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Category: Dead Authors

  • Long-time Chelsea Hotel Resident Jakov Lind (1927-2007)

    We are sad to learn of the passing of the great Jewish writer Jakov Lind, who, according to his obituary in the New York Sun (March 9, 07) lived at the Chelsea for 40 years, though he wisely spent part of his time in London and Spain.  There are photos of Lind in both the…

  • The Chelsea as Vanishing Point: Jean Baudrillard RIP

    French Philosopher Jean Baudrillard died earlier this week.  Rita Barros, who photographed Baudrillard and his wife, for her book, 15 Years: Chelsea Hotel, recalls her excitement at meeting Baudrillard in his Paris studio and preparing dinner for him here at the Chelsea. We’re happy to learn that he didn’t like "The Matrix," feeling that the…

  • Charles Bukowski: 8/16/20 – 3/9/94

      On the anniversary of his death, here’s a rockin’ tribute of sorts, by indie band, My Penis, to everybody’s favorite drunken poet, Charles Bukowski. Bukowski, as we’ve mentioned before, wasn’t that impressed by his stay at the Chelsea. He didn’t think it was much, but he figured maybe that was its charm. This from…

  • Mark Twain The Inventor Stops by the Chelsea

    Recently, Google made it easier for users to search through 7 million patents dating back to 1776.  If your into that sort of thing here’s what you might find: Samuel Clemens patent for improvement in scrapbooks, filed June 24, 1873.  So, now we know, Mark Twain is responsible for the "self-pasting" scrapbook.   If you…

  • Dee Dee Ramone’s Manuscript Still Available

    Here’s a gift suggestion for the Ramone fan on your gift list. Today is the final day that you can bid on Dee Dee Ramone’s unpublished autobiography manuscript.  The last time I checked the high bid was $659.57.    I guess the bids are not going to reach the same level  ($155,401) as that 1966…

  • Thanksgiving Prayer — William Burroughs

    Thanks for the American Dream….

  • Thomas Wolfe Postcards: A Ghost Story At The Hotel Chelsea

    Novelist Susan Swan visited the Chelsea last summer, staying in Thomas Wolfe’s old room (you remember Thomas: he wrote "You Can’t Go Home Again" in room 829). She considers Wolfe a literary father-figure, and, as you can see from the following story, her stay at the Chelsea was for her a profoundly spiritual experience.First Installment:Thomas…

  • CHELSEA FAÇADE GETS EVEN MORE CROWDED

                This is the week we’ve all been waiting for.  A new plaque will be added to the front of the Chelsea Hotel.  The place will be crawling with media since another star is being added to the Walk of Fame. The recipient is filmmaker Shirley Clarke.             Clarke,…

  • Ghosts Walk The Corridors

    For all you history buffs who read this blog, a 1984 interview with Stanley Bard, originally heard on CBS radio’s BookBeat, is available online as a podcast.  Click here to play!  When asked why he thinks so many writers come to stay at the Chelsea, Stanley credits the buildings high ceilings and the sound-proof rooms. …

  • A Tale of Two Dylans

    A Welsh writer named Phil Bowen has written a play about a meeting between Dylan Thomas and Bob Dylan in the Chelsea Hotel. Though initially produced in 2001 and 2002, it was of course a flop.  Now its been brought back for a run at the Dylan Thomas Centre in Wales. Through superior blogging skills…