The Last Summer at the Golden Hotel by Elyssa Friedland: Perhaps in-part inspired by a New York Times
article about the changing face of the Catskills in New York, this tri-generational family drama addresses the complexity of family and friendship whilst finding ways to keep heritage alive. As a way to escape the city humidity in the summer, and the discrimination Jewish families faced elsewhere, Benny Goldman and Amos Weingold created a family orientated hotel together that has now passed through the generations.
Unfortunately however, due to a variety of cultural and social shifts The Golden Hotel is no longer an attractive holiday option. Described through a variety of family perspectives including Grandchildren Zach, Maddie, Michael and Phoebe, the family must now come together for potentially one last summer to decide on the fate of their hotel after an offer has been made to knock it down to make way for a casino to be built on the land.
Starting off fairly slowly, the narrative meanders through a variety of perspectives, and it isn’t until perhaps the 5th chapter that things start taking shape. Benny & Louise’s daughter Aimee discovers that her husband Roger has been involved in significant criminal activity and whilst hadn’t intended on being present for the vote on the fate of the hotel escapes from the drama in her own life, taking two of her three children Maddie and Zach with her.
The last time the two families were together was for Benny’s funeral and it seems that there is some water under the bridge that laps over the family banks each time they are together. And whilst the bond and memories between the two maintain their connection, it is clear there are some deep seated animosities and various insecurities that cause enormous friction. For Aimee, it is the thought of being present with her life-long crush Brian, son of Franny and Amos on top of the fact that her life is seemingly falling apart that creates mutual trepidation and excitement. And this is just one of the many mini-dramas that unfold whilst the fate of the Golden Hotel is determined.
Friendship, bonding, family values, and tradition are key themes that are unpacked throughout, along with the era wherein comedians, musicians and actors became famous due to the hotel’s success at the time. In some was there was a bittersweet sense of times forgotten and yet, like the two families, it appeared that taking a trip down memory lane is definitely worth the adventure if for no other reason than to remind us who we are and what really matters. Despite the sentimental value in keeping things as they are, there was a clear point that letting things go to make way for the new is essential to the rejuvenation of not just materialistic objects but also values within the family unit.
Overall, this is a good hearty drama that was written in the spirit of moving with the times as ultimately it is the memories that really matter in the end, particularly the good ones.
Book Info:
Publication: 18th May 2021 | Berkley Books |
In its heyday, The Golden Hotel was the crown jewel of the hotter-than-hot Catskills vacation scene. For more than sixty years, the Goldman and Weingold families – best friends and business partners – have presided over this glamorous resort which served as a second home for well-heeled guests and celebrities. But the Catskills are not what they used to be – and neither is the relationship between the Goldmans and the Weingolds. As the facilities and management begin to fall apart, a tempting offer to sell forces the two families together again to make a heart-wrenching decision. Can they save their beloved Golden or is it too late?
Long-buried secrets emerge, new dramas and financial scandal erupt, and everyone from the traditional grandparents to the millennial grandchildren wants a say in the hotel’s future. Business and pleasure clash in this fast-paced, hilarious, nostalgia-filled story, where the hotel owners rediscover the magic of a bygone era of nonstop fun even as they grapple with what may be their last resort.
