Friday, January 05, 2007

Sweet Land Stories by E.L. Doctorow


There aren't too many perks to being laid low by a nasty bug, but spending time between the covers of a good book certainly qualifies. "Sick" books shouldn't be too convoluted or conceptual. They should have direct appeal, and they shouldn't be too depressing. E.L. Doctorow's Sweet Land Stories fits the bill perfectly.

My buzzing, dripping noggin isn't quite up to the task of composing a proper review for this book (or Doctorow, whose prose blows hot and cold for me). I enjoyed all the stories, but was especially tickled by the first, "A House On The Plains". What a ghastly, chilling Poe-like treat! My foggy condition probably helped, but Doctorow kept me guessing as to what this gruesome mother-son duo were up to, and surprised me with every nasty revelation. A delerious treat, for a delerious reader.

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