Scan barcode
A review by markfeltskog
Charlie Martz and Other Stories: The Unpublished Stories by Elmore Leonard
Because the words "Unpublished Stories" are in such small print on the cover of this book, I want to reiterate, as Goodreads does in its entry for this book, that this is a selection of stories from Elmore Leonard that he never published. There's a good reason for that: several of them are nearly unreadable.
So why five stars for this book, you may ask? Because it is a glimpse inside the workshop of a master. One seldom has a chance to see what a publisher--or even a writer--rejects. That said, there are also a few gems here: the two stories that give this book its title, featuring a character, Charlie Martz, whom it would have been interesting to see more of. The standout in this collection, and the piece which indicates that Elmore Leonard was on his way to becoming the towering stylist he was, is "The Bull Ring at Blisston." I won't spoil the story other than to say it by itself is worth the price of admission to this collection.
So why five stars for this book, you may ask? Because it is a glimpse inside the workshop of a master. One seldom has a chance to see what a publisher--or even a writer--rejects. That said, there are also a few gems here: the two stories that give this book its title, featuring a character, Charlie Martz, whom it would have been interesting to see more of. The standout in this collection, and the piece which indicates that Elmore Leonard was on his way to becoming the towering stylist he was, is "The Bull Ring at Blisston." I won't spoil the story other than to say it by itself is worth the price of admission to this collection.