When John Summers moved to a small town in the Wairarapa and began to look closely at the less-celebrated aspects of local life &– our club rooms, freezing works, night trains, hotel pubs, landfills &– he saw something deeper. It was a story about his own life, but mostly about a place and its people. The story was about life and death in New Zealand.Combining reportage and memoir, The Commercial Hotel is a sharp-eyed, poignant yet often hilarious tour of Aotearoa: a place in which Arcoroc mugs and dog-eared political biographies are as much a part of the scenery as the hills we tramp through ill-equipped. We encounter Elvis impersonators, the eccentric French horn player and adventurer Bernard Shapiro, Norman Kirk balancing timber on his handlebars while cycling to his building site, and Summers' s grandmother: the only woman imprisoned in New Zealand for protesting World War Two. And we meet the ghosts who haunt our loneliest spaces.As he follows each of his preoccupations, Summers reveals to us a place we have never quite seen before.&‘ Clever, funny, boundlessly curious, The Commercial Hotel is a dazzling New Zealand opportunity shop, floor to ceiling with lost books and impos

"All the resorts, early inns, and historic hotels, from Stevenson in the north to Point Clear on Mobile Bay, and from Eufaula in the east to Carrollton in the west are included and most importantly, every one is pictured. The collection of illustrations alone makes this a book of prime importance in a state and regional history, a unique record of social life of the past."--Jacket.

Hotel London: How Victorian Commercial Hospitality Shaped a Nation and Its Stories examines Victorian London's grand hotels as both an institution and a culture intimately connected to the urban landscape. In her new study, Barbara Black argues that London's grand hotels provided an essential space for socializing, fashioned by concerns relating to class, gender, and nationality. Rooted in Walter Benjamin's "new velocities" of the nineteenth century and Wayne Koestenbaum's hotel theory, Hotel London explores how the emergence of the grand hotel as a physical and metaphorical space helped to construct a consumer economy that underscored London's internationalism and, by extension, England's global status. Incorporating the works of Oscar Wilde, Henry James, Wilkie Collins, Arnold Bennett, Florence Marryat, and Marie Belloc Lowndes, as well as contemporary depictions of the hotels in Mad Men, American Horror Story, and The Grand Budapest Hotel, Black examines how the hotel supported a corporate identity that would ultimately assist in the rise of modern capitalist structures and the middle class. In this way, Hotel London exposes the aggravations of class stratifications through the operations of status inside hotel life, giving a unique perspective on Victorian London that could only come from the stories of a hotel.

This landmark book delves into the complex web of the hospitality and tourist industry, one of the fastest-growing in the world. This book presents a thorough examination of the fundamentals, tactics, and advancements that establish achievement in the field of hospitality and tourism administration. It is suitable for professionals, students, and enthusiasts. The book commences by establishing a strong groundwork, acquainting readers with fundamental principles of service excellence, strategic administration of tourism enterprises, and hospitality operations. The section then examines the various aspects of the industry in depth, discussing current challenges and opportunities. Every chapter of the book offers a comprehensive comprehension of the factors that are currently and will continue to influence the field, ranging from ethical digital technologies to sustainable tourism practices. This book distinguishes itself through its integration of conceptual frameworks and practical implementations, providing readers with a comprehensive outlook on the field. The content, which is brimming with perspectives from seasoned experts and academics, is intended to cultivate critical thinking skills and ignite a deep appreciation for the intricate nature of hospitality and tourism enterprise management. This book provides invaluable guidance through the captivating realm of Tourism and Hospitality Management, catering to a wide range of readers, including seasoned managers seeking to remain updated on trends, students aspiring to enter the industry, and academics interested in pioneering research.

Malcolm McLaughlin's work presents a detailed analysis of the East St. Louis race riot in 1917, offering new insights into the construction of white identity and racism. He illuminates the "world of East St Louis", life in its factories and neighborhoods, its popular culture, and City Hall politics, to place the race riot in the context of the city's urban development.