The Bartender's Tale Summary
Ivan Doig

The Bartender's Tale Overview

 The Bartender’s Tale, by Ivan Doig, is a historical novel, a coming-of-age story and a tribute to the author’s home state of Montana. The narrator, Rusty Harry, looks back to the summer of 1960 when he hero-worshipped his father, a popular bartender. While learning about historical events, Rusty also makes discoveries about his father’s past. The novel explores themes of time, place and identity, with a focus on storytelling, local tradition, changing relationships and changing landscapes.