Hotel plenti

by Miles Gibson

As though Martin Amis had been written by Henry Green and David Cook."" - The Times Literary Supplement. ""Savagely black comedy along Evelyn Waugh lines with its merriments even kinkier."" - The Observer. Full of dark comic invention, teasing eroticism, and culinary joie de vivre, Vinegar Soup is spicy and delectable, a fantasy with a flavor all its own about food and sex, growing up and growing old. Gilbert Firestone, fat and fifty, works in the kitchen of the Hercules Café and dreams of travel and adventure. When his wife drowns in a pan of soup he abandons the kitchen and takes his family to start a new life in a jungle hotel in Africa. And then the enormous Charlotte arrives with her brothel on wheels. An epic romance of true love, travel, and food.

Genres: Fiction

280 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1987

About the author

Miles Gibson (born 1947) is a reclusive English novelist, poet and artist.
Gibson was born in a squatters camp at an abandoned World War II airbase, RAF Holmsley South in the New Forest, and raised in Mudeford, Dorset. The camp was dubbed Tintown and had been sanctioned by Christchurch Town Council as a way to ease postwar housing shortages. He was educated at Sandhills Infant School, Somerford Junior School and Somerford Secondary Modern - now The Grange School.

Gibson’s darkly satirical writing has been described as both “magic realism” and “absurdist fiction”. Although his narratives remain linear in construction his employment of black humour, pastiche, and untrustworthy narrators places him firmly among the postmodernists.

Reviews

[Bobby Waby · Rating 4 out of 5]

My partners grandad gave me the book to read he highly recommended it. The first chapter I found difficult to get in a bit confusing but by the end of the book I feel it does tie it together. Interesting story, it’s not the happy ending you want but a good ending. There is always a like to food in some way.

[Mary Davidsaver · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm glad I found this book. Miles Gibson must be an interesting partner to have lunch with because FOOD is definitely his thing. After the trials and tribulations of the central cast of characters, and there were a great many tense moments, there was a happy ending. I wish he could have spent more than one sentence on it, but he must have had his reasons. This was a first novel for Miles and I'm looking forward to reading more from this creative and imaginative writer.

[Corey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gibson is a genius, sadly neglected. His books are a joy.