In this moving collection of short stories, James Lee Burke elegantly marries his flair for gripping storytelling with his urbane writing style and complex, fascinating character portraits. The backdop of the hurricane-ravaged Gulf Coast proves to be a versatile setting for Burke's stories, which cover the scope of the human experience -- from love and sex to domestic abuse to war and death and friendship.
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"Beautifully written short stories: texas noir; one tale after another of moral struggles between fragile and faltering individuals engulfed in sudden evil, and grasping at whatever hope is available. The first James Lee Burke i've read, but now I want to read everything he's written. " — Ero (4 out of 5 stars)
"Beautifully written short stories: texas noir; one tale after another of moral struggles between fragile and faltering individuals engulfed in sudden evil, and grasping at whatever hope is available. The first James Lee Burke i've read, but now I want to read everything he's written. "
“Powerful short stories, quietly and passionately told.”
“Burke demonstrates impressive range, sensitivity, and polish in these smaller-scale gems.”
“Even at his darkest, however, Burke’s [work] is shot through with a beauty and clarity that is simultaneously painful and a joy to behold.”
“Burke’s volcanic novels of guilt, revenge and redemption wouldn’t have pegged him as a master of the highly wrought short story. Yet he’s something even better: a natural storyteller with a feeling for unequal conflicts and the pain of impotence and humiliation. Within a page or two, he can hook you.”
" Only read the first two chapters. A bit too violent for my taste. "
" A stunning collection of stories. Burke is one of the best living American writers. Please read this collection. "
" this is my 2nd attempt at reading Burke. I'm sorry but his writing just does not engage me. I read two or three of the stories and now I'm ready to take it back to the library... "
" Pretty good stories, but feels a little rehashed and recycled from elements of the Dave R. stories. Glad I read it, but hoped for more revelatory moments "
" Collection of Short stories that seem to explain the impact of Burke's environment on his life and his writing. "
" Hi I am not a great short story reader. Some of the tales are very good. Yet, some are very,dare I say americany(is there such a word)However I am a big fan of JLB "
" A remarkable series of short stories. I expected something with a modern setting but most are set mid-century so far. Like this very much. Burke really conveys the feel of the time and place beautifully. "
" James Lee Burke is an excellent writer who explores the human condition in depth and with clarity. His settings are generally in the South. These stories leave the reader with lots to think about. "
" I love James Lee Burke's writing style. His prose is as good as anyone's out there right now. The stories in this book range from good to great. There are no stinkers here. I especially loved the stories that seems somewhat autobiographical. "
" Selection of short stories by the author of Dave Robicheau mysteries. I prefer his Louisiana stories over the Montana stories. Could be because of family ties to Louisiana. "
" I'm a huge fan of Burke, but this collection of short stories was so so. His prose is still poetic and powerful, I just didn't "get" some of the stories. "
" I love this writer. unabashadly. with abandon. this collection should be read by all as not only a comment on Katrina, but as an example of how tp craft a story. "
James Lee Burke is a New York Times bestselling author of forty novels and two short-story collections. He has won the Edgar Award, the CWA Gold Dagger, and the Grand Prix de Littérature Policière He was named Grand Master by the Mystery Writers of America. His novel The Lost-Get Back Boogie was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize, and two of his books, Heaven’s Prisoners and Two for Texas, have been made into motion pictures.
Ron McLarty is a veteran actor of television, film, and stage as well as an award-winning audiobook narrator. He has more than 100 television appearances to his credit, including as a series regular on Spencer for Hire and Law & Order. His film career began in 1977 with a performance in The Sentinel and continued with such films as The Postman, Flamingo Kid, and, most recently, How Do You Know? His stage credits include Broadway and other productions. He has narrated more than 100 audiobooks, earning nine Earphones Awards and recognition by AudioFile magazine as a Best Voice in Mystery & Suspense in 2009 and 2010. He has twice been a finalist for the prestigious Audie Awards and then won the award in 2001 for Best Mystery Narration. He is also an accomplished playwright and an acclaimed novelist.
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