Paul Carr (1) (1979–)

I downloaded this a while ago onto my Kindle and completely forgot it was on there. I think I initially bought it because of the fact Las Vegas form part of the tale. Sadly, Vegas doesn't feature as prominently in the book as I had led to be believed. Being in a slight reading slump I decided to check out the start of this book and see what it was like.

The book starts with Paul Carr deciding that living in London is too expensive and that he can live in hotels around the world cheaper. It sounds like a ludicrous plan but the economics sounded solid and Carr knows the hotel world quite well, so could it work?

Ultimately the book turns into a collection of tales of drunken adventure on the road in America and a little of Europe. I should warn that drinking features on pretty much every page. At first this is entertaining, then eventually it gets a little tiresome. Despite this the book is fairly well written and I managed to read through it very quickly.

Two parts of the books really shine though. Carr pretty much admits that all books of this nature which encourage people to do what the author has done fit in with a very very small selection of the population. For example, being a writer allowed Carr to make a living on the road, something he says many people can't do. The second part which really stands out is where he comes to the realisation that he an alcoholic and needs help. This part is really heart felt and feels alien compared to the drunken bravado of the rest of the book.

This book was entertaining and would probably appeal to fans the Ben Mezrich.… (more)

This collection of Paul Carr’s series of Huffpost articles to promote his new book (The Upgrade) is an interesting time capsule that not only allows a glimpse at a specific stage of Las Vegas’ ongoing transformation, but unexpectedly foreshadows the ongoing absurdity of the current Trump presidency.

The concept of the series, to spend the night at a different Las Vegas hotel every night for a month, opens the door to Carr’s combination of edgy travelogue and social/political commentary, always with an eye towards honesty and insightful reflection. Carr not only spotlights the good and bad experiences of hotel amenities and the nightlife of the Strip, he also takes a closer look at the political landscape, real estate struggles, and the burgeoning artistic community attempting to gain a solid foothold in an overly commercial landscape. And yes, Carr even finds himself present at a union workers meeting led by Donald Trump in one of his previous forays into announcing a presidential bid without actually running. The Trump chapter alone is worth the price of admission; Carr’s coverage and deconstruction of Trump’s early campaigning tastes like a bad case of déjà vu, as bitterly disappointing as it is humorous.

That aside, Carr’s focus is not just of the visitors to Las Vegas, but of those who work and live there as well. From sex workers and hotel clerks to the Mayor of Las Vegas, Carr doesn’t just try to describe Vegas, he attempts to understand it, and that genuine level of attachment elevates this collection far above the sarcastically sniping travel blog that it so easily could have been.… (more)