Third Memoir: Rattiner’s Latest Book About Life at Dan’s Papers Launched July 15
Excelsior Editions, a division of SUNY Press, is pleased to announce the publication of author Dan Rattiner’s third memoir, Still in the Hamptons, More Tales of the Rich, the Famous and the Rest of Us, on July 15, 2012.
Each of the first two memoirs features fascinating encounters with celebrities and locals during Rattiner’s half century writing and editing the newspaper Dan’s Papers, which he founded 52 years ago. This third memoir features more of them, with memories of such well known figures as Alec Baldwin, Kim Cattrall, Peter Beard, Colin Powell, Leon Uris, Peter Jennings and a host of locals, including Paul Sidney, Charlie Vanderveer, Chris Johnson, David Willmott and fishing boat captain Carl Darenberg Jr.
Regarding the first memoir, playwright Edward Albee wrote “A long love poem to the area and the extraordinary people who have occupied and, more often than not, helped to preserve its character…This book is damn good work.” The New York Times wrote “Each portrait is written in unassuming language, with emotional punch, telling detail and impressive recall…to find as many memorable characters gathered between two covers, you’d have to look back to Joseph Mitchell’s Up in the Old Hotel.” Alec Baldwin wrote about the second memoir “who else can give you authoritative takes on Pollock and de Kooning, Steinbeck and Vonnegut, Billy Joel and Steven Spielberg?” And Walter Isaacson, author of Steve Jobs, comments about the third “Dan’s memoirs are like Dan’s newspapers; charming, fun and filled with insightful knowledge of the East End conveyed with a twinkle in the eye.”
Beginning next week and for the next 12 consecutive weeks, the author embarks on a unique “book tour,” reading chapters outdoors, over a microphone at locations where the encounters in those chapters take place. Other readings are in local bookstores and on stage. Nearly all are on Saturday mornings at 11 a.m., though others take place on Sunday.
UPCOMING THIS WEEK:
Saturday, August 4th 11 am. In front of the Montauk Coast Guard Station on Star Island Causeway off Westlake Drive in Montauk.
Join the author for a discussion and reading of the chapter “Carl Darenberg,” about the time years ago that Mr. Darenberg, a marina owner, won the contract to tow what is now the Montauk Coast Guard Station to its present site. When he won it, it was located ten miles to the west, in Napeauge, on the Atlantic Ocean. Darenberg decided to tow it to Montauk by boat. He came very close to losing it along the way, and the account of it is quite a story.
Sunday, August 5 at 1 PM. Southwest Corner of Werewolf Path and Little Noyac Path, Water Mill
Join the author for a discussion and reading of the chapter “Werewolf Path,” about the one road the author named on his original map of the Hamptons, published in the newspaper and elsewhere, that actually came to bear the name he decided upon. Other names for other roads he put on this map, such as Uncle Ed’s Romp, Lois Lane and Jeep’s Folly never made it to officialdom.
FUTURE READINGS
Saturday, August 11, 11 a.m. East Hampton Town Hall on Pantigo Road alongside the TOWN OF EAST HAMPTON sign.
The author reads the chapter “Manny Quinn,” about the hardest working police officer in the Hamptons, a store mannequin dressed up as a policeman who was on the job 24 hours a day for years, never taking a day off and, on several occasions kidnapped. He’d sit at the wheel of a parked police car, his presence slowing drivers down. Eventually, the rest of the Town’s police officers asked the chief to take Manny off the job, and, ultimately, he did.
Saturday, August 18, 11 a.m. Reutershan Parking behind Waldbaums in East Hampton along the third baseline of the sandlot baseball field.
Join the author as he reads the chapter “Mort Zuckerman,” about the real estate and media billionaire, who, with the help of the author joined the Artist-Writer’s Softball Game to become the star pitcher for the Writers for many years to raise money for charity—and how it all went wrong when Zuckerman saw what he believed was a bad call at home plate by the author. (Batting practice for the game is at noon on this day with the game starting at 2 p.m.)
Saturday, August 25, 11a.m. On the front steps of the Bridgehampton Community House at the corner of School Street and Montauk Highway.
Join the author in a reading of the chapter “Potatohampton,” about the trials and tribulations of organizing and holding the famous 10k running race by that name during each of the past 30 years. Among the obstacles overcome were floods, heatstroke, psychiatrists guarding a rickety bridge and a LIRR railroad train that came through, splitting the runners into “before” and “after.” The race continues to this day (now as a 5k).
Saturday, September 1, 11a.m. Perry Duryea Lobster Deck, 65 Tuthill Road, Montauk.
The author reads the chapter “Chris Johnson,” about a traveling troubadour who went off with Montauk’s Perry Duryea on the campaign trail when that Montauker ran for governor, wrote the famous song “Acres of Clams,” and, as Francis Hopkinson (in full colonial dress) held a back-to-back gun duel with the author after being offended by something he wrote.
Saturday, September 1-4 p.m. at Canio’s Bookstore, Main Street, Sag Harbor
The author reads the chapter “Leon Uris,” and the several adventures he had with him. In a town next door to Sag Harbor, which featured such literary giants as John Steinbeck, E. L. Doctorow and Betty Friedan, Leon Uris (Exodus, Battle Cry, Trinity) lived quietly and alone with a constantly changing companion of his choosing in a small rustic house on the shores of Chase Creek, Shelter Island. There he worked every day finishing his final novel.
Saturday, September 8, 11 a.m. at the Jackson Pollock House, Springs Fireplace Road at Fort Pond Boulevard, East Hampton.
Meet the author for a reading of the chapter “Charlie Vanderveer.” Vanderveer was a Bridgehampton farmer and auctioneer who stripped naked to wash up in a jerry rig of a shower he built in his potato field, considered buying a 15th century barn being offered for sale in England so he could ship it over to America, reassemble it and claim he had the oldest house in the Hamptons and once purchased a toilet seat from a Bridgehampton outhouse which had been painted by Willem deKooning, that he hoped would sell at auction in New York City.
STILL IN THE HAMPTONS is now on sale wherever books are sold. Both of the earlier two memoirs, IN THE HAMPTONS (2008) in paperback and IN THE HAMPTONS TOO (2010) in hardcover are also available, both in stores and online.