Sunday, July 22, 2012

Book Review Growing Up Grossinger

The title of this book should be how not to write a memoir. In this case the subject of the memoir is really not that like able. She spends her pages ranting about her mother and a million other subjects. Those of us who work demanding jobs know we can be better parents. Unfortunately, keeping pace in competitive jobs takes a lot out of us. We hear whiny rant after rant about her mother and next to zero humility from the author who is not quite as brilliant as she would like the reader to assume.

The book is spared by the many wonderful people whose paths she crossed. This memoir would have been much better if a greater focus was on the loved Hotel than on the author. Obviously, the author had to have some redeeming qualities to maintain so many wonderful friends over the years.

Unless you are a celebrity a memoir should focus more on the period especially if you are a clod. This book serves a wonderful example of how to make a wonderful subject tedious.

2 comments:

Z said...

That's sad! But it got published...I wonder how many really splendid books never have been....

beakerkin said...

The reason it got published is the Grossinger name to a person who lived in the era is the Gold Standard. Although the Concord was larger and better it did not inspire the love or legend of Grossingers.

The audience is really starved for a glimpse of this world. A likely far better and more representative book
is the memoir of the owner of the Alladin Hotel.

The author of this book is whiny obnoxious and really just an all aound jerk. It is not great form to rant about your mother and your family for pages. Yes her mother was not there like many single mothers she worked her ass off, get over it.