Book Description
"There's a kind of power about Mickey Spillane that no other writer can imitate." (The New York Times)
Apparently. With his trend-setting Mike Hammer detective novels, Mickey Spillane shot to superstardom as one of the most notorious bestselling sensations in publishing history. This powerhouse collection includes three of the master's long-out-of-print greatest novels-together for the first time in one explosive volume:
The Big Kill
One Lonely Night
Kiss Me, Deadly
Includes a special introduction by Shamus and Edgar Award-winner Lawrence Block.
Customer Reviews:
Great reading.......2007-06-08
Fine writing by a fine author. Pictures appeared in my mind with his use of words and always enjoyed each story. No one else like Spillane - not ever.
The Private Eye version of a Time Capsule.......2007-05-10
These Mickey Spillane novels that feature Mike Hammer are incredible. Spillane was immensely popular in the late 40s and early 50s. He wrote incredibly straightforward pulp novels of the sort that have been parodied endlessly in various media since, to the point that going back and reading the original invites laughs when they weren't intended.
The main character, Mike Hammer, is of course the private eye who's the toughest guy in New York City. He has his vices: he smokes constantly, drinks pretty much every chapter, and chases girls constantly. The women, especially, seem badly overdone. Each book he falls for at least three, and of course there's his secretary, Velda, who he claims to be in love with (though of course out of sight, out of mind definitely applies here). Velda never seems to get jealous when she figures out that he's been with another woman, at least not really, and none of the rest of them appear to think he should be monogamous either. They seem to understand that the book is for men, so they should let him chase as many girls as he can catch. He can catch a lot.
Some of the dialog is so overwritten and purple it's beyond parody, and often it's unintentionally funny. Some of the characters are a bit much too: Pat Chambers, his cop friend, never does anything beyond provide information and tell Mike to stay out of trouble, which Mike of course ignores. Mike is insanely tough: beat him up, shoot at him (or shoot him), whatever, he keeps trying to kill you until he succeeds.
One fascinating thing about the series, having read both volumes of the collection, is that Hammer almost never has a real client. Instead, he gets involved in these killings through being what amounts to a knight errant, wandering around and rescuing women. Of course the girl gets killed in the early going of the book, and of course Mike swears revenge, and of course he exacts it by the end of the book. Figuring out who the bad guy is by the end of the book is hard, though it's often another beautiful woman somewhere in the plot; if it isn't, it's some nefarious crime boss or something.
Everything is so dated it's funny. One of the books in this collection features bad guys who Mike invariably refers to as "Commies" as if he intends that as an insult. There's no pretense that someone should have the right to belong to a political party or anything like that: as far as Mike Hammer (and presumably Mickey Spillane too) is concerned, "Commies" deserve a firing squad.
I like dated things, things that are old and make you think about the past. Cultural references (the "Commies" mentioned above) are fascinating to me. I wonder what Hammett (who was a Marxist) thought of the book, if he read it. These books can be a bit hard to read (the characters are very cardboard, and the dialog is often way overdone) but they're interesting for what they are, and worth delving into.
Mike Hammer -- named appropriately.......2007-05-07
I read these books shortly after they were published originally. I was a teenager who fantisized myself as Mike Hammer and his conquests - both with the ladies and in giving the bad guys their due. Spillane introduced me to the wonderful world of paperback novels that have kept me a voracious reader of them to this day. A few years later, I marveled at the exploits of 007, first in the books by Ian Fleming and then the movies so ably done by Broccoli and Saltzman - not to mention Sean Connery (the only real James Bond). Mickey has now gone on to his reward and I would say to him "job well done, Mick."
Lord Breadalbane's Opinion.......2005-09-30
Nice format and great introduction but numerous typos and some dialogue was nonsensical to the point that I am tempted to go to local library and borrow a copy of Kiss Me, Deadly to compare text. Quality control obviously poor.
Tough guys and curvy dames.......2005-09-23
Spillane's books can be found at used bookstores or online for cheap, but buy these new collections and see how fast you can read three books at a time. I tore through these yarns fast and can't wait for the third set. Spillane does more for me than Chandlier or Hammett, though I love their books too, but the Mike Hammer stories are cool, tough, brutal, sexy, post-war stories with all the right slang.
Mike Hammer is brutal, sure. Maybe even cruel. But he is an avenging angel, always seeking revenge for a friend, sometimes for a stranger, but always to set things right. Or at least as close to right as he can make it with his fists and his slabside .45.
Book Description
A DEADLY AUDIO COLLECTION
From The New York Times bestselling author Kathy Reichs comes three thrilling audiobooks in one unique package.
DÉJÀ DEAD
Read by Amy Irving
Dr. Temperance Brennan fights one-woman battle to expose a link between similar brutal rapes and murders that have occured in the city of Montreal. As she herself becomes the target, Tempe must rely on her wits to save her life.
DEATH DU JOUR
Read by Katherine Borowitz
In the bitter cold of Montreal winter, Dr. Temperance Brennan digs for a corpse buried more than a century ago. Though she thrives on enigmas from the past, a chain of contemporary deaths and disappearances in South Carolina seizes her attention. Tempe is ideally placed to make a chilling connection between seemingly unrelated events. But time is running out and a nerve-shattering test of her forensic expertise is the key to her survival.
DEADLY DECISIONS
Read by Katherine Borowitz
Nine-year-old Emily Anne Toussaint is shot dead on a Montreal street. A North Carolina teenager disappears from her home. Parts of what may be her skeleton are found hundreds of miles away. For. Dr. Temperance Brennan the deaths kindle deep emotions that propel her on harrowing journey through the world of outlaw motorcycle gangs.
Customer Reviews:
Great Buy!.......2006-02-22
I never read Kathy Reichs before. Got three in one "Tempe" novels. Waiting to hear what happens with Ryan.
Book Description
The annual that has included the likes of Joyce Carol Oates and Max Allan Collins is back with another array of traditional mysteries and tales of crime and suspense from its usual roster of luminaries. Besides presenting twenty of the year's finest crime and mystery stories, from Sharan Newman and James W. Hall to Anne Perry and Jeffery Deaver, The Deadly Bride is also the only annual to feature a roundup of the year in mystery. This invaluable overview includes everything the true fan needs to know about the year in crime and mystery, from a comprehensive list of award-winners and essays on the state of the art to obituaries and an annotated bibiliography of the year's releases.
Average customer rating:
- Probably my last Elaine Flinn book
- What a Collection!
- I liked the previous two books in the series better
- Loves mysteries
- a good entry in the series
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Deadly Collection
Elaine Flinn
Manufacturer: Avon
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ASIN: 0060545828
Release Date: 2005-09-27 |
Customer Reviews:
Probably my last Elaine Flinn book.......2006-06-21
I too really enjoyed the first two books in this series and was saving this installment as one I was sure to love. But I had to skim the last 100 or so pages because I knew how it was going to turn out and the dialog wasn't fun or enjoyable to me. It may be true that Randall and Emma are true to life, but they're just not people I wanted to spend anymore time with. It's too often that teasing is confused with bulling and I think that Randal in particular was abusive and domineering towards the end, with the excuse of he's the cop so it's Ok.
Authority figures are tough to portray well, but authors can write characters as roll models. When there are those ideal authority figures, children can be children and that's very dimensional and rich. For Randal to be the love interest and not be nice to Molly is just un-excusable. And for Emma to be un-parented and friend to Molly is un-healthy.
What a Collection!.......2006-04-28
In the 3rd book in the Molly Doyle Mystery series, what begins like an antique lovers dream turns into a nightmare for Molly.
Molly has worked very hard to improve her life and increase her bank account. She has moved away from the forgery scandal that caused her to flee to Carmel, California and has been able to save some money from managing the small antiques store, Treasures. She has made some good friends in town, including police chief Randall, restaurant owner, Daria, and District Attorney, Lucero. She has taken on the responsibility of raising her niece, Emma and is teaching her the business. However, money has been tight since she had to repay two clients for forgeries she unwittingly sold them, and garage sales have produced little items of value. When Molly is asked to broker an estate sale in the former home of Hollywood set designers, she feels she has no choice but to take on this huge undertaking. Her efforts are thwarted, however, with the arrogance of the heir to the estate, and when a mummy is found in a hidden room, Molly is once again put in the "murder business". Was the mummy authentic, or does it really just hide more family secrets?
Having read both of the previous 2 books, I have to admit that I liked this book the least. I agree with previous reviews that Emma has become annoying, and I am waiting for her to go away to school in future installments. It is a bit unbelievable to me the way that Emma conducts herself...and the way she is constantly butting into conversations becomes distracting. I don't agree that she is spoiled, and she has endured a lot from her mother. However, I believe it is time for Emma to go back to school and go back to being more of a "kid".
I also would like to see Molly's sister return, and for Molly to somehow find the miniatures that were stolen. It seems as though there are quite a few unresolved issues in Molly's life...and I am looking forward to seeing these resolved in future installments.
The 1st book in the series is called "Dealing in Murder". Enjoy!
I liked the previous two books in the series better.......2006-03-27
The plot involves Molly, an antiques dealer in artsy, upper crust Carmel, California (yes, that's the town Clint Eastwood was mayor of). Molly is down on her luck and working in someone else's antique store (she's used to better things but her ex-husband was a crook who had an affair with their assistant and ruined her reputation with criminal behavior). She's also taking care of a niece that her sister left with her, and money is tight. She's asked to do an estate sale for an artist whose parents were a Hollywood couple with a fabulous home stuffed with valuable items to sell off. Molly doesn't like the artist but she ends up doing it anyway. A coffin with a skeleton in it is discovered, and it becomes clear that there's something odd about the house. Molly has a romantic relationship with the Chief of Police that mostly consists of misunderstandings and the pair of them fighting -- part of why I didn't like the book. It gets tiresome. I also found the religious part a bit excessive after a while. Actually, everything was a bit excessive except the antiques part, and I wish there had been more of that and less Italian food, precocious child, and sparring with policeman-boyfriend.
I guess by the time this book was over I was thinking I didn't like Molly very well. It seemed like she was being annoying and too quick to take offense. Also, there seemed to be a lot going on that had nothing to do with the plot (like the cat having kittens -- hellllloooo, has she never heard of vets? spaying cats who are allowed outside before they get pregnant? Pet overpopulation?)
If you've never read anything by this author, I recommend one of the two previous books instead.
Loves mysteries.......2006-03-11
I love this series and have enjoyed Emma coming into the book. The only thing I have to say is WRITE FASTER. I'm anxious for the next book!
a good entry in the series.......2006-02-28
I liked this one in Which Molly Agrees to evaluate an Estate
and a body in a coffin is discovered in a hidden room.
Interesting (if bitchy in a couple of instances)characters
and an intriguing plot line. re:some other reviewers
objection to an focus on & the addition of Molly's Neice
Emma I didn't have a problem with her.
Average customer rating:
- Too soon, too expensively, too greedily, too delicately, and too much
- A Good Introduction
- Gluttony, it really is everywhere.
- Brief and Entertaining
- Is It Really a Sin?
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Gluttony: The Seven Deadly Sins
Francine Prose
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0195156994 |
Book Description
In America, notes acclaimed novelist Francine Prose, we are obsessed with food and diet. And what is this obsession with food except a struggle between sin and virtue, overeating and self-control--a struggle with the fierce temptations of gluttony. In Gluttony, Francine Prose serves up a marvelous banquet of witty and engaging observations on this most delicious of deadly sins. She traces how our notions of gluttony have evolved along with our ideas about salvation and damnation, health and illness, life and death. Offering a lively smorgasbord that ranges from Augustine's Confessions and Chaucer's Pardoner's Tale, to Petronius's Satyricon and Dante's Inferno, she shows that gluttony was in medieval times a deeply spiritual matter, but today we have transformed gluttony from a sin into an illness--it is the horrors of cholesterol and the perils of red meat that we demonize. Indeed, the modern take on gluttony is that we overeat out of compulsion, self-destructiveness, or to avoid intimacy and social contact. But gluttony, Prose reminds us, is also an affirmation of pleasure and of passion. She ends the book with a discussion of M.F.K. Fisher's idiosyncratic defense of one of the great heroes of gluttony, Diamond Jim Brady, whose stomach was six times normal size. "The broad, shiny face of the glutton," Prose writes, "has been--and continues to be--the mirror in which we see ourselves, our hopes and fears, our darkest dreams and deepest desires." Never have we delved more deeply into this mirror than in this insightful and stimulating book.
Customer Reviews:
Too soon, too expensively, too greedily, too delicately, and too much.......2006-03-11
Gluttony is perhaps the most misunderstood of the seven sins, but in this book we discover that there is much more to it than eating a lot. For one thing most people tend to associate it with overeating, but in reality it also encompasses any harmful kind of indulgence, including alcohol and drugs. Also in the first chapter, the other aspects of gluttony are revealed: too expensively and too delicately, things nowadays most people would be unaware to be related to the sin of gluttony. Once all of this is taken into consideration, one realizes that gluttony may be one of the most common and prevalent of the seven sins today.
The author examines heavily on the medieval views of gluttony; Back in the day, the monks and priests of early churches viewed it as a treacherous, very-easy-to-commit sin, one with a twist: A person must eat to survive, but to enjoy or take pleasure in eating was outright sinful. As well as this, the author also explores the medieval obsession for the consequences of such sin, such as the artistic works of Pieter Brueghel and the sin-obsessed Hieronymus Bosch. In the next chapter, the author brings us to modern times and our paradoxical infatuation with the sin: Our culture that stresses so much on being thin and fit, and yet everywhere we look we see fast food joints and obesity on the rise. The author examines the infamy of gluttony as a killer and humiliating to its indulgers, pointing out the scorn and prejudice that many obese people face from the public and their peers as well as the rising toll of obesity-related deaths. One particularly memorable passage is the story of former singer Carnie Wilson, who underwent laparoscopic bypass surgery after coming close to 300 pounds and near fatal cholesterol and blood pressure levels (perhaps you've seen that commercial).
Overall, one of the most informal of all the books I've read in the seven sins series and one that can be read and understood by casual readers and intellectuals alike; it is a marvelous read! (Though there is some unpleasant imagery in this book, I refuse to let it hurt my rating of this great book)
A Good Introduction.......2005-12-18
This book does a great job describing the views on gluttony from ancient times, through the early church, up to the Renaissance. It was interesting to read about the various forms gluttony was thought to take, and how drunkeness was at one time understood to be part of that term. The prevailing thought on gluttony and what it means to be fat in today's world is also well explained.
I had hoped, however, that Ms. Prose would spend more time discussing why our comtemporary attitudes toward gluttony have so radically changed from those of the past. Perhaps that is beyond the scope of this introductory text, but I felt it contributed to a lack of cohesiveness.
The discussion of gluttony in art is enlightening, yet the book does not include among its illustrations a fresco by Taddeo di Bartolo which Ms. Prose discusses at some length. Also, while she cites various websites when discussing contempary theological perspectives on gluttony, she neglects to mention that C.S. Lewis adresses the subject in The Screwtape Letters.
Gluttony, it really is everywhere........2005-05-15
For a work of non-fiction, this book actually is pretty interesting. Prose takes you through the history of gluttony and brings us to our present culture that is obsessed with weight, food, and body image. Gluttony is the reason why people spend billions of dollars a year on weight loss drugs, supplements, and equipment. She really does a wonderful job at pointing out the transition of the sin of gluttony through history and how today it is a complete contradiction as people adore a thin, lean body, but are always interested in the latest food craze, or what McDonalds next big thing will be. Although Prose did not really tell me anything I did not already know, I was satisfied with this book as a way of putting a reality forth that most people ignore or purposely overlook.
Brief and Entertaining.......2005-04-30
Seeing that this book was part of a set on the 7 Deadly Sins, I thought these short little books would be a quick little study into the sins. Prose does a great job of doing just that - entertaining with little tidbits of information on the sin of gluttony. The little time it takes to read this book is well worth the time.
Is It Really a Sin?.......2005-01-01
Francine Prose examines gluttony as one of the seven deadly sins, and discovers that we may need to update that list. Gluttony is no longer a sin in our society, but obesity is. We don't scorn a thin person who eats a lot, in fact, we envy her. (Oops, another deadly sin rears its ugly head.)Prose looks at the history of gluttony, in the church, in paintings and murals (check out Diego Rivera's Capitalist Dinner), and in popular culture. She uses literature, philosophy, and overheard conversations and jokes to make her points. For such a thin book (108 pages with color photos and index), there is an awful lot to chew on here.
Average customer rating:
- Deadly After Dark
- Creepy short stories
- Salacious, seductive, sensual and spicy!
- TANTALISING
- DARK
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Deadly After Dark (Pinnacle Horror)
Michael Garrett , and
Jeff Gelb
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Hotter Blood
ASIN: 0786016469 |
Book Description
The fourth sizzling collection in the Hot Blood series, no longer available in retail book stores. Here is terror and passion beyond the last taboo in an all-new collection of erotic horror from today's fright masters--Jack Ketchum, Graham Masterton, Lucy Taylor and more.
Customer Reviews:
Deadly After Dark.......2007-03-17
I know there are better books in this series. Maybe that was why I found "Deadly After Dark" disappointing. There were a few, very few, stories I genuinely liked: "The Rose", "Suffer Kate", and my favorite, "Give It To Me, Baby"-- dumb title, great story. And also worth mentioning is "Release Of Flesh", a real acid trip of a story-- not really outstanding writing, but it will definitely mess with your head! If you can get this book for a good cheap price, go for it, but really, out of the Hot Blood series, I would recommend "Fear The Fever" instead.
Creepy short stories.......2006-11-04
I'm not saying that this is Stephen King creepy, but some of the stories creeped me out so much that I'm not reading them ever again. Some of the other stories, I possibly would read over again, but definitely not the ones that creeped me out.
Salacious, seductive, sensual and spicy!.......2006-02-25
I am a horror book lover yet this is my first time reading short horror stories by different writers in one volume. I was really impressed how well all the writing went together. No story was out of place and ever single one had some shocking, gory or totally out there ending. Of course the spicy part is that this is a collection of short erotic horror stories and man, some of them left me sitting there with my hand over my mouth in disbelief of the crazy story I just read. It appears to me that sex and horror go hand in hand like Hansel and Gretel and they are nearly synonymous with today's great writers of such genre.
Writers contributing to this volume were Lucy Taylor, Edward Lee, Sidney Williams, Graham Watkins, Michael Garrett, Jeff Gelb, Max Allan Collins, A.R. Morlan, Edo van Belkon, Jack Ketchum, Steve Rasnic Tem, Bentley Little, Claudia O'Keefe and my favorite writer of all time Graham Masterton.
I was only familiar with a handful of writers here but I simply loved all the stories. The book also gives a great foreword on the life and evolution of erotic fiction denouncing the myth of shame and making this great guilty pleasure a suitable past time. I mean I got this book at my local Manhattan library (and I bought a few others from the series) so no one should feel bad for reading this naughty stuff, it's simply too good to pass up.
Few pieces were totally gross and sinful; and only Edward Lee and few others could come up with such a bizarre, lewd, fleshly, filthy hot stories such as the ones I just read. If you are familiar with Lee, Ketchum, Little and Taylor you know what this book is about!
I don't want to spoil anything, since many of them are about 20 pages in length, and writing a short story is an art. It takes precise timing and skill that please take my word, if you like horror and you don't mind some steamy, kinky and lascivious writing then this is a fun hot read. Each story had a different take and some had males and some females as main characters, but they were not all they seemed. The good ones sure rotted fast and the bad ones only got worse. I loved this book!
TANTALISING.......2002-04-05
This is a classic for lovers of dark genre. A fan since the first hot blood release, Deadly after dark carries the trademark of cleverly combining erotica and horror into a collection of short stories. Very readable and recommended.
DARK.......2001-08-21
A VERY DARK AND DIFFERENT EROTICA, I WOULD RECOMEND THE REST OF THE HOT BLOOD SERIES, THEY ARE ALL VERY GOOD. ALSO THE "eros mangerotica" AND ALSO KNOWN AS THE NEW BONDAGE FAIRIES BOOK 2, IS EXCELLENT AND I'M NOT INTO BONDAGE.
Average customer rating:
- Lust Leads to Dark Undertow.
- Sin is in.
- 18 short stories
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Speaking of Lust: Stories of Forbidden Desire (Seven Deadly Sins Series)
Manufacturer: Cumberland House Publishing
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Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 1581821530 |
Book Description
This first volume in the Seven Deadly Sins Series, "Speaking of Lust" is a collection of outstanding short stories on that exceedingly deadly sin we call lust. In addition to being the title of this anthology, "Speaking of Lust" is also the title of Lawrence Block's original novella that finishes this unique collection.
Customer Reviews:
Lust Leads to Dark Undertow........2005-01-29
"Lust is desire raised to a level that prompts unacceptable behavior" is a worthy aphorism to encapsulate the contents of "Speaking of Lust: Stories of Forbidden Desire." This is the first volume in the seven deadly sins series and is a compilation of 17 short stories and Lawrence Block's novella (also named "Speaking of Lust"), the capstone of the collection. The editor Block chose to explore the darker side of humanity, the mortal sin of lust, by handpicking short stories that generally lean towards the macabre with dashes of sex. The skillful writing leads the reader without effort to a world full of double agents and desire perverted. Clive Barker, Paul Bishop, and Ed Gorman, to name a few, are the writers that reward with numerous delicious twists and surprises.
In the first short story, "Crack," by James Hall, a voyeur's obsession over a teenage girl possesses him to a frightful conclusion. The unnamed Fulbright fellow confesses, "In most matters I considered myself a scrupulously moral man. I had always been one who could be trusted with other people's money or their most damning secrets. But like so many of my fellow Puritans I long ago had discovered that when it came to certain libidinous temptations I was all too easily swept off my safe moorings into the raging currents of erotic gluttony." "Crack" is a thorough psychological study of how an innocent beginning becomes pathological.
The characters throughout all of the pieces find themselves powerless to fight a desire that has progressed to a full-blown demon. "Speaking of Lust" is a testament to the power of persistent malcontent thoughts. Evil thoughts eventually have no joy staying inside the ravaged mind and long to be transformed into "unacceptable behavior" for release. The collection examines beautifully how sin does not happen out of the blue. The writers brilliantly illustrate that many bad decisions were made before the ultimate transgressions of murder, suicide, incest, and rape occurred. A showcase of lust gone awry, its inevitable tragic conclusions will leave you fulfilled: or perhaps wanting more.
Bohdan Kot
Sin is in........2002-01-05
Now here's some reading material to get really excited about.
Lawrence Block, best known for his mystery series, especially the ones revolving around private investigator Matthew Scudder and thief Bernie Rhodenbarr, also is the editor of the June 2001 compilation of short stories entitled "Speaking of Lust."
What really makes you stand at attention is the fact that "Lust" is the first in a series of short story collections that focuses on the seven deadly sins - greed, sloth, pride, envy, wrath and gluttony are the others, for those who skipped "Seven."
Do you realize what this means? At some point, there's going to be a collection of short stories devoted to fat people! And another about those lazy bones that simply refuse to get out of bed. Sigh ... at last, my kind of people get their time in the spotlight.
Seriously, I don't know why this type of thing hasn't been done before. Kudos go to Block and whomever is helping him in this infinitely clever maneuver for making lust, everyone's favorite deadly sin, the focus of the first book, which is smart for two reasons. One, because everyone likes lust, it'll be sure to grab the most readers. And now they've got their work cut out for them in finding clever stories that will give the other six the same kind of attention.
If "Lust" is any indication, we're in for a treat when the presumably-titled "Speaking of Gluttony" and "Speaking of Wrath" come out. It offers a fabulous array of stories that range from delightfully sinful to shockingly sexy.
Among the best offerings:
* James W. Hall's "Crack," about a man who discovers a crack in the wall that peeks into the neighbor's bathroom and allows him to spy on their 15-year-old daughter.
* "Ro Erg," by Robert Weinberg, about a man who uses a credit card error to create a whole new persona for himself.
*Ed Gorman's "The End of It All," in which a once hideous monstrosity gets made over into the handsomest man on earth, and prepares to seduce his high school crush ... and her daughter ...
* "The Girls in Villa Costas," by Simon Brett, about a machinating womanizer who finds himself torn between a beautiful woman and her less-attractive-but-stands-to-inherit-the-family-fortune sister.
Aside from introducing and editing the book, Block also writes the title novella. It is here that another reading delight emerges, and in his introduction Block promises that subsequent tales using the same characters will follow in the future books.
Most likely using Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales" as a model (Did anyone else enjoy reading this classic in high school? After all, those stories about white whales, scarlet letters and tales about two cities, this classic had farting and people having sex in orange trees! Finally, some decent reading material!), Block's story is really just several people - a priest, a policeman, a doctor, a soldier and an old guy - sitting around playing cards and talking about the ways lust has affected their occupations and lives. Lively discussion and debates ensue.
It's an ingenious way to go about telling the story, and the stories within the story will have the reading audience on the edge of their seats (pay close attention to the priest's tale).
Best of all, the stories are relatively short, so even if there comes the rare offering that doesn't quite tickle your funnybone, you can skip it guilt free and go on to the next treasure.
Reading about sin probably wasn't meant to be this much fun. But, oh, how sweet it is.
18 short stories.......2001-09-26
This book has 18 short stories dealing with theme about lust. It is first book of seven that will deal with the seven deadly sins. There are several well known writers who has written a story for this collection, (Joan Hess, Clive Barker, Joyce Carol Oates). Most of the stories have rather predictable ending, but they are enjoyable stories. My top three stories in this book are the Lawrence Block's story(Speaking Of Lust), Clive Barker's story (The Age of Desire), and Robert Weinberg's story (Ro Erg). If you like any of these writers you want to check this book out.
Product Description
A collection of stories submitted to the 2006 Deadly Ink Short Story contest.
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The Seven Deadly Sins: A Wicked Anthology of Wit and Wisdom
Manufacturer: Trafalgar Square
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 1862050732 |
Book Description
Avarice, Envy, Gluttony, Lust, Pride, Sloth, and Wrath: these are the subject of this entertaining collection of pithy pronouncements on sin and sinning. For hardened sinners and first-time offenders alike, here is a light-hearted compendium of memorable observations on the alarmingly seductive subject of sin. Gathering aphorisms, proverbs, bons mots, and humorous verse, as well as extracts from literature of all kinds, Steve Dobell runs the gamut of reactions and attitudes, from Jane Austen on Pride (``If you were sensible of your own good, you would not wish to quit the sphere in which you have been brought up.'') to Woody Allen on Lust (``Is sex dirty? Only if it's done right.''). Steve Lobell leads a relatively blameless life in southwest London. His acquaintance with sin, such as it is, stems from close links with the gritty underworld of the public library system. He is the author of Down the Plughole: An Irreverent History of the Bath. 96 pp 5 x 7 8 line drawings
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- Lust(St Augustine,Confessions ) to Gluttony(Virginia Wolf)
- Reading is never a sin
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The Book of Vices
Robert J. Hutchinson
Manufacturer: Riverhead Hardcover
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 157322006X |
Book Description
This wickedly wise treasury of "immorality tales" from classic and contemporary literature pokes fun at people and their foibles. Includes selections from William Shakespeare, Jane Austen, Walt Whitman, Sigmund Freud, Tom Wolfe, and more than 30 others. 2 cassettes.
Customer Reviews:
Lust(St Augustine,Confessions ) to Gluttony(Virginia Wolf).......2003-09-24
This ISBN 1-57322 0006 X(borrowed from the Municipal's Free Library) lent excellent reading to editor Hutchinson's The Book of Vice..with examples on the 7 deadly sins from Lust*(*St Augustine,Confessor's "Da miki castitatem et continentiam,sed noli modo" (translation:"Give me chastity and continence-but not yet") ,to quotes for Avarice,Sloth,Pride,Envy,Anger and Gluttony* (*Virginia Woolf author in "A Room of One's Own "One Cannot think well,love well,sleep well if one has not dined well" )the book gives astuteness to "catechism lessons".
Reading is never a sin.......2000-08-14
A book which is readable, fun and gives you insight to great works of literature is a good book. It won't shock you, it won't bite you but you will end up buying a few good books after you finish reading it. A good buy.
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