--- In rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com, "logan keith (keith)" <keith@...>
wrote:
>
> Harper Collins has recently reissued in one affordable trade these
two collections originally put together by Crippen & Landru. They
collect Lawrence Block's early short stories, from 1958 to 1962,
fiction that was published in venues such as MANHUNT, TRAPPED, and
GUILTY, among other places. Also included are the Ed London novellas
from MAN'S MAGAZINE. As such it's a great chronicle of the progress of
Block's writing, as well as a darn fun read. The early short-shorts
can be cliche (but were they then?), seem to have a preponderance for
rape as a plot device, and almost always have a blond with shoulder
length hair named Rita. But many of the stories are top-notch,
well-written little gems that show Block's talent for interesting
characterization and captivating plotting.
Thanks, I'm going to get this. I love Block's short stories,
especially those nasty little shockers. It's amazing to see how young
he was when he wrote some of them. In his early twenties he was
already writing like a pro.
Best,
mrt
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