Shawn Levy recounts the evolution of Chateau Marmont from bohemian haven to glitterati hot spot, drawing back the curtain on the L.A. hotel’s ninety years of discretion and excess.
As alluring as it is to read his takes on Tab Hunter’s dalliances and John Belushi’s fatal overdose, Levy’s greatest feat is how he makes dull facts about the design and history of the building as interesting as what went on inside it ... Levy’s research is extensive, but he doesn’t get bogged down in the minutiae. The book gets particularly meaty when its gossipy and historical sides crash together ...
[an] engrossing account of the L.A. hotel’s 90-year history of decadence ... This eye-popping and entertainingly lurid tale of Hollywood scandal and intrigue will delight readers.
