Scan barcode
rocketiza's review against another edition
4.0
Excellent short story collection, though pretty depressing.
maedo's review against another edition
5.0
So I just posted a status update two hours ago of feeling conflicted for not liking the few stories that didn't stick to Richard Lange's strength (being: grifters, gamblers, convicts in contemporary LA). I didn't want to go to 19th century France or post-apocalypse with him. I wanted to keep living in his quietly tragic world of garden variety petty criminals.
And then, the final two stories: "Sweet Nothing" and "To Ashes". Both snuck up on me and completely broke my heart. Both made me cry, of the suddenly you're growing a lump in your throat & tears are rolling down your cheek before you realize it variety. Both made me feel like an asshole for being critical of Lange when there are so few authors anymore who can stick that knife in my guts and twist so effectively. And with him, the best part is...it's not even obvious that he's doing that.
I'm sure you've heard that saying that most of us are just a few decisions away from living on the street ("living on the street" of course being figurative language for all sorts of destitution, from a life of incurable discontent to being targeted for death out of revenge to actual homelessness). This concept is exactly what Richard Lange appears to live to write about. Lives made destitute by a decision or two, or just plain dumb luck, and then what comes next. He does this with the greatest compassion.
Read Sweet Nothing. Be amazed by the deep sadness he brings up in you with his deceptively simple style and antiheroes fallen hard from grace. Put on some Tom Waits and reflect. And when you're done, go read Angel Baby too.
Highlights: "Apocrypha," "The 100-to-1 Club," "Sweet Nothing," "To Ashes," "Baby Killer".
And then, the final two stories: "Sweet Nothing" and "To Ashes". Both snuck up on me and completely broke my heart. Both made me cry, of the suddenly you're growing a lump in your throat & tears are rolling down your cheek before you realize it variety. Both made me feel like an asshole for being critical of Lange when there are so few authors anymore who can stick that knife in my guts and twist so effectively. And with him, the best part is...it's not even obvious that he's doing that.
I'm sure you've heard that saying that most of us are just a few decisions away from living on the street ("living on the street" of course being figurative language for all sorts of destitution, from a life of incurable discontent to being targeted for death out of revenge to actual homelessness). This concept is exactly what Richard Lange appears to live to write about. Lives made destitute by a decision or two, or just plain dumb luck, and then what comes next. He does this with the greatest compassion.
Read Sweet Nothing. Be amazed by the deep sadness he brings up in you with his deceptively simple style and antiheroes fallen hard from grace. Put on some Tom Waits and reflect. And when you're done, go read Angel Baby too.
Highlights: "Apocrypha," "The 100-to-1 Club," "Sweet Nothing," "To Ashes," "Baby Killer".
overhillunderhill's review against another edition
3.0
I will confess, I gave up after only a few of the stories. I think Lange is a good writer and has great pacing and all the technical skills. He's just hanging around in subject matter I'm not a fan of.
More...