Blind Man with a Pistol [Paperback]

Chester Himes (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 17, 1989

New York is sweltering in the summer heat, and Harlem is dose to the boiling point. To Coffin Ed Johnson and Grave Digger Jones, at times it seems as if the whole world has gone mad. Trying, as always, to keep some kind of peace-their legendary nickel-plated Colts very much in evidence-Coffin Ed and Grave Digger find themselves pursuing two completely different cases through a maze of knifings, beatings, and riots that threaten to tear Harlem apart.

"The word is out on the street, and the hopheads and whores and flimflam artists are running scared: Coffin Ed Johnson and Grave Digger Jones are back in print."-- Newsweek

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

New York is sweltering in the summer heat, and Harlem is dose to the boiling point. To Coffin Ed Johnson and Grave Digger Jones, at times it seems as if the whole world has gone mad. Trying, as always, to keep some kind of peace-their legendary nickel-plated Colts very much in evidence-Coffin Ed and Grave Digger find themselves pursuing two completely different cases through a maze of knifings, beatings, and riots that threaten to tear Harlem apart.

"The word is out on the street, and the hopheads and whores and flimflam artists are running scared: Coffin Ed Johnson and Grave Digger Jones are back in print."-- Newsweek

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Vintage (December 17, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0394759982
• ISBN-13: 978-0394759982
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.4 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #747,732 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gritty NYC, July 21, 2010

By 

Read to Think "Read To Think" (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Blind Man with a Pistol (Paperback)

I've read all of the Chester Himes series and Blind Man is my favorite
While the others are common A to Z yarns, Blind Man's disjointed story and ruthless pace
cause it to transcend the genre Himes created and lift this book to a higher level as Novel

The helter skelter style is why this book is the deepest and makes the most sense.

Love it

Also read God's Country by Percival Everett

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not his best, August 11, 2004

By 

Bryan Miller "Bryan Miller" (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Blind Man with a Pistol (Paperback)

I have read almost everything else by Chester Himes and ate up each and everything I've read, especially his detective series. This book, while I was engaged and enjoyed reading it, I often found tedious. Unlike the other novels in this series which are slickly written with a flowing prose, "Blind Man" is jumbled and often difficult to follow because of the clunky prose. The lack of central story line also made it difficult to read. However after saying that, one must keep in mind that the novel's real focus is the random NYC crime and the misery surrounding it, so the style, while difficult to follow, absolutely captures this chaos. Unfortunately, it does not make for an enjoyable read. It is by far the most violent work of his that I've read. I really get the feeling that Himes was just fed up with the whole situation when he wrote this book, as if he really wasn't capable of making it humorous anymore.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful book by a neglected master!, July 23, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Blind Man with a Pistol (Paperback)

Chester Himes spent years analyzing the race question and nobody recognized the fact. The reason was, he disguised his probes into the mysteries of racism in his series of Harlem domestic novels. However, in "Blind Man with a Pistol," he lays all the dark, evil workings of racism out there for us. He renders his two star detectives virtually powerless in a mad riot between three major factions. Like most riots, there are numerous underlying events and themes involved in Himes' riot in this novel. The book is expertly paced and has its moments of humor in the midst of the madness. A wonderful book by a neglected master!