The Club King: My Rise, Reign, and Fall in New York Nightlife by Peter Gatien

5 out of 5 stars  *****

The protagonist and author, Peter Gatien, starts buying old clubs and renovating them into successful, well-known establishments. He has a great work ethic, his finger on the pulse of nightlife clubbing, and a common sense that saves him from tragedy early on in his career. In the midst of his world collapsing around him, losing his first family, and doing a short prison stint, he learns from his mistakes and produces even greater success in the Nightclub scene around the world. The fall of this world-class celebrity comes at the persistence of a famous New York City prosecutor and eventual Mayor, Rudy Giuliani, who suspects Peter is involved in the drug world.

This story is a look at Gatien's humble beginnings and his catapulting fame and fortune due to his bold plunges into projects he extensively researches. He has connections with those who have connections; so, word of mouth is his main form of advertisement. The knowledge of what is cutting edge, successful, safe, and enduring make his clubs the place everybody wants to be. The big names in Hollywood, Washington D.C., London, and Paris frequent his clubs spending top dollar for top shelf bottles.

Many famous people owe much of their careers to Peter Gatien. Another impressive quality Peter shows throughout the book is his organizational skill. He is rarely caught off guard. Even at the end of his trial, he arranges a solution to live the best life possible between Canada and the USA with his present family.

I find this subject easy to relate to because it occurs during my younger days. I learn from this book background information about the music scene, the street scene, LGBTQ, and the introduction of sophisticated, potent cosmetic drugs. I do not identify with but understand the crazy characters that came out of blight and into fantasy that offers safe space for a night. Peter Gatien offers this account of his contribution to that therapeutic escape, all because he keeps his wits about him as those around him party.