Building Material: The Memoir of a Park Avenue Doorman: A Hilarious Memoir of a Doorman's Experiences with the Rich and Famous on Park Avenue

I enjoyed this book, especially getting a glimpse into the lives of people who both live and work in those imposing Park Avenue apartments. Through Bruno's unique perspective as both a doorman and an MFA graduate, he crafts an authentic narrative that goes beyond mere gossip to explore the complex relationships between staff and residents. The memoir particularly shines in its portrayal of meaningful connections that transcend class boundaries, like his touching relationship with the Blooms, who helped revitalize his academic journey. Bruno's ability to navigate the delicate balance between professional boundaries and genuine human connection makes this memoir both insightful and heartwarming, offering readers a thoughtful exploration of community, perseverance, and personal growth in one of New York's most exclusive neighborhoods. Highly recommend it!

This book is mildly entertaining. It is not laugh out loud humor, not even the kind to give me any chuckles. But reasonably interesting and I made my way through it. It is well written, the pros reads easily. The book is really about the Day-to-day life of the author, rather than an expose of wealthy patrons in Park Avenue apartments. There was no grand plot line, but a reasonably interesting dialogue.

I have to hand it to him, he can write a story. I wasn’t sure how much I’d enjoy learning about the inner thoughts of a Doorman. Bruno’s writing style and keen awareness of himself make for a very entertaining story. If you are like me, you’ll laugh at his wit and hilarious word choices. This is Bruno’s first book but I certainly hope not his last!

Thoroughly enjoyed this book! The author has a gift for metaphors- very clever. His story-telling is engaging and fun to read- worth reading!

I really enjoyed this book. When the book ended I wanted more stories from this author. The stories are rich, I felt I knew what a work day was like.

I mistakenly bought this thinking it would be about the residents of luxury NYC buildings. Unfortunately it’s really about the ins & outs of working as a door man. It moves very slow & I had to force myself to finish it.

Most of the book is the author talking about all of the mistakes he made rather than an inside look at what the doorman job is or his actual experiences. It was a sufferance to finish this because I kept hoping it would improve.

The book is hilarious, and the stories are captivating. I read it faster than any other book.