Harry Kressing‎ - The Cook

[humgoo]

Harry Kressing‎ - The Cook (Valancourt Books, 2015; originally Random House, 1965; Panther 1967 etc)

Cover art by Milton Glaser (1929–2020)

Blurb:

The Cook opens with Conrad, nearly seven feet tall, gaunt, and dressed all in black, arriving on his bicycle in the town of Cobb. He quickly secures a job as cook for the wealthy Hill family, winning their hearts and stomachs with his delectable dishes, and before long he has everyone around him eating out of his hand. But Conrad has a sinister, inscrutable plan in view, and after becoming master of their palates, next may be their souls . . .

The way to a man's heart is through his stomach indeed. But not just men. Men and women, young and old, are all under Conrad's gastronomic spell. Thin people become obese and fat ones emaciated. Shapes have shifted and so will be roles. The tables are set only to be turned.

No, not really a Paperbacks-from-Hell book. In fact one of those I-don't-know-how-to-pigeonhole-it books. At a mere 173 pages (the Valancourt edition), the book is to be savoured.

"Harry Kressing" is believed to be the pseudonym of American Harry Adam Ruber (1928–1990). Little is known of him. Milton Glaser died on his 91st birthday last week.

[bluetomb]

Ah, but there's nothing like a half forgotten sui generis oddity. Never heard of this before but it sounds splendid. And I'm reminded I keep meaning to write something here (in the right section I mean) on the remarkable Phyllis Paul.

[humgoo]

Would love to read your reviews of Ms. Paul's books, dear bluetomb! The fate of books is just mysterious. A book may be lying there forgotten for say 50 years and then, all of a sudden and out of the blue, people, unbeknownst to each other, rave about it at the same time. When Valancourt reprinted The Cook in 2015, the book seemed to have been "in the air" for some time:

"It's wonderfully suspenseful, though, and thrillingly original, and finally, in its quiet, casual way, even shocking. Not to mention out of print and largely forgotten." --Bill R., The Kind of Face You Hate, 2011

"The Cook is a masterful diabolic fable, worked in elegant prose within the space of barely a hundred-some pages. Considering that we are living in a golden age of foodies, it's crazy that this tale of gourmet wizardry (literally and metaphorically) hasn't been republished with an intro by someone like Anthony Bourdain (who would certainly appreciate the book's black humor)." -- Neglected Books, 2013

"The Cook is a fable, an allegory, a thriller, a satire. It's a phantasmagorical and intoxicating read. Like eating a fine meal in the best restaurant reading The Cook is one of those rare pleasures you don't want to end." -- J F Norris, Pretty Sinister Books, 2013

And I certainly count myself lucky to have read it!