mcerrin's review against another edition
2.0
Kind of silly and not all that interesting. Sometimes just felt like random stories unrelated to the Chelsea per se. And also there were actually come totally unrelated 2 page stories of events that occurred NEAR the hotel that the author just witnessed. Now I know why this was at the thrift store for $2.
diannel_04's review against another edition
4.0
Interesting stories about a bunch of eccentrics living in New York's Chelsea Hotel. I enjoyed these stories even while the images of living in this place made my skin crawl
crewgurl's review against another edition
2.0
I just couldn't get into this book. I thought it was going to be an actual story, not random anecdotes that don't go together. Definitely not for me. Writing wasn't bad though.
krisrid's review against another edition
5.0
If you love any of the following: New York, quirky/crazy characters, terrific stories about the art/music/writing worlds, or feeling like you are peeking behind the curtains of your nutty-but-lovable neighbours in the run-down historic building down the street, you will like this book. If you go for ALL of those things, you will ADORE this book - I certainly did!
The author, Ed Hamilton, is a writer with his own colourful past, and who lived at the Chelsea for years, has a whole whack of his own personal experinces to tell stories about, but he's also hunted up all the best stories about the historic people who've lived or visited at The Chelsea Hotel. And there are a LOT of them! From Arthur Miller and William Burroughs, to Sid Vicious and Dee Dee Ramone, to Edie Sedgwick and Sarah Berhardt, the name-dropping is non-stop.
But this book is so much more than just a who's-who tell-all about celebrities. The author really captures the spirit, the grittiness, the life and the total weirdness that is certain parts - and people - of New York City. The quirks and the run-down-ness of the Hotel, and the over-the-top kookiness of the residents is a collection of all the shenanigans and "colourfulness" that those of us who live boring, typical, ordinary lives love to live vicariously through - whether we want to admit it or not.
Everything about this book is endearing, fascinating and humbling and really shows why artists, of whatever genre, are the kinds of characters we love to hear about and simply can't get enough of. As the place where so many of them have lived their lives and had their adventures, The Chelsea Hotel is unquestionably its own character in the book. It comes pretty close to out-shining every last one of the residents - and believe me, that's no mean feat considering who they are, and what they did - with its spirit, its run-down gentility and its New York state of mind. I loved everything about this book! I read it in three days because I just didn't want to put it down.
The author, Ed Hamilton, is a writer with his own colourful past, and who lived at the Chelsea for years, has a whole whack of his own personal experinces to tell stories about, but he's also hunted up all the best stories about the historic people who've lived or visited at The Chelsea Hotel. And there are a LOT of them! From Arthur Miller and William Burroughs, to Sid Vicious and Dee Dee Ramone, to Edie Sedgwick and Sarah Berhardt, the name-dropping is non-stop.
But this book is so much more than just a who's-who tell-all about celebrities. The author really captures the spirit, the grittiness, the life and the total weirdness that is certain parts - and people - of New York City. The quirks and the run-down-ness of the Hotel, and the over-the-top kookiness of the residents is a collection of all the shenanigans and "colourfulness" that those of us who live boring, typical, ordinary lives love to live vicariously through - whether we want to admit it or not.
Everything about this book is endearing, fascinating and humbling and really shows why artists, of whatever genre, are the kinds of characters we love to hear about and simply can't get enough of. As the place where so many of them have lived their lives and had their adventures, The Chelsea Hotel is unquestionably its own character in the book. It comes pretty close to out-shining every last one of the residents - and believe me, that's no mean feat considering who they are, and what they did - with its spirit, its run-down gentility and its New York state of mind. I loved everything about this book! I read it in three days because I just didn't want to put it down.
abetterbradley's review against another edition
4.0
I have always wanted to stay at the famed Chelsea hotel. Reading this book was the next best thing.
ainwena's review
2.0
While some of the stories were moderately interesting, most were bland. I would not recommend.
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