Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Reprints My NY Times Yorkville Story

Tommy, Bob Pryor & Tom Murphy, front of Loftus Tavern, 1966.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reprinted my New York Times Yorkville Story, "One Foot Planted Firmly in the Nest." 

Thank you, Post-Gazette, and thank you, Frank Flaherty for your outstanding editing on this piece and your stellar editing on our book, "I Hate the Dallas Cowboys - tales of a scrappy New York boyhood." 

Bob Pryor & Tom Murphy, front of Loftus, 1962.

My memoir has 101 Amazon five star reviews out of 101 total reviews posted. 

We're pitching a perfect game.

My world echoes TV's "The Wonder Years" ~ just add taverns, subways and Checker cabs

"I Hate the Dallas Cowboys - tales of a scrappy New York boyhood" ~ My Book is Published

Melissa Miller & her St. Stephen's 4th grade outstanding writers

"I Hate the Dallas Cowboys - Tales of a scrappy New York boyhood" (YBK Publishers) had a smashing release.

We celebrated at "City Stories: Stoops to Nuts," at Cornelia Street Cafe on Tuesday. Friday night,  St. Stephen of Hungary's 4th graders and I had a House Party at  Barnes and Noble on East 86th Street.

We sold 220 books at the two events and  entertained 150 guests at Barnes and Noble.

Thank you, my friends who made the effort to come to my events from far away and near. Some of you literally ran there to make it. I'll never forget your kindness.

I'm grateful to St. Stephen's Katherine Peck, Nicole McCabe, Melissa Miller and the talented Fourth grade writers. I applaud Barnes and Noble and their staff: Jody Allen, Jennifer Stark, Alicia Lauricella for inviting us and the supportive audience who cheered us on, thank you!

Barnes & Noble 150 E 86 St @10.17.14

Leslie Goshko & Michele Carlo

I need an important favor from everyone who owns a copy of my book.

If you read "I Hate the Dallas Cowboys," please say a few honest words about the book and rate it on  Barnes and Noble at this link and cut and paste your comment to  Amazon and rate it at this link. 

If my writing brings you pleasure your comments mean much to me. Speak your mind.

I've been there for many of you countless times in countless ways because I love what you do. I believe in you.

I've supported the Yorkville neighborhood and New York City with thousands of photos and a bounty of stories in my published work and all over the internet for many years.

I need your help. Please say something about the book at Barnes and Noble and Amazon at the above links.

Signing at B&N

We sold out all the books at Barnes and Noble 86th Street on Friday.  Logos Bookstore on York Avenue has a limited number of copies still for sale.

Going forward, you can buy the book online at  Amazon,  Barnes and Noble,  Abebooks and other online booksellers.

If you like, you can buy a signed copy directly from me for $17 plus postage. Email me at tommy.pryor@gmail.com to make arrangements.  My pleasure.

Thank you,  Tommy

Bootleg, Gary Wood is in, Giants 12 Washington 10!

Praise for the book:

“Thomas R. Pryor has written a sweet, funny, loving memoir of growing up old-school in a colorful New York neighborhood. A story of sports, family, and boyhood, you’ll be able to all but taste, smell, and feel this vanished world.”

Kevin Baker, author of the novels “Dreamland,” Paradise Alley,” and “Strivers Row,” as well as other works of fiction and nonfiction


“Tommy Pryor’s New York City boyhood was nothing like mine, a few miles and a borough away, and yet in its heart, tenderness, and tough teachable moments around Dad and ball, it was the mid-century coming of age of all of us. A rousing read.”
Robert Lipsyte, former city and sports columnist, The New York Times

I Hate the Dallas Cowboys - takes of a scrappy New York boyhood

“Pryor could take a felt hat and make it funny.”
Barbara Turner-Vesselago, author of “Writing Without A Parachute: The Art of Freefall”


“Pryor burrows into the terrain of his childhood with a longing and obsessiveness so powerful it feels like you are reading a memoir about his first great love.”
Thomas Beller, author of “J.D. Salinger: The Escape Artist”

with Mike Edison & Judy McGuire @ Arts & Seizures radio show

Photos are from B&N Friday and one from my radio appearance on the  Arts and Seizures internet radio show yesterday with  Mike Edison and  Judy McGuire and Liz Smith, their super engineer. Thank you, Mike, Judy & Liz. It was a blast and the pizza was delicious. Thank you, Jaime Nelson for connecting me with  Arts & Seizures and working hard for the book. Thank you, Frank Flaherty, for your stellar editing on 53 stories. No Frank, no book. Thank you, YBK and Otto Barz for your faith in the text.

Here's a link to yesterday's Arts & Seizures archived show.  And a  link to a public Facebook photo album.


Starting Thursday, I'm be telling my "I Hate Dallas Cowboys" stories, and selling and signing my book at the following events all around the town:

Sideshow Goshko
This Thursday, October 23rd @ 7pm @ KGB 7pm (doors open at 6:30pm)

(85 E. 4th Street, 2nd Floor)

FREE!

The Dave Hill Show
Tuesday, October 28th @9pm, WFMU radio!
http://wfmu.org/playlists/GS

Lower East Side Stories
Friday, November 7 @ 7pm

Adam Wade Show
Monday, November 10th @ 7pm, Theater Under St. Mark's Place

City Stories Stoops to Nuts
Tuesday, November 11th @ 6pm, Cornelia Street Cafe

The Healing Artist - Internet Radio Show
Tuesday November 18th 6pm   Radio

We Three Productions Readings
Monday December 1st @ 7pm, @2A @ 24 Avenue A

City Stories: Stoops to Nuts
Tuesday, December 10th @ 6pm, Cornelia Street Cafe

No Name & A Bag O' Chips with your host, Eric Vetter
Friday, December 12th 7pm - Free
Otto's Shrunken Head

Barnes & Noble 150 East 86 St @ 10.17.14

Katherine Peck

B&N

St. Stephen's 4th grade writers

My pal, Rosanne Puccio

B&N

B&N

Stoops to Nuts ~ I Hate the Dallas Cowboys Book Release

I Still Hate Dallas, But I Love My Friends

taken by Gordon Balkcom

"I Hate the Dallas Cowboys tales of a scrappy New York boyhood,"book release party last night at Cornelia Street Cafe was a blast. The crowd laughing at our stories and songs was the best audience in my seven years at the Cafe. Their eyes and ears lit up for each performer. Thank you, everyone.

I asked three artists to share the stage with me last night, Michele Carlo, Leslie Goshko and Adam Wade. Three fine writers who maintain their writing excellence while they create other art that dazzles. They inspire me. Without seeing their work, I'm not sure I would have finished my book.

taken by Gordon Balkcom

Michele paints, acts, tells stories and wrote a book with solid reviews, Fish Out Of Agua: My life on neither side of the (subway) tracks (Citadel 2010) Leslie runs a monthly storytelling show Sideshow Goshko that the NY Times, The New Yorker, and others praise, she plays piano like the Devil buying your soul, and writes for periodicals like the Huffington Post. Adam is the best storyteller in NYC and he's a wicked cartoonist and funny visual and radio actor. A few months ago, Adam shared a section of his planned book with me. Adam will be a best selling author. If you like his telling wait to read his stuff on the page. He was unable to come last night but he was in the room with us. For sure. Michele, Leslie and Adam met with me and generously shared everything they could to improve my book outreach. I'm a lucky dog with amazing friends. I never take that for granted.

Frank Flaherty the best editor in NYC and my book collaborator, thank you. It was all good. YBK Publishers and Otto Barz, thank you, for believing in the book and putting your heart into the entire process.

Thank you, Jaime Nelson and Gordon Balkcom for your promotional support and Gordon's photos here.

Thank you, Michele Pryor and Jon Calvert, for getting the show on the road last night.

Thank you, Robin Hirsch, Angelo Verga, Josh Rebell, Mike, John, Alzee and the entire staff at the Cafe for letting us play in your house. Thank you, Barbara Aliprantis, for kicking me off the branch to tell rather than read.

Robert Marantz, thank you, for directing my lost soul to Barbara Turner's writing group in Vancouver 11 years ago.

Link to more photos on Facebook.

I’ll read and sign books at Barnes & Noble, 150 E. 86 St this Friday, Oct 17th@ 7pm in the Yorkville neighborhood on the Upper East Side. 

St. Stephen of Hungary's 4th grade class will join me at B&N to read their Yorkville memories. 

You can purchase the book at Barnes & Noble East 86 St., Logos Bookstore and online at Amazon and Barnes and Noble and YBK.

taken by Gordon Balkcom

Early praise for the book:

“Thomas R. Pryor has written a sweet, funny, loving memoir of growing up old-school in a colorful New York neighborhood. A story of sports, family, and boyhood, you’ll be able to all but taste, smell, and feel this vanished world.”

Kevin Baker, author of the novels “Dreamland,” Paradise Alley,” and “Strivers Row,” as well as other works of fiction and nonfiction


“Tommy Pryor’s New York City boyhood was nothing like mine, a few miles and a borough away, and yet in its heart, tenderness, and tough teachable moments around Dad and ball, it was the mid-century coming of age of all of us. A rousing read.”

Robert Lipsyte, former city and sports columnist, The New York Times

“Pryor could take a felt hat and make it funny.”

Barbara Turner-Vesselago, author of “Writing Without A Parachute: The Art of Freefall”


“Pryor burrows into the terrain of his childhood with a longing and obsessiveness so powerful it feels like you are reading a memoir about his first great love.”

Thomas Beller, author of “J.D. Salinger: The Escape Artist”

taken by Gordon Balkcom

taken by Gordon Balkcom

Father Demo Fountain

Book Event @ Barnes & Noble @ E. 86th St. Store @ Oct 17

Barnes & Noble confirmed, Friday, October 17th, book event at the East 86th Street Yorkville store for "I Hate the Dallas Cowboys - tales of a scrappy New York boyhood."

Today, I'm "The Sunshine Kid."

Working hard here!

Thank you, Dean Dacian for bottom photo.

"Hey, Dad, I See Something!"

Father & daughter at John Jay Pool on the East River. Summer in the city.

"I Hate the Dallas Cowboys - tales of a scrappy New York boyhood," coming October 2014 (YBK Publishers)

"Hey Wood Head, Grow Up!"

I may act 8 but the birth certificate says, "Hey, Wood Head, grow up, you're sixty on the 20th."

I'm having a free show/party on March 11th, and all of my Stoops to Nuts friends are invited, all others the word's "Mum."

Next "City Stories: Stoops to Nuts," show is Tues, March 11 @ 5:30pm @Cornelia Street Cafe. It's a doozy, my guest tellers: Barbara Aliprantis, Cris Beam, Francis Flaherty, Robin Hirsch, Tim O'Mara,  Joshua Rebell,  Angelo Verga & Prof. Adam Wade.

Admission is free. Life's short, I'm thanking my friends, first drink on me. Time Out Magazine says, "Stoops to Nuts," is a positive experience not to be missed. No they didn't, but they do say it's a cool thing to do. Show starts sharp @ 5:30pm.

Rotten Fruit Ducking Hat

Cris Beam

Adam Wade

Barbara Aliprantis

Josh Rebell

Tim O'Mara

Robin Hirsch

Frank Flaherty @ Regis H.S. summer school

Angelo "Sparky Lyle" Verga

The Elements of Story ~ Then & Now

Here are two pictures of the same corner of 84th Street & York Avenue looking east towards East End Avenue and the river. The top picture is from 1942, the lady in the picture is my grandmother, Anne Pryor. Across the street is Gene's Tavern. Gene's had a two lane bowling alley in the basement and in 1942 my Uncle Tom was the Pin Boy. That year, he turned the job over to his 13 year old brother, my father. Gene's later became Melnicoff's Clothing store where Mom bought white shirts about this time of year for Rory and me for the coming school year at St. Stephen's. The only time I liked going into Melnicoff's was when Mom decided it was time for a new pair of sneakers, which as far as I was concerned didn't happen often enough. Dad made her take it out of the house money, Mom wasn't tight, she was broke.

Hanging over the 84th Street streetbed is the Service Flag that was hung there to support the troops in August 1942 after a parade around Yorkville by hundreds of neighbors up and down the streets and the avenues.

I took the second picture last week. Still a bit strange it's a 7-Eleven.


I want to thank Frank Flaherty, my guest this past Tuesday night on the Yorkville radio show on Centanni Broadcasting. Frank, a Deputy Editor at The New York Times, and author of the splendid writing reference book "The Elements of Story," shared stories on how careful and thoughtful editing and deeper exploration into your subject can take storytelling to a richer level and improve all your writing. The Harper Collins soft cover version of the book comes out in two weeks and we'll be widely available in bookstores and online.

Next Tuesday my radio show guest is Alison Pryor.

Here are the Frank Flaherty show and Centanni links:

Yorkville: Stoops to Nuts 8/24/2010 with host Tommy Pryor & guest: Frank Flaherty

http://www.centannibroadcasting.com/