Name Dropping: Tales from My Barbary Coast Saloon
Diplomat, bullfighter, writer, artist, saloon keeper, Conrad has led a colorful life. This aptly titled memoir contains anecdotes about well-known friends and acquaintances, including Bing Crosby, Truman Capote, David Niven, Lucille Ball, and Sinclair Lewis. Many of the stories recount evenings at El Matador, the San Francisco carbaret Conrad opened with the proceeds from his best-selling novel Matador (1952). In keeping with the saloon's taurine motif, Conrad includes portraits of renowned bullfighters Manolete and Juan Belmonte. When Conrad pokes fun at his subjects, his thrust is usually gentle. An unflattering portrait of Trader Vic is an exception. Gossipy memoirs on celebrities abound, but Conrad's book is cut above the rest.William Gargan, Brooklyn Coll. Lib.,Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.