The Epicure's LamentHugo Whittier–failed poet and former kept man–is a wily misanthrope with a taste for whiskey, women, and his own cooking. Afflicted with a rare disease that will be fatal unless he quits smoking, Hugo retreats to his once aristocratic family’s dilapidated mansion, determined to smoke himself to death without forfeiting any of his pleasures. To his chagrin, the world that he has forsaken is not quite finished with him. First, his sanctimonious older brother moves in, closely followed by his estranged wife, their alleged daughter, and his gay uncle. Infuriated at the violation of his sanctum, Hugo devises hilariously perverse ploys to send the intruders packing. Yet the unexpected consequences of his schemes keep forcing him to reconsider, however fleetingly, the more wholesome ingredients of love, and life itself. BONUS: This edition includes an excerpt from Kate Christensen's Blue Plate Special. |
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Anna Karenina anyway arette asked Atlantic City au-pair Bellatrix Black Orchid blood oranges bottle breath brother Buerger's disease Bun Fox called Carla child Christmas cigarette cook course daugh daughter death Dennis Dennis's dinner dishes dragon drink drove everything Evie eyes face Fag Uncle Tommy father feel felt fuck garlic garum girl glass hair hand head Hillbilly heroin Hugo iceboat kill kitchen knew laughed Listen live Loki looked Louisa Marie Marie's marriage married Marshal Junot morning mother never nice night onions pain sautéed seems shallots Shlomo smell smile smoke someone Sonia sort stared stay Stephanie Fox sure talk tell there's thing thought told took Tovah truck trying turned Vero voice waiting watching Waverley whiskey Whittier wife window woman word