Hotel Bemelmans

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.

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.

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.