A Horse Walks Into a Bar Summary
David Grossman

A Horse Walks Into a Bar Overview

David Grossman's tragicomic literary novel A Horse Walks into a Bar follows Dovaleh Greenstein, an Israeli comedian performing in the small city of Netanya, a city in northern Israel close to where he grew up. Among his audience is the narrator, Dovaleh's childhood acquaintance (some might say friend) Avishai Lazar, a retired district court judge there against his better judgment per Dovaleh's invitation. As the night wears on, Dovaleh struggles to keep his audience hooked as he slips memories of his past into his comedy, prompting the narrator to recall his own memories of the comedian. Their flashbacks plus contributions from a surprise figure from Dovaleh's past come together to tell a memoir of Dovaleh's grievous childhood. A Horse Walks into a Bar examines how childhood memories can shape an adult and the deep connections that can be made (or restored) by bearing witness to another's story.