Mad Dog Summer: And Other Stories

Joe Lansdale has the stuff. He's one of the most entertaining writers I've ever had the pleasure of reading, and he never fails to make me laugh...no faint praise indeed, since most writers lack that ability. Lansdale has a special mojo (no allusion intended). He simply clicks. The magic comes right to you, right off the page. It surrounds you, sweeps you up like a Texas tornado, whaps your noggin a few times, then drops you, sometimes gently, sometimes not. When the ride is over you're bumped a bit, but you're left with a smile on your face and you've got a hearty appreciation for a good ride. Many of Lansdale's short stories revolve around people who aren't very nice to begin with (though not at all uninteresting)who have things happen to them that are, uhm...not very good. These events happen in a progressive manner, starting with not so good and ending in downright terrible. (See the stories "The Mule Rustlers" and "Screwup" in this collection and you'll know what I mean). The rest of the stories in Mad Dog Summer are no less riveting, no less entertaining. So read, enjoy, and be amazed.

Just received this book yesterday and sorting my way through some familiar and the off the wall gems. When you pick up Joe R. Lansdale short stories you won't find the same old stories, you'll find some good life lessons and hard luck, some shock and laughs and down home tales, usually from a very twisted perspective at times. Always top notch stories. I especially enjoyed joe's expanded novel several years ago, "THE BIG BLOW", with everybody's eyes wide open to hurricanes(this year) this is a good time to read Joe's take on the most massive early century hurricane and the story of a boxer's inner battles. The combination is a knockout! Also included is one of my two very favorite Lansdale yarns, (novella size also) called "Mad Dog Summer", which is about as good a story to read as they come by, Lansdale style. This is a newer turn Joe's taken off the path over the past several years. Stylized from a generation or two once removed, writing in a vein much like the great Lee novel, "To kill a mockingbird" yet purely all Lansdale, this is an award winning novella(as was the full length fully realized "The Bottoms"(Edgar Award winner) from which this was spawned, a story that you won't soon forget and I'm glad its the title tale and back out. This should be standard reading in all schools across this country, its that good,(should have won a Pulitzer for such a compeling piece of fiction). Even though Joe's moved away from some of his earlier shock and awe tales, he never quite lets us off the hook when it comes to in your face gritty reality and that to me has always been one of his greatest gifts, he know how to pack a big punch with his words without going overboard with 1000 page novels (and short stories). These stories are made to be savored and read many times over the years, enjoy them, I sure am. Its also nice to see Joe pay tribute to his mother and share his views at the same time. Joe's a BIG supporter of children and it all starts with good parents-teachers and values, another reason I've always found his stories to be REAL, regardless of their style.