In 'The Tender Bar,' Pulitzer Prize-winner J. R. Moehringer shares his captivating journey from boyhood to manhood against the backdrop of an enchanting saloon. Bereft of his father's presence, young J.R. finds solace and a chorus of alternative father figures amidst the clink of glasses and the tales of the bar's patrons. These surrogate fathers of sundry backgrounds--from Humphrey Bogart look-alikes to softhearted toughs--steer him through life's perils and triumphs, shaping his path to adulthood. Weaving a tapestry of poignant moments, the memoir chronicles J.R.'s odyssey of self-discovery, the deep bond with his mother, and his struggle to reconcile the romance of the bar with the world beyond its welcoming doors.