The Voyeur's Motel

This story is very strange to say the least but I must say I found it riveting reading. (The documentary on Netflix is also well worth watching).Gay Talese obviously edited the original manuscript journal kept by Foos and I can’t help regretting that they did not do a full reprint of his whole journals, rather than what Gay thought worthy. I would read it if they did.Foos is an interesting character and not someone you would encounter everyday but without question voyeurs like him exist far more than we might like to think. His years of spying on guests at his motel in Colorado would unquestionably face criminal charges in the UK but the law is different in the US and he only went public after the Statute of Limitations (years elapsed since the crime) had passed.The book is easy reading, but obviously quite shocking. The fact he produced an ‘Annual Report’ on his activities made me laugh out loud.

Having watched the documentary first on the Voyeur, I thought this sounded like an interesting read that would compliment or add to the documentary. The book was essentially very similar, revealing nothing new than what the documentary did. The writing was okay, written in a journalistic style rather than how a book would be written. The book felt like it was essentially a lengthy newspaper piece, with snippets from the Voyeur's diary. There was nothing really revealtory about the book to be honest. I stopped and started as it didn't really hold my attention or draw me in like I thought it would. The author seemed like he went ahead with the book because he had spent so long on the research, but there wasn't much meat or material to flesh out the bones worthy of a story. The book was just 'okay.' Neither a must read or something awful. 3/5 for me.

Lovely book

well written book by author ,it keeps you all time intrigued whats next happens to this i would say unique voyeur....i would highly recommend this to anyone who likes this kind stuff...

If you are considering to read a lot of dirty stories forget this book. The author tells some but it spends more time analysing the voyeur and advirtising his other books. Easy reading.

Great readSuch an interesting story.Really enjoyed it.

An OK read. The writing style was a little rough.

After watching the documentary this book is almost the same. I do however enjoy the written word and this book was a fairly quick read. I'm sure the subject will divide opinions, for me it was about obsessive inclinations and creating opportunities to fulfil them. Some aspects of the story don't match independent sources but overall this has to be a rare account for the time period. Brave of the voyeur and journalist to be so open as there is alot to risk.

Not really into the writing style but it was a unique read. I read it after watching the Netflix documentary . Interesting, creepy, and informative.

What a great book! I love Gay Talese's style of writing he's such a wonderful journalist. Just tells the story like it is, doesn't add his emotion into it, really great journalist. Anyway, the story was rather shocking, there were lots of moments where I was shocked and disgusted, and doesn't that make for a great book? I also watched the documentary on Netflix (which was released recently) and it was nice to see the motel owner in "person" - haha. I thought it was hilarious the motel owner considered himself a researcher. Anyway, this book was great. I loved reading all the stories and having a private peek into folks' sex lives... I guess I'm a voyeur too in a way!

Interesting perspectives drawn on people based on their sex lives. A worthy read.

ニュージャーナリズムの父とも呼ばれるGay Taleseの新刊　”The voyeur's motel"。のぞきに魅せられ、のぞきに人生を捧げた男がのぞきのためにモーテルを購入し、天井に作ったのぞき穴から30年以上に渡って客たちの秘密の生活を覗く。興味深い事に、この"観淫者 the voyeur" Gerald Foosは、自分自身を単なるのぞき屋と恥じるどころか、人々の真の生活の観察者だと考えていたらしい。覗き穴のある屋根裏を”labo"と称していた事にもそれは現れている。のぞきの主目的がセックスの鑑賞であるだけに、これは都合のいい言い訳のようにも聞こえるが、その几帳面な観察記録と思慮に富んだコメントは、確かに快楽主義とはかけ離れた信念を感じさせ、長時間に及ぶ『観察』で見せる忍耐力は、時に宗教的ですらある。愛情深いセックスに期待を膨らませて屋根裏部屋に駆け込んでも覗きの大部分が、愛情が欠如したすれ違いや諍い、浅ましさや品性のなさ、虚栄心や暴力など人間の醜い部分で占められていた事はそれが人間の真の姿であるとは言え、まさに皮肉以外の何物でもない。普通の人間なら幻滅して、とっくの昔に止めてしまっていただろう。やがて時が過ぎ、モーテルを売り払って覗きの生活から引退した時、彼は人生からも引退してしまったに違いない。廃墟となったモーテルを歩く最後の彼のセリフ”Yes, I've seen enough."には、彼の失った人生への愛惜が込められていてなぜかジーンと来てしまった。

A most unexpected good read. Not at all erotic or voyeuristic as I thought.