---
product_id: 6155792
title: "Up in the Old Hotel"
price: "€ 23.82"
currency: EUR
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 11
url: https://www.desertcart.ie/products/6155792-up-in-the-old-hotel
store_origin: IE
region: Ireland
---

# Up in the Old Hotel

**Price:** € 23.82
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- **What is this?** Up in the Old Hotel
- **How much does it cost?** € 23.82 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
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## Description

desertcart.com: Up in the Old Hotel: 9780679746317: Mitchell, Joseph: Books

Review: James Spader turned me on to this one - May sound corny, but the reason I purchased this particular book, was because I saw it first in the Late Night Show with Jimmi Fallon. Actor James Spader was a guest, and as he made his entrance was holding the book, which he presented to Jimmi (yes, we are on first name basis) the book. I immediately grabbed my pen and paper, always on the ready, realizing how susceptible I am for buying things shown in the tube, specially the late night clutter of options. Right before zonked out time, the order was placed in desertcart. I have been watching James Spader in his latest The Black List, which I do not like at all, but I give him credit for past performances, I particularly enjoyed his tv role in Boston Legal, and why not?, in Wolf. The book turned out to be a crowd pleaser (me, and my split personalities), and the stories written with great aplomb, from a writer and journalist, that more than surpasses the knowledge level that is required, truly a man of the pen. Great journalism in a city that never fails to deliver very interesting people, and places. I would say that for the short type essays this book is comprised of, this book is well worth taking the trip down memory lane. Needless to say, I, immediately after, also purchased My Ears are Bent, by the same talented author. I will not bother the well respected, and highly appreciated, lot of desertcart reviewers with a breakdown of the stories, for that is for each lucky reader who holds the book to find its rewards. Sufficient is to say that it is well worthy the price of admission. 4.5 Stars.
Review: My late discovery - I pride myself on the amount of reading I have done about New York City but I have to admit that my experience with Joseph Mitchell was extremely limited. I don't know why. It wasn't intentional; it just happened. So, I finally picked up this book, and now, wow! A part of me is full of regret: I had been missing so much. On the other hand, I am experiencing the writing of this great essayist and storyteller for the first time. And as with everything in life that is pleasurable, the first time is usually the best. I am living it up. Joseph Mitchell and his people occupied a New York before my time. (Even though he had passed away when I was quite young, he hadn't published much for years because of his infamous writer's block.) What Mitchell presents is the dirt under New York's fingernails. The characters all live on the cliched fringes of the metropolis. And if they weren't the patrons of McSorley's or some dive or flophouse, they were just as iconic as The Empire State Building or a Lower East Side tenement. As others have mentioned, the Joe Gould essay is as poignant and fascinating as essays get. When I had first heard of Mitchell and his milieu, the words grittiness and realism always seemed to be the adjectives surrounding his work. Immediately, the photographs of the legendary Arthur "Weegee" Fellig came to my mind. However, after reading these tales, this comparison utterly falls on its face. Weegee's works, as much as I admire them, were often staged, and even the ones that weren't have a self-conscious shock value attached. Mitchell's "grittiness" and "realism" is actually naturalist. There is an acceptance, respect and grace to his subjects, and in the writing surrounding the people and places he is describing for us. He had no need to embellish or stage anything. And, for me, a first time reader, this is the biggest source of my enjoyment. Nice meeting you, Mr. Mitchell. And thanks.

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| Best Sellers Rank | #98,326 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #193 in Humor Essays (Books) #281 in Essays (Books) #708 in Short Stories Anthologies |
| Customer Reviews | 4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars (513) |
| Dimensions  | 5.18 x 1.29 x 8 inches |
| Edition  | Revised |
| ISBN-10  | 0679746315 |
| ISBN-13  | 978-0679746317 |
| Item Weight  | 1.15 pounds |
| Language  | English |
| Print length  | 736 pages |
| Publication date  | June 1, 1993 |
| Publisher  | Vintage |

## Images

![Up in the Old Hotel - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/811GhczUJWL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ James Spader turned me on to this one
*by E***E on November 3, 2014*

May sound corny, but the reason I purchased this particular book, was because I saw it first in the Late Night Show with Jimmi Fallon. Actor James Spader was a guest, and as he made his entrance was holding the book, which he presented to Jimmi (yes, we are on first name basis) the book. I immediately grabbed my pen and paper, always on the ready, realizing how susceptible I am for buying things shown in the tube, specially the late night clutter of options. Right before zonked out time, the order was placed in amazon. I have been watching James Spader in his latest The Black List, which I do not like at all, but I give him credit for past performances, I particularly enjoyed his tv role in Boston Legal, and why not?, in Wolf. The book turned out to be a crowd pleaser (me, and my split personalities), and the stories written with great aplomb, from a writer and journalist, that more than surpasses the knowledge level that is required, truly a man of the pen. Great journalism in a city that never fails to deliver very interesting people, and places. I would say that for the short type essays this book is comprised of, this book is well worth taking the trip down memory lane. Needless to say, I, immediately after, also purchased My Ears are Bent, by the same talented author. I will not bother the well respected, and highly appreciated, lot of amazon reviewers with a breakdown of the stories, for that is for each lucky reader who holds the book to find its rewards. Sufficient is to say that it is well worthy the price of admission. 4.5 Stars.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ My late discovery
*by R***O on April 17, 2013*

I pride myself on the amount of reading I have done about New York City but I have to admit that my experience with Joseph Mitchell was extremely limited. I don't know why. It wasn't intentional; it just happened. So, I finally picked up this book, and now, wow! A part of me is full of regret: I had been missing so much. On the other hand, I am experiencing the writing of this great essayist and storyteller for the first time. And as with everything in life that is pleasurable, the first time is usually the best. I am living it up. Joseph Mitchell and his people occupied a New York before my time. (Even though he had passed away when I was quite young, he hadn't published much for years because of his infamous writer's block.) What Mitchell presents is the dirt under New York's fingernails. The characters all live on the cliched fringes of the metropolis. And if they weren't the patrons of McSorley's or some dive or flophouse, they were just as iconic as The Empire State Building or a Lower East Side tenement. As others have mentioned, the Joe Gould essay is as poignant and fascinating as essays get. When I had first heard of Mitchell and his milieu, the words grittiness and realism always seemed to be the adjectives surrounding his work. Immediately, the photographs of the legendary Arthur "Weegee" Fellig came to my mind. However, after reading these tales, this comparison utterly falls on its face. Weegee's works, as much as I admire them, were often staged, and even the ones that weren't have a self-conscious shock value attached. Mitchell's "grittiness" and "realism" is actually naturalist. There is an acceptance, respect and grace to his subjects, and in the writing surrounding the people and places he is describing for us. He had no need to embellish or stage anything. And, for me, a first time reader, this is the biggest source of my enjoyment. Nice meeting you, Mr. Mitchell. And thanks.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Great Read!!! Recommend to all!
*by J***. on June 2, 2025*

I started this book the minute I received it. Yes, it does read like fiction, but having lived in NY in the 50's, I related so strongly to the essays/stories in it. It's a delightful read and so beautifully written!

## Frequently Bought Together

- Up in the Old Hotel
- The Face of War
- A Stricken Field: A Novel

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*Product available on Desertcart Ireland*
*Store origin: IE*
*Last updated: 2026-03-20*