Book Review: Heads in Beds by Jacob Tomsky

Article first published as Book Review: Heads in Beds by Jacob Tomsky on Blogcritics.

About:
Heads in Beds: A Reckless Memoir of Hotels, Hustles, and So-Called Hospitality by Jacob Tomsky tells about the author’s decades of experience within the hospitality industry. Mr. Tomsky has started working in hotels as a valet, got promoted to management and worked in many other roles within the industry.

The pub­lisher is giv­ing away one copy to two (2) winners of this book— use the Raf­fle­copter form at the end of the post to enter.

• 256 pages
• Publisher: Doubleday (November 20, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385535635

My rating for Heads in Beds – 4

Buy this book in paper or electronic format

Thoughts:
Heads in Beds: A Reckless Memoir of Hotels, Hustles, and So-Called Hospitality by Jacob Tomsky (website | @benthebellman)  is a perfect book for the traveler, a look into what people in all levels in hotels go through to make your stay smooth and how you can make it smoother. The book is a quick read, funny and sometimes offensive (in a good way).

Mr. Tomsky started out his career inNew Orleans, but is now living for a long time inNew York City. The writing reflects East Coast humor, jesting which in other parts of the country is deemed offensive, rude and would likely get you beaten up or killed in some parts.

In my travels, I have tipped room service and bell hops before but never thought to do so with desk clerks. Now I know that I need to shall out a few bucks to make my stay more enjoyable.

However, unlike other industries where tips are given, in the hospitality industry tips go a much longer way. The author claims that when you give a tip to the desk clerk (it’s a bribe, come on who are we kidding?) the desk clerk will do a lot to make your stay better, from upgrades to free “stuff”. Something I will personally have to try next time I stay anywhere.

The difference between a bribe given to a front desk clerk at a hotel and your friendly neighborhood politician is that the bribe you give to the desk clerk actually gets better results. The desk clerk will work and hustle for you to earn the money he/she was given and you will enjoy the results (or so the author claims – I’ll try it myself at my next hotel stay.

The book could use a bit of editing, not much but some of the sentences are too long and several of the chapters skip back and fourth between subjects. I read an advanced reader copy (ARC), so please take this with a grain of salt since I don’t know if the final book will be the one I read.

The author’s frustration with his chosen profession, or a profession which chose him (the case for most working Americans if it’s any consolation for Tomsky), comes out with wit and intelligence while spitting bolts of fire – a remarkable achievement in my opinion.

At the back of the book Mr. Tomsky included two very funny appendices “Things a Guest Should Never Do” and “Things Every Guest Must Know” which are an excellent way to close the book.

So tell me, what’s the best or worst hotel experience you’ve head?

Buy this book in paper or electronic format

Give­away

• Give­away ends: August 25, 2012

• US/Canada Ship­ping Addresses Only

• No PO Boxes

• Win­ners will have 24 hours to write back with their address, oth­er­wise an alter­nate win­ner will be picked

Congratulations: carlscott@, nicnac63@, singitm@

Zohar – Man of la Book
Disclaimer: I got this book for free.

BOOK BLOGGERS – Have you read Heads in Beds? If so link up your review below: