In the Shadow of the Sun, the fast-moving and humorous memoir of author Peter Venison, takes us back and forth across the Atlantic, from Europe to Africa, in fascinating detail: At about the time of my graduation a new hotel was opening in London's Knightsbridge. It was to be called the Carlton Tower and to be operated by Hotel Corporation of America, the first new hotel to be built in London after the war and the first belonging to an American operator. Completely against the advice of my college professors, I applied for, and was offered, a position as a front desk clerk. 'How can you throw away four years of college by taking such a lowly job? they winged. Quite simple. The pay was to be ten pounds per week with the chance of some extra cash from tips and I had to do my bit to feed and clothe two children. Something else, however, had stirred in me. By taking this job I was not following the crowd; most of my fellow graduates were routinely taking positions in executive training schemes with British hotel companies. I was doing something different and, even though it was the lowliest of jobs, something individual. But most of all I was putting my foot into the door of America

In the Shadow of the Sun, the fast-moving and humorous memoir of author Peter Venison, takes us back and forth across the Atlantic, from Europe to Africa, in fascinating detail. At about the time of my graduation a new hotel was opening in London's Knightsbridge. It was to be called the Carlton Tower and to be operated by Hotel Corporation of America, the first new hotel to be built in London after the war and the first belonging to an American operator. Completely against the advice of my college professors, I applied for, and was offered, a position as a front desk clerk. 'How can you throw away four years of college by taking such a lowly job?', they winged. Quite simple. The pay was to be ten pounds per week with the chance of some extra cash from tips, and I had to do my bit to feed and clothe two children. Something else, however, had stirred in me. By taking this job I was not following the crowd. Most of my fellow graduates were routinely taking positions in executive training schemes with British hotel companies. I was doing something different, and even though it was the lowliest of jobs it was something individual. But most of all I was putting my foot into the door of

Twenty-two years ago, author Peter Venison's "Hotel Management" became a best seller in the hotel and tourism industry, labeled a 'must read" on the curriculum of every hotel school, and landed on the bookshelf of every hotel manager. Despite many requests for a follow-up volume, Venison declined, on the basis that he had nothing new to say. Now he does.

Holed up for several weeks in five star hotels while concluding a complicated business deal, Venison realized that the standards offered by the industry still fall short of perfection. As a result, he has put pen to paper to produce this handy catalogue of suggestions to hoteliers, based upon his considerable personal experience as a hotelier and perpetual hotel guest.

"100 Tips for Hoteliers" guides you from the inception of a hotel to its opening and operation, offering practical tips for each stage of the journey. It should prove equally useful to hotel school students as a checklist of what they can expect, and also to practicing hotel managers as a reminder of their responsibilities.

Proceeds from the sale of "100 Tips for Hoteliers" will be donated to the Duke of Edinburgh Cup charity.