Knockemstiff has some brutal stuff. At one point during Dynamite Hole, Pollock described a corpse so vividly, I had to put the book down, take a deep breath, and psych myself up to keep reading lol
Have you read ‘The Devil All the Time’ and ‘TheHeavenly Circle’? ‘The Devil All the Time’ actually had a decent film adaptation made which is on Netflix.
Geez, how did that weird overlap thing happen, above? As promised, I'll have a few more book suggestions, but they might be hard to find. Get started looking for 'Campfires of the
Dead' by Peter Christopher, or wait for the reissue of the collection this coming spring.
Just checked. Selling between $50-$60 currently. The rest of the list, very findable, 1st editions and inscribed available as well. I actually have the “Slaves of New York” soundtrack on vinyl. ♥️
Beware the "Slaves of New York" film. A Merchant-Ivory production, but (if memory serves) not the greatest. The Peter Christopher collection will be reissued in a few months. I'll post when it's out. Okay?
I read the “Slaves of New York” book 10 years ago and enjoyed it. I learned a lot from it style-wise.
Sassy has been bringing the rubber hot dog and hamburger to bed now. She even carried the hot dog outside with her when she went potty— it stayed in her mouth the whole time like an old stogie. I can’t tell you enough the enrichment you sent for her!! 🥰♥️🎁
And you can also find the story Wickedness collected in the Scribner Anthology of Contemporary Short Fiction; if you got a Scribd account to read Chuck’s excellent People, Places, Things - Scribd has that anthology.
I just read Wickedness… great imagery… and details… and not what I was expecting… I think I need to sit with it a bit, but I’m glad my house is insulated and there’s no blizzards where I live
Thank you, Wil. The story 'Wickedness' is worth reading wherever you find it. Funny about reviews, people either love it or feel that it violates all human values. As if weather must align with some morality.
I tried to accomplish this with my book Normal. It's nice to see that this style of writing is appreciated, makes me feel like I didn't completely miss the mark
These sound great. I'm in the middle of The Gulag Archipelago and I had to take a breather. The break neck speed of Solzhenitsyn's story hits the ground running and gets faster. I thought, "Ok he's just trying to set the tone and then he'll slow it down." No, Sir. Terrifying. What's worse is it's all true.
Not been too good so let things slide a bit on here....have now caught up. Was thinking just this morning how I need some new book suggestions. I actually have one that I think you might really like Chuck in return-- The Giant O'Brien by Hilary Mantel. I honestly think, based on the above, you'd find it absolutely remarkable.
It's a novel but fairly short. She has a fantastic short story collection called 'The Assassination Of Margaret Thatcher' though which I'd equally recommend. If it's difficult to find in the US just let me know and I'll send one.
Chuck, do you recall a book by the name of ‘The Seven Days of Peter Crumb’? A while ago I was looking for a book to read which I didn’t know anything about. Stumbled upon the previously mentioned and saw that there was actually a quote on the cover from you, which probably helped in selling me the book. It’s a good book and it’s kinda unfortunate after reading it that you find out the author, Johnny Glynn, doesn’t have other books in print (yet?).
The novel centres around a schizophrenic psychopath and his seven day escapades in mid 2000s London. It’s quite disturbing in parts. You described it as, ‘Horrific, but great.’
What an excellent list! I would definitely add Knockemstiff to this list. I just happened to walk into a Barnes and Noble here in Columbus, Ohio one day and Donald Ray Pollack was giving a reading for Knockemstiff at like 6 PM on a Wednesday. I sat down and started listening to him read one of the stories. When he finished, I immediately bought a copy and had him sign it. I knew I was in the presence of one of Ohio's great authors.
Quite a shopping list , Mr. P! Shopped at a library warehouse so was at the mercy of the place’s hit-or-miss selection. As luck would have it, along with María Gainza’s “Optic Nerve” which was recommended in an interview with Pola Oloixarac (who revealed to me in a d.m. to be a lover of “Fight Club” (claro sí)) the warehouse also had the palabrota-filled “Drown” which I’m currently immersed in. Thanks for helping keep that part of my language skills sharp. As someone who also dug “Story” in its heyday this was the book from my reading list expansion that was destined and most desired.
Just bought Nebraska. I read the first line from Wickedness, and as a big Red Redemption junkie and I love stories set in the 19th century.. I'm already hooked. Thanks Chuck for the recommendations.
Thank you. I'll look for it. Have your read 'A Prayer for the Dying' which is based on the 'Wisconsin Death Trip' account of forest fires during a diphtheria outbreak?
Thanks for this, it's always great to get recommendations! 😁 I already have jesus son, knockemstiff and drown, as well as a lovely special edition of junot diaz's "this is how you lose her" with a slip cover and graphic novel style illustrations of women at the start of every story.
Chuck! Thank you for the Nami Mun reading suggestion. She’s soooo great! Plus, her background— coooool as hell!! Waiting for the rest to come in! She’s incredibly talented and a person to know in real life. WOW!!
Read Miles From Nowhere by your recommendation over the summer, blew my mind. Came back to reading it at about 11pm every night for a week! Every night convulsing, suddenly gripping my cubital fossa whilst trying to hold the book straight! Thank you so so much.
Chuck, you spoke this way about Knockemstiff and that wound up being one of my favorite books. I will definitely check these out.
Yes! Thank you for mentioning it. That is an excellent collection. Who can forget the government agent falling into the pit full of vipers.
The one where the guy was injured falling off of roof of a building he was breaking into?
Yes, and then he died hallucinating, talking to himself. Powerful stuff.
Knockemstiff has some brutal stuff. At one point during Dynamite Hole, Pollock described a corpse so vividly, I had to put the book down, take a deep breath, and psych myself up to keep reading lol
Have you read ‘The Devil All the Time’ and ‘TheHeavenly Circle’? ‘The Devil All the Time’ actually had a decent film adaptation made which is on Netflix.
Yes, loved TDATL but never got around to watching the film. I tried to read The Heavenly Table but couldn't get into it.
Just my own jinky taste, but I set down Heavenly Circle when they ate the nest of live chicks.
Geez, how did that weird overlap thing happen, above? As promised, I'll have a few more book suggestions, but they might be hard to find. Get started looking for 'Campfires of the
Dead' by Peter Christopher, or wait for the reissue of the collection this coming spring.
Just checked. Selling between $50-$60 currently. The rest of the list, very findable, 1st editions and inscribed available as well. I actually have the “Slaves of New York” soundtrack on vinyl. ♥️
Beware the "Slaves of New York" film. A Merchant-Ivory production, but (if memory serves) not the greatest. The Peter Christopher collection will be reissued in a few months. I'll post when it's out. Okay?
Thank you for the sweet new picture of Sassy.
I read the “Slaves of New York” book 10 years ago and enjoyed it. I learned a lot from it style-wise.
Sassy has been bringing the rubber hot dog and hamburger to bed now. She even carried the hot dog outside with her when she went potty— it stayed in her mouth the whole time like an old stogie. I can’t tell you enough the enrichment you sent for her!! 🥰♥️🎁
Fortunately, Nebraska can be bought digitally for Kindle.
https://www.amazon.com/Nebraska-Stories-Ron-Hansen-ebook/dp/B00BAH9SLO/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
And you can also find the story Wickedness collected in the Scribner Anthology of Contemporary Short Fiction; if you got a Scribd account to read Chuck’s excellent People, Places, Things - Scribd has that anthology.
I just read Wickedness… great imagery… and details… and not what I was expecting… I think I need to sit with it a bit, but I’m glad my house is insulated and there’s no blizzards where I live
Thank you, Wil. The story 'Wickedness' is worth reading wherever you find it. Funny about reviews, people either love it or feel that it violates all human values. As if weather must align with some morality.
I tried to accomplish this with my book Normal. It's nice to see that this style of writing is appreciated, makes me feel like I didn't completely miss the mark
These sound great. I'm in the middle of The Gulag Archipelago and I had to take a breather. The break neck speed of Solzhenitsyn's story hits the ground running and gets faster. I thought, "Ok he's just trying to set the tone and then he'll slow it down." No, Sir. Terrifying. What's worse is it's all true.
And he manages to be funny. Like really?
AND he wrote everything in pencil.
I recall hearing he initially had to memorize the entire thing because keeping a journal in the gulag was impossible.
My goodness. How marvelous is that.
Not been too good so let things slide a bit on here....have now caught up. Was thinking just this morning how I need some new book suggestions. I actually have one that I think you might really like Chuck in return-- The Giant O'Brien by Hilary Mantel. I honestly think, based on the above, you'd find it absolutely remarkable.
Novel or short story? With a writer new to me I always want to dip just a toe into the water.
It's a novel but fairly short. She has a fantastic short story collection called 'The Assassination Of Margaret Thatcher' though which I'd equally recommend. If it's difficult to find in the US just let me know and I'll send one.
Glad your back!
*You’re (damn autocorrect)
Thanks! Sweet of you to say!
Long time lurker, first time poster. Most of the books you listed are on Better World Books. What are your thoughts on sites like that?
Please forgive me, but I had to go visit the site. It looks like they sell books as well as donate them. Is there something I don't see?
They do awesome things. I just didn't know how buying from them effected the authors pocketbook.
To judge from the prices, they look standard. Just a guess. (shrugs helplessly)
Chuck, do you recall a book by the name of ‘The Seven Days of Peter Crumb’? A while ago I was looking for a book to read which I didn’t know anything about. Stumbled upon the previously mentioned and saw that there was actually a quote on the cover from you, which probably helped in selling me the book. It’s a good book and it’s kinda unfortunate after reading it that you find out the author, Johnny Glynn, doesn’t have other books in print (yet?).
Huh? I'll look for the book and refresh my memory.
The novel centres around a schizophrenic psychopath and his seven day escapades in mid 2000s London. It’s quite disturbing in parts. You described it as, ‘Horrific, but great.’
*Jonny Glynn
What an excellent list! I would definitely add Knockemstiff to this list. I just happened to walk into a Barnes and Noble here in Columbus, Ohio one day and Donald Ray Pollack was giving a reading for Knockemstiff at like 6 PM on a Wednesday. I sat down and started listening to him read one of the stories. When he finished, I immediately bought a copy and had him sign it. I knew I was in the presence of one of Ohio's great authors.
Thanks so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is exactly what I need. Keep em rolling......
Thank YOU. If you're still looking for collections, check out 'The Safety of Objects' by A.M. Holmes.
Quite a shopping list , Mr. P! Shopped at a library warehouse so was at the mercy of the place’s hit-or-miss selection. As luck would have it, along with María Gainza’s “Optic Nerve” which was recommended in an interview with Pola Oloixarac (who revealed to me in a d.m. to be a lover of “Fight Club” (claro sí)) the warehouse also had the palabrota-filled “Drown” which I’m currently immersed in. Thanks for helping keep that part of my language skills sharp. As someone who also dug “Story” in its heyday this was the book from my reading list expansion that was destined and most desired.
Just bought Nebraska. I read the first line from Wickedness, and as a big Red Redemption junkie and I love stories set in the 19th century.. I'm already hooked. Thanks Chuck for the recommendations.
Read Dead Redemption*. I'm too excited to check spelling.
Thank you. I'll look for it. Have your read 'A Prayer for the Dying' which is based on the 'Wisconsin Death Trip' account of forest fires during a diphtheria outbreak?
No I haven't. Its premise kinda reminded me of El Topo. Is it as trippy and uneasy? I'll check it out tonight. Thanks.
Thanks for this, it's always great to get recommendations! 😁 I already have jesus son, knockemstiff and drown, as well as a lovely special edition of junot diaz's "this is how you lose her" with a slip cover and graphic novel style illustrations of women at the start of every story.
Chuck! Thank you for the Nami Mun reading suggestion. She’s soooo great! Plus, her background— coooool as hell!! Waiting for the rest to come in! She’s incredibly talented and a person to know in real life. WOW!!
Read Miles From Nowhere by your recommendation over the summer, blew my mind. Came back to reading it at about 11pm every night for a week! Every night convulsing, suddenly gripping my cubital fossa whilst trying to hold the book straight! Thank you so so much.