Customer Reviews

The Life and Times of a Deco Dowager : The Edison Hotel

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Interesting history, nice photos. A must for fans of Art Deco architecture, preservationists, and lovers of old Miami Beach.

The Life and Times of a Deco Dowager is a slice of American Pie.The interplay between the architecture and the times shows how the history of an area can be impacted by world events.

The Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce carries this book in the Miami Beach Visitor Center because it provides insight into the facinating history of Miami Beach.

An easy read for history buffs.

Reading the "Deco Dowager" took me back almost 50 years, It brought back memories of a time of uncertainty, December 1942, with the world at war, there I was 18 years old, taking my military basic training in Miami Beach. The beauty of the Art Deco district somehow detracted from the fact that I was in the army. Having buddies stationed in nearby hotels, including the Edison, coupled with Miami Beach itself, made my training period easy and pleasantly memorable. Reading Dr. Berson's book refreshed my memory of those days. Her story is well written. The "World WarII Years" segment, is a must for the 500,000 airmen who trained there during the period covering 1942-1945

I enjoyed the Deco Dowager, as I grew up on Miami Beach and am fascinated by the area and the architecture. What disappointed me in this book, is that the author ended her history of the hotel in the early 50's and didn't pick it up until the 80s.

I realize that the area was not in its prime during her "missing years" but something certainly must have occurred. Who owned it? What did it look like? What happened there?

Certainly the book would have been better served with more history of the hotel (and photos) along with the author's "potential realized" with celebrities.