The Starting Gate

A Cocktail of Working, Drinking, Family and Zen

By: Paul Mullin

Narrated by: Paul Mullin

In 13 chapters Paul Mullin mixes up a potent cocktail of working, drinking, family and Zen.

It all starts - where else? - at the Starting Gate: a shit-kicker country bar in Northern Maryland where the author first started working at the age of 13, and where his boss once shot a man dead for trying to rob the local drug store. Other jobs follow, like when he works as the only white kid on an all-black labor crew at the National Archives, or the years he spends as a high-rise window cleaner in Manhattan.

An essential primer for anyone interested in Zen and/or cocktails, or for anyone who enjoys a good story as if told from the next barstool over.

©2015 Paul Mullin (P)2016 Paul Mullin

Evocative. Charming. Thoughtful.

In this meditation on small town life, big city jobs, masculinity and growing up in the 1980's, Mullin references the Mother Teresa quote: "Do small things with great love" several times. It is apt for this book as well.

In vividly drawing his coming of age in the 1980's and 90's, Mullin is presenting us with many small observances that are all delivered with great love indeed. Along the way we learn the fascinating minutia of high rise window cleaning, being an efficient stock boy, working at the national archives, zen practice and meditation, and how to get the most out of a bar's happy hour.

Mullin, a former actor, does a terrific job of imbuing the stories that make up this volume with just the right amount of sensitivity and swagger.

A great listen, well-presented and quite different from the standard fare on Audible.

Performance including accents of certain characters was excellent
Story is a misnomer, this really is a cocktail of a of autobiographical stories, worldview and no shortage of opinions. Overall flow was compelling though some further refinement could have been applied to sections on bar etiquette and Zen experiences.
Overall, a truly unique listen very much worth the time spent.

Great book, especially for a guy

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I really liked this book. I am female, and while I was listening to the book, I kept thinking what a great listen it would be for some men. Mullins has some amusing stories to tell. As long as the man in your life doesn't mind a little cussing and likes to drink, I think it would make a great gift.

What did you like best about this story?

I liked how it kept my attention. He's got some good stories to tell.

Which character – as performed by Paul Mullin – was your favorite?

Mullin did a great job reading it. As I've gotten a bit older (50s), I have come to enjoy listening to audible books, because my eyes don't lend themselves well to long reading periods. He's quite a good narrator, which I would expect, since he endeavored to have an acting career at one point. I always like when authors read their own works, although sometimes it doesn't always work as well as it did here.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I like his nostalgic bent and the feelings that evokes when I'm in the mood for it.