Nobody can teach george pelecanos anything he doesnt already know about the inherent drama in the fatherson dynamic. Since then, author pelecanos has penned multiple novel series and books in his writing career. Dc author george pelecanos writes what he knows in the martini. Pelecanos, who made his mark as a guide to the lower depths of the nations capital and a writerproducer of the acclaimed tv series the wire, has been as resourceful and inventive as his heroes, and this collection showcases his versatility. The cut is the series kickoff that introduces spero lucas, a brand new george pelecanos creation.
George pelecanos explores new terrain in his first story collection. If you are the publisher or author of this book and feel that the. Hard revolution is apparently part of a prequel trilogy that will provide the backstory to the derek strange weve met in pelecanos recent series of novels. Set in washington dc an excon and former drug enforcer leaves jail and tries to go straight but in doing so in the course of his day repeatedly comes facetoface with his old life and. Many have said pelecanos really knows his stuff when talking about the streets of washington d. I got problems at home, i got problems at school, i got problems. The way home by george pelecanos, 9780316087339, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Let me first tell you that i agree, for the most part, that a wellmade martini is a radiant and profound. The only bad thing about a pelecanos book is i get hooked and finish these in a couple days and i have to wait for the next one. George pelecanos turns in a volume of short fiction, martini shot, but too. Hidden beneath the floorboards in a house hes remodeling, christopher flynn discovers something very temptingand troubling.
Browse author series lists, sequels, pseudonyms, synopses, book covers, ratings and awards. In bestselling and emmynominated writer george pelecanos novel, one of the. Since the way home 2009, george pelecanoss jackets have promoted him not as washingtons premier crime novelist, but as someone who. Author george pelecanos writes what he knows in the martini shot in his new collection of short stories and a novella, pelecanos explores crime, adoption and writing from an. His early novels, beginning with a firing offense 1992, featured parttime dc detective nick stefanos. This is a fabulous work that brings home a bygone era through a sociology lens in which george pelecanos is at his best painting the characters living in the traumatic landscape. What is the best george pelecanos novel to start with if. They quickly realize that the only way to take down red fury is to do it their own way. C and the description he gives and insight definitely hit the mark to show the gangland mentality and violence going on.
George pelecanos martini shot short stories colorful but confined. Lucas the main character of pelecanos two most recent books, the. It sounds a bit precious until his people begin to speak. To quote from one of the stories in his new collection, the martini shot, i took the ball and dribbled it up.
The authors excellent sense of the male psyche across a range of ages is more than up to the task of his latest book. The way home is a morality tale, but the issue is not really the morality of the individual characters, even as they dominate the story. Author pelecanos was born on february 18, 1957, in washington d. He is also a film and television producer and a television writer. Having completed this great quartet, pelecanos moved on to other characters, but now, in what it was, he returns to strange, in 1972, as a 26yearold private detective.
George pelecanosborn 1957 is an american novelist and writer tv and film. When writer george pelecanos was growing up in washington, d. George pelecanos constantine is a drifter with a lot of miles behind him, a lot more ahead and plenty of jobs in between that never showed up on anyones books. His novels portray the evolution of the city from the aftermath of wwii up to the present and consistently show readers a dc of hardworking, streetsmart folks a world away from the bright lights of federal government. May 12, 2009 a crime novel, yes, but the talented pelecanos the turnaround, 2008, etc. He has published eighteen novels set in and around washington, d. The way home is another stellar effort from george pelecanos, one of the greatest working writers in america today.
He neednt worry, 17 year old chris flynn brashly assures his father as the door of pine ridge reformatory is about to shut behind him. The book gives the texture of dc in a way thats recognizable to someone like me who lived there well after 1968. Short stories and a novella from one of crime fictions most reve. Many of his 20 books are in the genre of detective fiction and set primarily in his hometown of washington, d. His new book, the martini shot, is a collection of short stories and a novella. The way homeby george pelecanoslittle, brown and co 323 pages. Seven stories and a novella from the undisputed king of d. The initial novels of pelecanos were written in first person and were narrated through nick stefanos voice. In bestselling and emmynominated writer george pelecanos taut and suspenseful new novel, an exoffender must choose. His birth had taken place in a greek american family. George pelecanos bio, facts, family famous birthdays. Redemption is a brief pit stop in the world of george pelecanos.
His characters hover between sin and salvation, prison and freedom. The turnaround is a solid read that offers a valuable glimpse into the lives of members of different communities, even if those characters seems forced or stereotypical at times. Marilyn stasio, new york times the way home remains true to its titular purpose. Explore books by george pelecanos with our selection at. The way home by george pelecanos signed first edition book. Short stories and a novella from one of crime fictions most revered writers. Ill give you a rundown of what each group of books is like the nick stefanos trilogy is a hard boiled detec. Author known for his detective novels, including his books written in the first person voice of nick stefanos. On television, he frequently collaborates with david simon, writing multiple episodes of simons hbo series the wire and treme, and is also the co. The turnaround is a remarkable book, extremely well written, with deadon characterizations of the types of individuals involved, all while avoiding stereotypes.
The way home is about the relationship between a father and son and found me rooting for chris and ben to succeed after they were released from the detention center. The way home follows a father and son relationship across several years. Its well known that george pelecanos has a terrific ear for street talk, and that his crime. The way home by george pelecanospelecanos clearly feels strongly about his subjectmatter, which makes this a riveting read, says laura wilson. The plot is well crafted and yes, some readers may figure out a couple of key points halfway through, but this does not take away from pelecanos revealing the key points of the story. George pelecanos rarely identifies his characters, preferring to let their identities emerge from how other characters address and treat them. George pelecanos attempts a new literary direction in the. Pelecanos is the author of eighteen novels set in and around washington, d. In the first and best of the stories, the confidential informant, a. The way home is a strong followup to pelecanos previous effort the turnaround. Tough, sexy, fastpaced, and crackling with energy, the martini shot is pelecanos at his. Back in his home town, he hitches a ride on a bright spring morning with a little man.
Author george pelecanos writes what he knows in the. George pelecanos has been described as the zola of washington, dc. Pelecanos is an american novelist of detective fiction. Youll see the characters pop up in cameos in other stories and might get more out of it.
Buy the man who came uptown by pelecanos, george isbn. Aside from being an author, pelecanos also works as a tv writer, tv producer and as a film producer. With his 15th novel, the turnaround, george pelecanos has written another powerful story that permits him to expound on the themes and issues his writing has centered on. He has named both the novella and the book the martini shot. The way home by george pelecanos author autographed hardcover book first edition, first printing, mint, newunread in a flawless dust jacket in archival acetate cover, signed by the author. Even when the choices seem generated by formula, they have a great deal of power over these men, young district of columbia denizens treading a narrow path of legitimate opportunity through a red sea of crime and poverty. The book was fine except for those ridiculous k s in the title and entertaining with its modern fifties. I know several people who probably followed this link just to tell me that there is no problem with the martini, that it is the platonic ideal of gin cocktails and gods perfect drink. Courtesy of george pelecanos when i first moved to the washington, d. Aside from being an author, pelecanos also works as.
Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. It seems as though pelecanos has produced another solid, if predictable, bookone that will appease his current fans with an entertaining, thrilling story while reaching out. In bestselling and emmynominated writer george pelecanos thrilling new novel, an excon must choose between the man who got him out and the woman who showed him another path michael hudson spends the. On the way home i stopped at the mlk library and borrowed a book on mixology called karlas kocktail kourse, then took it back to my apartment in the shepherd park area of northwest. He worked as a line cook, dishwasher, bartender, and womans shoe salesman before publishing his first novel in 1992.
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