Clublife: Thugs, Drugs, and Chaos at New York City's Premier Nightclubs

by Rob the Bouncer

In Clublife , Rob takes readers on a harrowing tour of the seedy, dangerous, and often deranged world of New York's hottest nightclubs. In the tradition of Kitchen Confidential and The Tender Bar , Clublife is a remarkable memoir of the nightclub business and how drugs, alcohol, troublemakers, and violence conspire against the men clubs enlist to keep it all under control. Brutally honest and filled with incredible tales only a true insider could tell, Clublife gives readers an all-access pass into the seamy subculture of New York nightclub security.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir

256 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 2007

Reviews

[Ralph N · Rating 1 out of 5]

Infuriating how awfully written this book is. Out of every book I read this year, this is the worst one. Would not recommend to anyone

[Miles Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

entertaining

Entertaining read. We’ll written perspective from the worker side of the night life in a club. Very relatable and funny at some parts

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I flirted briefly with Rob over email and find him tremendously smart and compelling. I really wanted this novel to be stunning and while it was good, it wasn't as good as I hoped. It did feel a bit pieced together for me and some wonderful pieces of text were sometimes embedded in pages of description that felt unnecessary.

My main problem though was that I didn't care much for the narrator. He struck me as overly callous and jaded and I wanted to know why. The story seemed to join him when he was already set in this disdain for the world and perhaps was I given reasons why, he would have been more interesting or I would have felt more involved. Given that I was excessively fond of the author, I wanted more from his character.

His next novel, I think, will be better. It must be difficult to merge a series of blog entries into a story, which is why I tend to avoid books like this.

[Edgarde · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rob the Bouncer is a burly misanthrope who hates the clubgoers, avoids self-improvement, and distantly bonds with his fellow security personnel. The club scene (a world I'm unfamiliar with) and the repressed rationalisations of manly men (guilty) aren't necessary interesting to me, but I enjoyed this author's blog and found the book even better.

I expected it would lean heavily on snarky examination of the clientele. I got some of that, but Rob treats us to a bit of introspection, and shows us some of the unspoken conventions among men working in teams.

This was an enjoyable light read — breezy Guy Lit — so I'm rating it generously. I enjoyed it about as much as I would a David Sedaris collection.

Supposedly Rob didn't like the result and wants to write a better book. I am looking forward to it.

[Jennifer]

I of course got this from the library's new book shelf, seeing as how it was written by 'rob the bouncer'. well, knock me down with a feather - it is well written, not bogged down in dated patois, and from the bouncer interviews I've done dead on accurate. The writer, Rob Fitzgerald, has a blog at standingonthebox.blogspot.com I will definately check out. He has tips on 'how to talk to a bouncer' but I haven't gotten to that part of his excellent book yet. I'm pretty sure he's writing about working at the Crow Bar in Chelsea, and when he says only idiots go to clubs and spend three times as much on a drink as at a place where he'd actually be comfortable, another one of my searing cultural insights was triply confirmed. Hats off to Rob Fitzgerald!

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a good read, giving you a "behind the scenes" look at a business most of us take for granted. If you liked Falling Out of Fashion, Turning Tables, or Kitchen Confidential, you'll like this book.

Although the protagonist at times seems willfully self-destructive in his personal relationships, he's all business at work. As someone who only frequented the clubs for a short while, it's interesting to see it from an insider's point of view. I know I'd never make it in a top club now!

[Seán · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fitzgerald's blog was at one time so good I checked it daily. This book, however, reads as if cobbled together, as if he strung together his best posts in an awkward fashion (general commentary/narrative, then short bursts of stageplay-style dialogue, and then ironic magazine-style sidebar "how-tos"). Although I enjoy, and agree with, Fitzgerald's disdainful view of New York and its guido douchebag hordes, I think more work was needed to transform the brilliance of his blog into a unified work.

[Gyda Arber · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad for a blog novel, actually -- one of the better ones I've read. I liked the blog, so I liked this, though some of the passages were lifted straight from blog entries, making it a bit repetitive if you're a regular reader of the blog.

[Constance · Rating 1 out of 5]

Rob the bouncer is a bitter individual who lacks talent in the writing dept. Pretty boring story to boot! No wonder his girlfriend breaks up with him! Sorry, but I worked in the bar industry for 10 years and there is some pretty good stuff to write about, none of which showed up in this book.

[Frank · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a blast. Super easy to read and really insightful.

[Chloe]

Recommended reading for readers of the Clublife blog:
http://standingonthebox.blogspot.com/