Customer Reviews

Hotel Bemelmans

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Potential purchasers of Bemelman's lovely "Hotel Bemelmans" should know that as far as I can tell all the Hotel Bemelmans books advertised on Amazon is a shortened edition of the original Hotel Bemelmans published in 1946 by Viking Press. The books advertised here were published in 2000 by Overlook Press and contain 24 stories. The Viking Press edition has 36 stories. I learned this the hard way having purchased 3 copies of the shortened Overlook Press book. Some wonderful stories have been left out. e.g. Art at the Splendide. I have the original and am looking to buy some more.

You enjoyed "Madeleine" as a child and now you can enjoy some further tales by the author Ludwig Bemelmans that were written for the grown up who still has that child-like love for fantastic illustrations and clever stories. I remember reading in a book all about the author that he was brought up and trained in the hotel industry. He was a bit of a difficult child and his Mother sent him to stay with relatives who were hoteliers. He learned the trade inside and out and eventually went to America and worked in the Hotel trade in New York. So his stories are perfect. He was also a well known member of cafe society and was part of that lovely life in the mid-twentieth century where everyone spent their days and nights in hotels mingling. Many of the tales are loosely autobiographical and an absolute delight. Think of it as a book filled with literary desserts. Anthony Bourdain (a most appropriate choice) writes the introduction for the book as well.
Another book that I recommend is "Bemelmans: The Life & Art of Madeline's Creator" to give an a detailed background and context into the stories.

Ludwig Bemelmans best known today for his successful Madeline children's series, is far too good and important a writer to relegate him to merely Madeline. (though I am very fond of Madeline myself) There is a treasure trove of solid adult writings that have endearing qualities that commit themselves to fond memory. Bemelmans was a bon vivant, gourmet, gourmand, traveller, and more importantly a student of human nature and all the quirks therein. These elements plus a eye for the pathos of life make him a writer to be rediscovered & cherished. Hotel Bemelmans was my personal introduction to his adult writings, and I have been a fan ever since. This book will provide a smorgasbord of his style and eye for everyday foibiles within the microcosm of the grand hotel's of the past that he knew and loved so well. His broad verbal and ink brush stokes, for he's the illustrator as well, can capture in a paragraph or a simple line drawing what other authors require pages to describe. Applause for the return of Hotel Bemelmans, and a warm invitation for you to step into the lobby and register for a gastronomic literary experience.

This was one of the most moving pieces of literature I've read in the last 10 years. The scenes on returning to post-WWI Germany poverty are still sharp in my mind, as is the ending scene in the book, which is a scathing commentary on 1920s high society but which is absolutely appropriate to today's (or any day's) bored, frivolous jet set. After reading this short book I eagerly sought out another adult work by Bemelmans (How to Travel Incognito) and was disappointed to find it superficial in comparison. This is a jewel of a book.

Ludwig Bemelmans lived an incredibly full life. Writer of children's books (the Madelaine series), author of novels, painter of murals, waiter, bon vivant,restaurant owner, screen writer, artist, traveller, and apparently a non-stop bringer of joy to all who knew him, he arrived as a teenager from Germany and went to work in what he called the Hotel Splendide in his book Hotel Bemelmans, the actual hotel being the Ritz Carlton in New York City. This book details his co-workers, the hotel's regular customers, and his life as a waiter and banquet manager. At one point, Bemelmans is living in the William Randolph Hearst suite atop the hotel, owns a Hispano-Suiza, has his own butler, and has a chauffeur who can't drive so Bemelmans allows the chauffeur to dress up in his driving uniform, and sit in the back of the car while Bemelmans drives the car. Bemelmans is the kind of person you wish you'd known.

"In an old house in Paris that was covered with vines, lived twelve little girls in two straight lines..." Years and years after first hearing these lines from the first Bemelmans' Madeline book, and still knowing most of the lines in the book by heart, I was thrilled to find "Hotel Bemelmans" in the bookstore. Here, I thought, was the inimitable Bemelmans, but this time for adults. Unfortunately, I was rather disappointed. After coming to America from a boyhood spent in Germany under the tutelage of Uncle Hans in the art of hotel/restaurant management, Bemelmans finds himself working at the Hotel Splendide in New York one of the City's "grand hotels". He begins at the bottom and works himself up. The stories in this book are tales of the eccentric and lovable characters that he encounters while working at the Splendide. There is the irascible Herr Brauhaus, who constantly curses " Cheeses Greisd!" in a heavy German accent, and is in charge of running the hotel. There is also Monsieur Victor who runs the hotel restaurants and strikes fear into the hearts of his staff. In addition we find Professor Gorylescu, a magician who regularly entertains at hotel parties, as well as an assortment of guests whose eccentricities are revealed with delight. It is all a portrait of a time of elegance long gone, and of those who made a certain lifestyle possible. The stories are generally poignant, but if you are looking for a book to provide you with loud guffaws unfortunately this is not it.

The twenty-six stories which are taken from several of Ludwig Bemelmans' earlier books are such a delight to read. Each story is independant of the others but the same characters are featured through out. Bemelmans' world is that of the world class hotel in the 1920's and 30's, a world he knew well. The characters are just that, characters. The book is charming, witty, and the stories remain as fresh as if they had been written yesterday.
Oh, did I mention that his wonderful black & white line drawings enhance many of the stories and are sure to bring on a smile

ORDERED ON 5TH DEC - TODAY IS 22 DEC STILL NOT HERE - ORDERED 3 OTHER BOOKS FROM AMAZON 1 WEEK AFTER 5 DEC, AND ARRIVED FROM AMAZON LAST WEEK

WILL NOT USE THIS BOOKSTORE FROM AMAZON AGAIN

TOTALLY UNRESPONSIIVE TO E MAILS