Outlaws of the Purple Cow and Other Stories

Lester Goran has once again effectively illuminated the world of Pittsburgh, particularly the Oakland section of town and the cronies at the Irish club. This is his longest collection of short stories to date that have focused on this same setting. He masterfully presents the stories of these troubled souls and invites us into their thoughts and the post World War II Pittsburgh they call home. He seems to almost present a "Tortilla Flat"(Steinbeck) type feeling to the book where all the characters lives are closely connected, but in a city such as Pittsburgh the world becomes larger than just a small group of friends in a small town while at the same time presenting a setting where all the characters are somewhat familiar to each other. The book does however maintain the feel of lost souls searching for something somewhat ineffectively and you will laugh at the troubles these characters get into and the stories they tell, but also feel compassion for them. Resist the temptation to read the final short story from which the book receives its name. It provides an excellent conclusion to these tall tales. If you enjoy this book, you will also like She loved me once, Tales from the Irish club, and Bing Crosby's Last Song.