So many of the classic Old Hollywood restaurants have seen their end credits roll—Ciro’s, Chasen’s, the Brown Derby—that it is a marvel that Dan Tana’s is still serving its veal scaloppine and martinis after 62 years in business. The secret to its longevity can be found in this memoir by Dan Tana, a Serbian immigrant and European soccer star who came to Hollywood in 1954 and became a restaurateur pretty much by accident—the food was Italian instead of Chinese because a chef who once cooked for Mussolini was available. Tana’s affable nature and shrewd tweaks—like making the walls of the booths lower to aid people-watching—made the place a hit with the likes of Humphrey Bogart and Elizabeth Taylor, and its mystique was powerful enough that later stars like George Clooney became patrons. Tana sold his restaurant in 2009 to devote all his time to professional soccer duties and died last August at age 90, shortly after finishing his memoir.
What excellent timing for this book, since late August is often when folks think of chucking their jobs and staying on vacation. But Lindsay Crouse is after something far deeper here, exploring the reasons why we remain locked in pursuits and relationships long after they stopped making us happy. Perseverance is not necessarily a virtue, despite what we have been taught, and can do more harm than good, whether you are a star athlete, an unhappy spouse, or a personal assistant. The Case for Quittingis just as much about the case for a reset, and Crouse, a marathon runner herself, is especially convincing on taking a break in order to come back stronger. Reading this engaging and well-researched book may not make you quit, but it will make you think more creatively about your life and finding the courage to change what doesn’t make you happy.
