Hotel Honolulu (2001)

by Paul Theroux

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629	14	37,557	(3.33)	22
In this wickedly satiric romp, Paul Theroux captures the essence of Hawaii as it has never been depicted. The novel's narrator, a down-on-his-luck writer, escapes to Waikiki and soon finds himself the manager of the Hotel Honolulu, a low-rent establishment a few blocks off the beach. Honeymooners, vacationers, wanderers, mythomaniacs, soldiers, and families all check in to the hotel. Like the Canterbury pilgrims, every guest has come in search of something -- sun, love, happiness, objects of unnameable longing -- and everyone has a story. By turns hilarious, ribald, tender, and tragic, HOTEL HONOLULU offers a unique glimpse of the psychological landscape of an American paradise.… (more)

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Theroux is a favorite author: O-Zone. This book reads like a collection of short stories, centered around guests, employees, the owner and visitors to a B-class Honolulu hotel. The stories are dark, funny, fascinating at times, and really have something for everyone. My personal fave was "Brudda Iz," about, who else? Israel Kamakawiwo'ole, who was a "calabash cousin" of the hotel janitor. Really delightful except I get sick of authors who perpetuate the stories of old farts who marry young women and have kids who everyone thinks is their grandchild, as if that were a normal thing to do. (

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burritapal | Oct 23, 2022 |

Weird, in a surreal, quasi Falknerian way. A Dahlesque macabre keeps you attentive. (

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letocq | Feb 6, 2021 |

I love this book! There is some sexual stuff but other than that, I love it! The writing style, the exotic characters, the plot twists. This is the perfect book!!!! (

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Dr_Cicle | Nov 3, 2017 |

No more than a clutch of linked, thinly developed short sketches. Disappointing. (

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Faradaydon | Dec 21, 2016 |

Anecdotal, with some extremely fun and/or bizarre characterizations of people who stay and/or work at the hotel. The narrator is the manager, a writer with writer's block, and he recounts his stories in a very colorfully subjective way. One gets a very true feeling for Hawaii. (

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dbsovereign | Jan 26, 2016 |

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If you can get past the false modesty of the narrator, whose allusions to his discarded fame only make him sound smug, there’s wonder on every floor of the Hotel Honolulu.

added by John_Vaughan | editKirkus (Jul 21, 2011)

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Booklist Editor's Choice: Adult Books (Fiction – 2001)

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Original publication date

2001

People/Characters

Important places

Hawai'i, USA

Honolulu, O'ahu, Hawai'i, USA

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Nothing to me is so erotic as a hotel room, and therefore so penetrated with life and death.

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(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)

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Preston, John

Cohu, Will

Kemp, Peter

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In this wickedly satiric romp, Paul Theroux captures the essence of Hawaii as it has never been depicted. The novel's narrator, a down-on-his-luck writer, escapes to Waikiki and soon finds himself the manager of the Hotel Honolulu, a low-rent establishment a few blocks off the beach. Honeymooners, vacationers, wanderers, mythomaniacs, soldiers, and families all check in to the hotel. Like the Canterbury pilgrims, every guest has come in search of something -- sun, love, happiness, objects of unnameable longing -- and everyone has a story. By turns hilarious, ribald, tender, and tragic, HOTEL HONOLULU offers a unique glimpse of the psychological landscape of an American paradise.

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