Block

When I started reading this book, I wasn't completely ready for the look it would give me into Barbie and Griffin's worlds. Essentially, Barbie and Griffin are child models. At first, they both attend the same photographer, and both share the same horrible secret. Around the same time she met Griffin, Barbie met Mab. Mab is a feisty fairy who represents everything Barbie wishes she could be. Jumping forward to five years later, Barbie and Griffin truly meet. Griffin's roommate, the gorgeous actor Todd Range, is interested in Barbie, and she wants to love him. As Mab guides both griffin and Barbie through their complicated lives, the truths about them are revealed. Will the two be able to overcome the dreams forced on them by their washed-out parents, or will they continue to live in fear of what the world brings them? Read the book, and find out.
I recommend this book to anyone. It's wicked cool, and will definately change the way that people look at child and teenage stars. While reading this, you'll find yourself angry at Barbie's mother, who's trying to change her daughter's dreams and life. And you'll feel the way the Barbie and Griffin do, as they try and stop the man who changed and ruined their lives. As corny as it sounds, you'll laugh, and you'll cry.

First of all, if you have read Francesca Lia Block's other books, don't expect that sort of writing here. Granted, it has the same descriptions of places you would kill to go to, but that's about where the similarities end. This book is more of a gritty Y/A novel than a fantasy, ie Weetzie Bat. It's the story of Barbie, a young girl haunted by her burn-out was-model mother, who wants Barbie to be to be a model so badly, she will go to any lengths to ensure it. So along comes Mab, a pinkie-size fairy with fuschia hair, who is Barbie's best friend, guidance counselor and, on occasion, psychiatrist! She is the best part of a fantastic book. Yes, I liked this book. I loved this book. I will read this book until the end of time!

When I was told about this book and that it would help me, a past victim of Child Molestation...I thought what? Especially when I picked the book up and saw the cover. How can this help me in any way? But I decided to go ahead and purchase and read....I found that even though this was a fictious book, my life and my feelings related to the past pains suffered. The fantasy of the book helped me to understand my reality.
What a remarkable book this is.
I also want to mention Nightmares Echo as being another book I was told to get, also helps with healing. To say i am amazed at this book is an understatement. thank you to the author

In Everybody Dies Lawrence Block provides lots of action but the plot tends to ramble at times, is somewhat disjointed, and is fairly predictible. Overall, Everbody Dies will maintain your interest, although it is not a book that will keep you glued to your seat. Further, it is not in quite the same class as many of the earlier Scudder books -- e.g. When The Sacred Ginmill Closes, A Dance At The Slaughterhouse, and Sins Of The Fathers. Like some other reviewers, I'm starting to be concerned that Block is losing some of his edge in this series. Scudder continues to be one of my favorite fictional characters and I'll remain a loyal reader of this series with the hope that Block will return to his earlier form.

Matt Scudder walks and Elaine goes to the gym for exercise. Mick Ballou is a notorious criminal and Grogans, in Hell's Kitchen, is his bar and headquarters. Mick is an unlikely friend for a private detective to have.

Matt is faced with the mystery of two deceased persons, formerly of the North of Ireland, and a substantial amount of twice stolen whiskey. Mick believes he has an enemy. Matt Scudder still attends AA meetings. He usually fits in two or three a week. He enjoys listening to the stories.

On Sunday evenings he eats dinner with his sponsor. When he and his sponsor go out to dinner, by coincidence, they are dressed in similar garb. The sponsor becomes another victim while Matt is using the lavatory. Matt knows his sponsor would destroy his guilty thoughts by pointing out that Matt is just an alcoholic. Matt finds himself explaining to the investigating officers the role of a sponsor in the AA program.

Matt is saved from danger by Mick. Gary Alan Dowling is the son of Patrick Farrelly, a man who had operated in opposition to Mick Ballou. He may have some involvement in the recent matters of conflict. This is an exceptionally dark tale in the Matt Scudder series.

After many years of Matt Scudder, unlicensed PI, he has finally become licensed. As Matt, himself puts it he is on his way to becoming respectable and a high-priced detective. "Everybody Dies," is one of the best in the series of 14 novels in the series written by one of America's best detective novelist, Lawrence Block. I have read all the books in the series, except "In the Midst of Death," have enjoyed them all with exception of "Even the Wicked," and look forward to number 15 when ever its published. Over the years we follow Scudder from being an alcoholic with always a drink in hand, through this meetings of AA as a recovering alcoholic to the present, a sober alcoholic. We live with him as his relationship with call girl Elaine Mardell, who gives up the profession, grows. They live together and become a married couple a novel back. Block introduces TJ, the street wise African-American. TJ assists Scudder, at first, and later becomes as disposable as his right arm. By the close of "Everybody Dies," TJ has become Matt and Elaine's surrogate son. (Matt was married before, divorced and is the father of two sons, now grown. Friend Mike Ballou can't tell the officials about the two men who broke into his New Jersey storehouse, the stolen booze and their murder. Mike enlists Matt to help bury the two on his upstate New York farm. The two deaths lead to many others as the title suggests and threats on Matt's life. It's another can't put-it-down suspense novel. I truly enjoy reading Lawrence Block. Not only have I read all the books in this series but the Bernie Rhodenbarr "The Burglar Who..." series as well. Block has several other series which I will "attack and devour" next before going on to his stand alone novels. Thank you Lawrence Block!

I think I'm too old to read anything Francesca Lia Block writes. Having said that, I'm sure I'm too old.

Block's writing appeals to the most base sense of suffering, and therefore I can see why it appeals to teenagers. Since my taste in literature has expanded beyond a diet of angst, feeling misunderstood, and that there is nobility in suffering, it was a chore to make it through this book. Teenagers will love it for the mere fact that it's somehow validates their own overblown sense of angst.

I'm sure there is a message within the pages of this book, a triump of the human spirit, but I was left with the impression that the main character would rather continue to suffer valiantly than take the high road.

I also worry when reviews contain the words "magical" and "poetic."

the hanged man is my first experience reading a block book, and i would have to say that it was a unique one! i would not recommend the book for younger readers. block addresses mature content. laurel, the main character, has many issues in her life. sex, abuse, drugs, and anexoria are some of the problems that she must deal with throughout the book. at times, the writing was very unclear and i was not sure what the author was talking about or where she was going with her words. i do have to agree with others in that the book is dark and very deep. overall, i would have to recommend it to others, just because it is a short read and i feel that it will leave you thinking about life and decisions.

"The Hanged Man" is somewhat of a loner in Francesca Lia Block's bibliography. It's not connected to her most famous series, the Weetzie Bat books, by anything other than location. The protagonist is Laurel, a seventeen-year-old girl whose father has just died. She flirts with death and anorexia in the dark magic of the LA that is her world, of devils and flowers, voodoo and fairies. When I first read this book, it made me cry-- somthing very few books have done. Block's writing is a very true approximation of a sensitive yet jaded teenager trying to come to grips with her life. The descriptions in the book are amazing-- one that stands out is this one, describing the voice of a man Laurel meets in the hospital where her father is dying. "His voice cracked the way ice does when you pour liquor over it." Your heart cracks, too.

This book, a retelling of nine fairytales, is much like your usual FLB fare: phantasmagoric characters, homosexual love and poetic, evocative langugage drawing a somewhat difficult-to-follow plot.

In other words, fabulous.

The stories are roughly retellings of Snow White, Thumbelina, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Little Red Riding Hood, Rose White Rose Red, Hansel & Gretel, Beauty and the Beast and The Snow Queen. Except for a few cases, the retellings find the originals greatly improved upon. All except perhaps Snow (SW) are set in modern cities, FLB world of shifing colors and lovers. My personal favorites are the sad, passioante, evocative Ice (TSQ) and the suprising Wolf (LLRH). Each story has its own magic.

However, this book does have its low points, such as the lackluster Snow, the extremely hard to follow Bones (H&G), and Tiny (T), which is just plain odd. Tiny's height makes the whole story fairly absurd, although it is decent.

Overall, this is an excellent book I would recommend to anyone, especially FLB fans.

This book was interesting and beautifully written. They are all short stories retelling of the classic fairty tales. They are all fairly short but very interesting.

Snow was a retelling of Snow White and the intention of the story is one I found to be a perfect ending.

Ice was a beautiful story in the retelling of The Snow Queen about soul mates and being in love. Being in true love.

Beast was my personal favorite. It's alot like Beauty and the Beast but the ending makes a funny yet very understandable ending for girls who have been in relationships before.

Bones was VERY hard to follow and I'm sure I even understand it completely now.

Other stories include Tiny, Glass (beautiful work by Francesca may I add), Charm, Wolf, and Rose.

If you're a fan of Francesca Lia Block's work or of fairy tales, then this book is worth a good read

faerie tales were original meant for big people, too, and flb takes them back. there is no hansel and gretel tale in this book, though. the story bones is based on bluebeard, a grimm's tale they don't really use much anymore. someof these stories are things that could happen, and a few of them, well, aren't, but that's why they're faerie tales. this book is great to have with you when you don't have long to wait before something happens, but want something quick and beautiful to keep you busy.

I found this book as I was cleaning my ex-girlfriend's stuff from our apartment, and I had nothing better to do, so I sat down in the sun and read it. I generally can't finish any novel of substantial length in less that a week or two. This took me about two hours. Seeing as it's very short, and printed quite large, and simply written, you can see I don't read very fast.
This book is utterly charming, like a children's story that sticks with you after you've grown up. It's not a children's story at all, covering the after-high school life of four punk teenagers in Los Angeles, but it has the same clear, precise language of Peter Pan.
Weetzie Bat is a punk rock pixie who meets Dirk, a gay boy with a mohawk. They hang out together and enjoy Charlie Chaplin movies and roller skating, and long to meet their true loves. These show up in the form of Duck (for Dirk) and My Secret Agent Lover Man (for Weetzie). Some strange things happen, some babies are born, and the AIDS virus rears its ugly head.
It's deceptively simple. But, even Peter Pan is only simple because there was an animated movie made out of it. On the surface it's a children's book, written for children; but once you read it you'll find as much depth and reality as anything on the bestseller shelf.

Weetzie Bat is a magical book that is the perfect mix of fairy-tale and reality. I warn, however, that those ultra-conservative English teachers will probably have a problem with it. Something so unique and beautiful doesn't come around often, so it's understandable that some people can't handle it. Don't worry, teachers, you can go read Dickens. I'm sticking with Francesca Lia Block--a gifted author who written the most magical books I've ever read. I would recommend it to anyone who wants something a little different (and can handle it, for that matter)

Francesca Lia Block's first and most endearing novel is a triumphant mix of poetry, magical realism, contemporary issues, classical fairy tale elements, colorful places and rich, zany characters. Weetzie Bat is a young woman looking for true love in 1980s LA. With her gay best friend Dirk, his cool car Jerry and Slinkster Dog, they set about finding their soul mates with the help of Dirk's Grandma Fifi's magic genie in a lamp (who's ready to hit the road after Weetzie innocently makes her three wishes.) They find their true loves, but they'll have to overcome many obstacles before they reach their happily ever after.
Block creates an LA that is instantly a magical and terrifying place, from the lush canyons to the all night rave scenes. Her writing is so gorgeous and poetic that you can feel, smell, touch, even taste the places the characters visit, from Sunday morning at Duke's to Grandma Fifi's old fashioned fantasy movie style house nestled in the canyon. As an LA native, I can safely report that Block brings the city to life in a way that I didn't think was possible. Her brilliant description of Shangri-L.A, her crazy, inventive dialogue and characters, and her daring yet tastefully rendered look at what some would consider 'unsavory' topics (homosexuality, children out of wedlock, AIDS) all come together to give the reader a whole new experience and a seamless intermingling of pain and pleasure. There is no other book quite like this one.

Interfaith dating and " marriage" have profund theological implications from a jewish perspective as well as for some other religions. Also when one looks at the demographics, particularly the expressed religious affiliation of the grand-children of interfaith couples, it shows a massive defection from judaism.Some studies have shown a loss of as much of 1,000,000 in jewish numbers in recent years. By trivalizing the issue of interfaith dating/marriage the authors show a complete lack of understanding of what Jewish marriage means. Even worse, they help to mislead others which. I hope the authors and others who are considering this book will care enough to find out what being Jewish and what jewish marriage really menas.

I strongly recommend this book to anyone who is a non-Jew and is dating a Jew. My friends bought this for me as a joke when I (a nice Irish-Catholic girl) started seeing a Jewish guy....and here we are 2 years later in a very serious relationship.
This book helped me understand so much about Judaism. I knew what to bring to shiva calls and I knew not to blow out the candles on my boyfriend's menorah! And my boyfriend even read the entire book...he said it was a refresher course for him. There was some things in there that he had either forgotten or had never even known.
Trust me - this book is worth reading. I always keep it on hand in case I need to look anything up. And there are some great stories in there about other interfaith couples that you can really relate to.

I bought two copies of What to Do When You're Dating a Jew to give to two friends. One friend's daughter was engaged to a Jewish man and the other friend's son is married to a Jewish woman. I started looking through the book in the book store and decided that I needed a third copy for myself!

I have finished reading it now and found it as entertaining as it was informative. I enjoyed my friend's daughter's wedding so much more by understanding the traditions. I was even able to dance the hora with joyful enthusiasm!

The mother of the bride told me that her daughter had to buy her another a copy of the book. She had taken to her future in-laws home and they could not part with it.

I found the book packed with useful information. I would recommend it for anyone who would like a light-hearted, helpful, readable book. I found it to be a perfect gift for others, as well as for myself.

First off, let me say that the Matt Scudder series are my favorite detective series here (8 Million Ways To Die and Walk Among the Tombstones tie for my all time favorite). So, when Lawrence Block came out with Hope To Die, I immediately snatched it up.

In the beginning of the book, I felt I was in classic Scudder territory. The elements were there. A double murder of an upper class family that appears to be an open and shut case, but of course it isn't. The personal drama of Scudder in that he is moving ahead with his life (with the support of AA, his wife Elaine, best friend Mick and sidekick/surrogate son TJ) but yet dealing with his past (in this case, his first wife has passed away and he has to reconcile with his sons).

However, midway through the book, Block abandons Scudder. The series up to Hope To Die has been written from Scudder's point of view, but now Block gives up chapters of just the killer and his point of view. He comes back to Scudder every now and then, but starts spending more time with the killer as the book progresses. The killer is given more vivid description and persona that by the end of the book, it becomes more his story than Scudder's. Block also diverts from the Scudder formula by having a "sequel" ending (something the series never had).

I will admit I was entertained with the "killer" chapters, but it also made me feel that Hope To Die was a mystery that didn't need Matt Scudder. Block could have sent Scudder home, the killer could have become the protagnoist and the book wouldn't have really lost anything. So while I was entertained by the book and enjoyed it as a quick, light read, I have to dock it a star down. You don't take a great detective character and put him in a story where he isn't needed.

I don't know why but I like Block's Matt Scudder series, but I don't enjoy his burglar novels. I think it's because Scudder is constantly on the move, giving us a good sense of what Manhattan and the five boroughs are like. Bernie the burglar is more absorbed by his book store and the next apartment he plans to burgle.
Also, the cast of characters in the burglar novels aren't as entertaining. I really like T.J., Scudder's street-wise protege with the computer expertise. The interplay between the two is hilarious. Then there's Elaine, his wife and erstwhile high-class prostitute.
What Block does best is make the reader empathize with outlaw characters. Scudder himself is a former alcoholic. His friend Mick is a murderer. He does this by giving Mick romantic qualities, such as the fact that he attends the butcher's mass every morning. No, this isn't meant to be irony. Mick's father was a butcher and Mick does this to show his father respect. Scudder and Mick have after hour philosophical discussions at Mick's bar, Scudder drinking coffee, Mick the hair of the dog.
HOPE TO DIE is about the murder of Byrne and Susan Hollander. Scudder and Elaine were at a social function with them on the night they died. The killers turn up dead a few days later. Murder, suicide? Scudder doesn't think so. As stories go, this one isn't much, but as he investigates, Scudder's past returns to haunt him. His ex-wife Anita dies, Mike and Andy's mother, whom Scudder abandoned when they were kids. So then, the 'B' story becomes Andy's need for money. Scudder must decide whether to bail the boy out and contribute to his irresponsibility or to let him come to grips on his own. But will his conscience let him do that?
Back to the Hollander story. They're not the last to die. This murderer should be easy to catch. He has a fascination with the initials "A.B.". The ending may cause some readers to throw the book up against the wall, but I personally think it makes the story more realistic. This isn't television. Sometimes the detective doesn't get his man. Although he doesn't catch his killer, Scudder gets paid anyway; as he's done in the past, he drops some of the money in the poor box.

When a young woman finds her parents brutally murdered, the NYPD track the killers to an apartment near Coney Island.Their two bodies are found a week after the first murder, an apparent murder-suicide.Matt Scudder, a retired cop and de-licensed P.I, is somehow dissatisfied by the murder scenes, feeling that they look too "pat".With the approval of the daughter of the murdered first couple, and the assistance of his street smart assistant TJ, Matt follows a computer generated trail to get close to the murderer. Mr.Block leads the reader on a cleverly laid red herring trail first of all and then finally to the realization that this is the work of a psycopath who is getting his kicks from the sheer thrill of killing someone. Lawrence Block is a very stylish writer with such an easy flow of words that his book kept me up reading, far too late into the night.

This is a tribute to Agatha Christie and Raymond Chandler, all rolled into one neat murder mystery. Bernie and Carolyn spend the weekend in a New England guesthouse, which attempts to replicate an authentic old English manor. When guests begin showing up murdered, it's Bernie who plays the part of Hercule Poirot or, if you like, Philip Marlowe, as he gathers the clues, which will hopefully lead him to the murderer before too many more guests are knocked off. Being a guesthouse, there are suspects aplenty delivering us ample opportunity to figure out the mystery ourselves. If mystery fans will be delighted by this book, then fans of the British crime story will be even more so. Combining the wit and humour of Lawrence Block with the traditional murder mystery creates a deadly weekend, though presented in a light and breezy manner.

Bernie Rhodenbarr invites Carolyn to join him for a weekend at Cuttleford House, a Massachusetts bed and breakfast. Now bring along a good looking woman like Carolyn should leave one to think that bernie is interested in a weekend of good loving. Only problem is Carolyn is a lesbian, a fact that Bernie is well aware of. Being the book lover (and Burglar) that Bernie is, he needs to steal a rare Raymond Chandler first edition of the BIG SLEEP which happens to include an inscription by the great author. ...... However, as seems to be the norm for Bernie (just try the previous seven tales in this satirical series to confirm that point and have an enjoyable reading experience), his plan goes awry when a blizzard traps everyone inside the bed and breakfast. Soon people mysteriously start getting killed and to Bernie's chagrin, the rare detective story is stolen by someone else. The latter does not sit well with Bernie, who begins to act more like Inspector Poirot investigating a case than the burglar he normally. ..... THE BURGLAR IN THE LIBRARY is a fantastic addition to one of the best satirical mystery series on the market today. Bernie and his friends are great characters, and the story line is witty and jocular. Readers who enjoy a light-hearted jab at the Agatha Christie novels will love the latest novel from Lawrence Block. ......Harriet Klausner

Lawrence Block is one of our most talented mystery authors. In the Bernie Rhodenbarr series he explores how an ordinary, but intelligent, "honest" person might go about pursuing a life of crime as a fastidious and talented burglar who isn't proud of what he does, doesn't like to hang out with criminals, and really gets a big thrill out of breaking and entering . . . and removing nonessential valuables from rich people. As you can see, there's a sitcom set-up to provide lots of humor. But the humor works well in part because Mr. Block is able to put the reader in the Bernie's shoes while he breaks, enters and steals . . . and evades the long arm of the law. To balance the "honest" burglar is an array of "dishonest" and equally easy-money loving cops. As a result, you're in a funny moral never-never land while your stomach tightens and your arm muscles twitch as tension builds. To make matters even more topsy-turvy, Bernie at some point in every story turns into an investigator who must figure out "who-dun-it" for some crime that he personally didn't do. It's almost like one of those "mystery at home" games where the victim comes back as the police investigator, playing two roles. Very nice!

So much for explaining the concept of the series. The Burglar in the Library is the eighth book in the series. I strongly suggest that you begin the series by reading Burglars Can't Be Choosers and follow it up with The Burglar in the Closet, The Burglar Who Studied Spinoza, The Burglar Who Liked to Quote Kipling, The Burglar Who Painted Like Mondrian, The Burglar Who Traded Ted Williams and The Burglar Who Thought He Was Bogart. Each story in the series adds information and characters in a way that will reduce your pleasure of the others if read out of order. Despite that admonition, I originally read them out of order and liked them well enough. I'm rereading them now in order, and like it much better this way. The Burglar in the Rye comes next in the series.

The series, always comical and satirical, continues the new turn begun in The Burglar Who Thought He Was Bogart. The spoof expands to the detective/thriller genre in general. I found this change to be a welcome and charming one. Anyone who is an Agatha Christie fan will appreciate the many references to And Then There Were None.

And Then There Were None was my favorite mystery for many years. I loved the way that there seemed to be no solution . . . until the solution miraculously appeared from an unexpected direction. And that was before I knew what a red herring is in a mystery book. Although not duplicating all elements of Dame Agatha's masterpiece, you will find enough reflections to keep you entertained and more than normally amused.

Another delightful element is that parts of the book relate to Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett. In truly spoofish fun, those parts of the story reflect the characterizations and style of those two great mystery writers.

Bernie has once again fallen in love, with one Lettice Runcible by name, who adores anything English, even if it is an English country house set in New England. Bernie has arranged to take her to Cuttleford House (which fits that description) to enjoy the atmosphere, while he checks out the chance that a rare first edition of The Big Sleep resides there unappreciated by the current owners. He plans are desperately derailed when Lettice announces she cannot go because she's getting married instead. Crestfallen, but still curious about the Raymond Chandler volume, Bernie persuades Carolyn Kaiser, his lesbian best friend, to accompany Raffles, the cat, and him. Added to the usual humor between Bernie and Carolyn are the complications of being bed mates and others assuming that they are either married or lovers.

On the way to Cuttleford House, a huge snowstorm sets in that makes travel difficult. Bernie soon begins discovering unexpected dead and live bodies while he tries to check out the library in the wee hours of the night. By the next morning, they are cut off by the storm . . . and the bodies begin to pile up. With no way to reach the police, Bernie had better get to the bottom of what's going on . . . or he may be next!

The mystery is masterfully complicated and rewarding, for those who care about that aspect of the book.

When I finished this one, I was sure that I had found the best book in the Bernie Rhodenbarr series . . . and I still feel that way. This book is amazingly wonderful.

The theme of this book focuses on the importance (and challenges involved in) treating other people with respect, kindness and consideration. Beware: Bad things happen when we do not!

Donald Mitchell
Co-author of The 2,000 Percent Solution, The Irresistible Growth Enterprise and The Ultimate Competitive Advantage

Echo was my first Francesca Lia Block book I had ever read, and in short, it changed my life.
Echo left me whith an advanced state of hyperpyrexia. Francesca writes with the words of a soul speaking through a pen and paper touching the hearts of others and forever changing lives.
Echo is about a girl who could never live up to what other people wanted her to live up to. Everyone had expected her to be like her mother, and for their difference, she loses her fathers love. Yet Echo will soon learn that her mother is only human when her father becomes ill with cancer. Yet, this leaves Echo at an end, for all of her life she was always "Not Her Mother" and now she must embark on a journey to discover her true self. She meets vampires, faeries, changlings, and enchantresses, suffers from Anorexia, heartache, drug abuse, and emotianal breakdowns. All on the search for herself and that one boy who she knows is meant for her. We all are our own Echo, we are all searching for our own true selfs. The question is, how will you live until you know?
In a world full of cliches and cults, where it is a struggle to be an individual. Echo will give you a boost with your journey, until you discover that relieved and happy feeling of finally being able to know your own soul.
After reading this book I read The Rose And The Beast, I Was A Teenage Fairy, Weetzie Bat, and Violet and Claire. I cannot wait to read my next FLB book. I hoard her books like oxygen, there messages have helped my find the true writer withen myself.

Echo tells the story of a girl and all the people around her in a beautiful writing that is purely Block's style. Echo is a girl who is convinced that she is not very pretty and the only things she has talent in is evil. But that proves to be wrong when series of tests in love, friendship, and death face her. Through this heart-filled painful period Echo learns from her mistakes and how to look towards the future. This book tells her story.

WHen I picked this up I was a little iffy about it. WHile I do enjoy Francasca Lia Block's wiritng style I either love her books, or could do with out them. THis book was not a dissapointment for me. The story is wonderful, symbolic, and poetic. I'd love to read more by Block. I reccomend this to anyone who dosen't mind strange but entertaining tales and who's a fan of Blocks writing.

On another note.... Peace and prayers to all the victims of the recent plane accident. My heart is with everyone affected.

I have read many places that people thought this book to be confusing, or lacking in solidity, and substance. it is whimsical, and flighty at times, but i think that makes it interesting to a degree. obviously books dont come in the "one size fits all" variety, and i can see people not appreciating this book. people who like straight plot lines, facts, and little human emotion would not like this book. I, on the other hand, enjoy it to no end. i read it in one sitting, and found myself amazed at the beauty of the words. i borrowed it from a friend, and now i plan to buy it to give it another read-through. give it a shot. not eveyones going to like it, but those who do will love it.

Entertaining and fast-paced - the character of Keller is very well done. Block manages to seamlessly incorporate humor and humanity with the macabre responsibilities of a hit man. Unique and interesting with more than a few grains of truth about the human psyche.

HIT MAN Lawrence Block Avon Feb. 1999 ISBN: 038072541X Buy It Here A humorous mystery about a hired killer who is going through a mid-life crisis. This is a hard-boiled, page-turning mystery. Lawrence Block has written a series of Keller novels. Read them all you will be glad you did. Kellerman, known as Keller, is a just normal guy who lives in a nice apartment until his phone rings... then he becomes a hit man, only now he wonders why he does what he does. Story by story Keller grows on us, but you have to remember he is a cold-blooded killer who likes movies where you can tell the good guys from the bad guys, but in this book you can't always tell which is which. Pam Stone

The book the Hit Man by Lawrence Block is a book that is full of enthusiastic drama that makes you want more. This story's main character, J.P. Keller, is a contract hit man. In this book, Keller deals with many problems about his life and has many adventures in doing what he does, which is killing people. This is a great book of short stories about a hit man's personal and impersonal life. Keller is confused and doesn't know whether he should keep his job, that has him killing people, or leave it and live a normal man's life. As a hit man, he sometimes has to kill people that he likes. How does Keller deal with it? What would you do if that were you? Well to find out and to know more about what goes on in a hit man's mind read this book. I give Hit Man a 5 and recommend this book to any body that likes to read exiting short stories.