San Mateo Daily Journal
Columnist
Bart Charlow's books are great for reading about the daily life of hotel culture, especially the kitchen and dining room. Those of us who lived the many roles of hotel life will find much that is familiar and dear, and those with less connection will learn a lot about this unique slice of Jewish life.
I had such a great time reading them! The way you captured the behind the scenes antics, the atmosphere in the dining rooms, and quirky guests made me feel like I was right there. You balanced humor with stories that touched the heart.
Recreates the highlights of life in the Borscht Belt in its heyday …a unique insider’s point of view … memories of a world that will never be replicated. For this Catskill ‘brat’, I was reminded of the joys of inter-generational Jewish familial life with all its sights and smells, and I admit to shedding a tear at the dissolution of what once was.
From one 'aged Borscht Belt kid to another' - your book Is clearly the absolute best - I am a founder and Treasurer/CFO of the Catskills Borscht Belt Museum in Ellenville ... and reliving the best times of my life in my beloved Catskills - your book has truly made me smile, laugh and also cry - thanks again.
Indeed, it is that less than reverential attitude, along with the fact that he lived the story he is writing, that makes Charlow’s book so genuine….So here now is 'A Catskill Carnival,' different from pretty much everything else you have ever read about the Borscht Belt hotels.
