Front!*
IMPERIAL PALACE—Arnold Bennett— Doubleday, Doran ($2.50).
Arnold Bennett loves big hotels, has a simple passion for their complicated, smooth-running luxury. As insatiably curious as the Elephant's Child, he had nosed out everything he could about the "luxury hotel." Imperial Palace's 769 pages, besides comprising a fine novel, contain enough information on hotel management to serve as a manual.
The Imperial Palace Hotel (modeled after London's Savoy) is, for purposes of the story, internationally admitted to be best of its kind in the world. Famed among hotel tycoons but little-known to the public, 47-year-old Evelyn Orcham is Imperial Palace's director, beloved autocrat. At 4:30 a.m. he is about to set out for the meat market with his buyer, when in come Tycoon Sir Henry Savott, his lovely daughter Gracie, late arrivals from a liner. Gracie admires Evelyn at sight, sets her cap at him, will not be happy till she gets him. In Paris she finally lands him, makes herself his mistress for two tempestuous days. Meanwhile Tycoon Savott has arranged a gigantic international hotel merger, wants Imperial Palace as its keystone, Evelyn as manager of the whole affair. Evelyn is tempted, finally succumbs, will be world's No. 1 hotel man. News of temperamental Grade's marriage to somebody else upsets him, but only temporarily : she would have been no wife but a career. Luckily he falls in love with his head housekeeper; she will do him proud.
In all his goings & comings you follow Manager Orcham through his microcosmic hotel, its daily & nightly functionings. crises; from the subterranean power plant to the eighth luxurious floor. Anything, from a miscarriage to a murder, can happen there; almost everything does. Author Bennett shows how carefully set a stage the hotel guest sees; shows what hard and clever work goes on behind the scenes. After reading Imperial Palace you will see your next hotel dining room, grill room, lobby with a fresh eye.
The Author. For some months Author Bennett acted as house-detective for the Savoy Hotel, spying on the life of his monstrous love. Fat. sloppy-looking, with prominent teeth, hanging lower lip, a wave of hair, droopy eyes, Arnold Bennett would have been more conspicuous, not so well cast, as a maitre d'hotel.
Novelist, playwright, journalist extraordinary, Enoch Arnold Bennett, 63, is the most versatile, one of the most prolific living English writers. He has published over 50 books, more than a dozen plays. Born poor, he got little schooling, went to London at 21, became a solicitor's clerk. His first published piece was How a Bill of Costs is Drawn Up; his second appeared in the late great Yellow Book. Says he: ''I write for money." He makes a good income. Some of his books: Clayhanger (pr. "Clanger"), The Old Wives' Tale, Mr. Prohack, Riceyman Steps, The Grand Babylon Hotel, Milestones (a play).
Quiddities
MEMORIES AND VAGARIES—Axel Munthe —Dutton ($3).