Friday, October 14, 2011

The Outlaw Album by Daniel Woodrell

Personally, I wouldn't want to know the people in this book.  They are all a little strange, warped in various ways, and not very friendly.  The author grew up in the Ozarks and these stories all have a taste of that.

Hachette Book Group sent me a copy of this book for review (thank you).  It has already been published so you can purchase a copy at your local bookstore now.  

I had previously read The Bayou Trilogy by this same author, but The Outlaw Album has a totally different side of his writing.  These are short stories about life in the backwoods or countryside that seem a long way from the cities.

The tales are sordid and mean.  The relationships between the characters are often tired and worn, but love is still there in some perverted way.  While his characters are not nice, I could relate to his stories and even sympathized with some of the killers.  His stories have a sense of authenticity, even if the reality is almost beyond belief.

Be careful out there, OK?

Happy reading.

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