it is about learning to seize the present. Filled with stories of joy and sorrow, of universal family struggles with loyalty, love, betrayal and redemption, this work ultimately brims with hope as Bounds expertly captures a nostalgic slice of quintessential American life. And while chronicling the pub's fight to endure and her own search for a simpler way of life, she shares how and why the spirit moves those who come to worship in this little chapel on the river.

ISBN-13: 9780060564063
ISBN-10: 0060564067
Publication Date: 6/28/2005
Pages: 304
Rating:

Currently 3.9/5 Stars.

3.9 stars, based on 8 ratings

Publisher: William Morrow
Book Type: Hardcover
Other Versions: Paperback
Members Wishing: 0
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

Laurel C. (LaurelCollier) reviewed Little Chapel on the River : A Pub, a Town and the Search for What Matters Most on 9/16/2006 + 25 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 3

Awesome read...makes you wish you could make a road trip to have a beer with the author! Really brought to life the small town bar.

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Patti L. (Woodcarver) - , reviewed Little Chapel on the River : A Pub, a Town and the Search for What Matters Most on 3/31/2009 + 14 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 3

Very moving story of the adjustment in the life of the author, a writer for the Wall Street Journal, after 9-11. Her home, job, neighborhood and friends are all deeply affected by the trade tower disaster. How she copes, reflects and moves forward is a very enlightening story. Very real..very strongly emotional...for me anyway. A really enjoyable read. It is a keeper.

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Peggy H. reviewed Little Chapel on the River : A Pub, a Town and the Search for What Matters Most on 7/18/2009 + 12 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 2

This was a really well written book - the author was insightful and the stories meaningful. Definitely worth reading and passing on...

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Beverly P. reviewed Little Chapel on the River : A Pub, a Town and the Search for What Matters Most on 7/1/2010 + 3 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 2

This book is a touching story about a dedicated and loving family and how they relate to their community, fullfilling needs and leaving memories.

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Ev R. (UALabGeek) - , reviewed Little Chapel on the River : A Pub, a Town and the Search for What Matters Most on 3/6/2011 + 46 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 1

This was a nice little feel-good book. After 9/11 Wendy and her partner were forced out of Manhatten by the damage to their apartment building and land in a little town on the Hudson River, Garrison, NY. There they discover a little pub and a community they didn't know they were looking for.

Nice happy slow-paced narrative. I recommend it for a quiet rainy afternoon.

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