Customer Reviews

Gates of Eden

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If you like Ethan Coen's wacky films, and I am among their biggest fans, then you are bound to enjoy most if not all of the subject stories. Unlike most audio collections, these stories are narrated by many of the actors who have starred in Coen Brothers films such as William H. Macy, John Goodman, John Turturro and Steve Buscemi. I thought that was a great touch, and unlike another reviewer here I thoroughly enjoyed the vocal talents, never sensing that the stars had been quickly handed the stories and told to "read" by the director.

As for the tales themselves, they were each very different, and ranged from typical Coen brothers slapstick crime stories to poignant tales of growing up Jewish in Minneapolis. I really enjoyed "Destiny",the story of an over-educated boxer with no fighting spirit, narrated by Matt Dillon, who becomes hopelessly involved in a battle between a couple of two bit hoods while getting pummeled throughout the story. "The Boys", a story of a father struggling to maintain his sanity on a camping trip with his two sons really struck a chord as well, since Coen displays his typical caustic wit and dead-on observations of family relationships.

The stories are not for everyone, sometimes the language can get a little coarse (especially the Steve Buscemi narrated "Have You Ever Been to Electric Ladyland", involving a music industry executive who tries telling the police the myriad of enemies who might have tortured his dog), and those easily offended may want to look elsewhere. Even here Coen's biting sarcasm is evident, as he skewers thinly-veiled real stars including Cat Stevens.

Overall, while Coen may never push writers like Raymond Carver out of the pantheon of American Short Story writers, these tales are an amusing bunch, made more entertaining by the considerable vocal talents of each of the narrators. I recommend you give them a try, especially in audio format. The people in the next car will wonder what you are grinning about.

Coen brothers.

Just say the words, and most moviegoers can tell you what you're probably in for.

Crime. Criminals. Mystery. Shenanigans.

The same holds true for "Gates of Eden," a collection of short stories by Ethan Coen, one-half of the brother team (bro is Joel Coen) that created such contemporary classics as "Blood Simple," "Fargo," "O Brother Where Art Thou?" and, most recently, "The Man Who Wasn't There."

With the short stories in "Gates," Ethan displays the tendency to irresistible characters that the brothers have put to such acclaimed use in their films.

And characters they are. Hapless schmucks, crooks who just don't seem to have a clue, oddballs and hitmen, all of whom are destined to win your heart. Or, at the very least, your funny bone.

The title story is probably my favorite, simply because it examines a career that is usually shucked aside by storytellers in favor of more glamorous work: The weights-and-measures man.

It's Joe Gendreau's job to make sure the gas station attendant isn't overcharging for or skimping on gas; a beating with a tire iron will keep him straight. All in a day's work, ma'am.

Like Joe says, "Standards are what make us a society. A community agrees. A gallon is a gallon. A pound is a pound. He who says fifteen ounces is a pound - he must be put down. A pound is a pound, or we go bango."

Sigh. Coen's use of dialogue makes me weak in the knees. Oh, to have that firm control of dialect.

Other faves in "Gates":

"Destiny": A knocked-out-too-often boxer agrees to take pictures of guy's wife in bed with a business associate, and ends up caught in between two gentlemen of less than civil reputation.

"Cosa Minapolidan": Among other things, a mob boss wants a fresh stiff. But the guys he's got on the job ain't quite right in the head, if you know what I'm saying. And one of 'em's new on the job.

"Hector Berlioz, Private Investigator": Aside from his name, there's nothing out of the ordinary about this private investigator. Coen sets the whole story like it could be an old-fashioned radio drama, and the results are both familiar and fantastic.

"A Fever in the Blood": Next to "Eden," this is the best story in the collection. Another p.i. finds himself deaf in one ear psychologically after having the other one bitten off. Brings the "Twilight Zone" to mind, complete with twist at the end. Perfection.

Anyone in need of a quick pick-me-up or an enjoyably light read can do worse than Coen. Grab your teddy bear, hunker down under the covers after (or in the middle of) a long day and thank your lucky stars you don't lead these sorry souls' lives.

Ethan Coen's collection of short stories is a hint to his remarkable movies. The writer of such great films as Raising Arizona, Fargo, and O Brother Where Art Thou? brings his unmistakable sense of humor to literature with his first work of fiction, Gates of Eden. Coen's sense of humor is uniquely intelligent at times, stupid at others, and very often disturbing.

From mafia back-stabbing to a decapitated wife and every story in between, Coen makes the reader laugh and simultaneously makes the reader feel uncomfortable for laughing. One often finds himself asking, "Should I really be laughing at this?" It is upon this type of humor that the Coen Brothers built their film career. Coen overcomes the occasional lack of true plot development with intriguing character analysis and captivating dialogue.

This book is a very easy read even with the intriguing and interesting lanuage and dialogue. The stories are short enough for a single sitting and long enough to actually say something. I would recommend this book to anyone who has taken even the slightest interest in a Coen Brothers film. But take heed, many stories are not for the weak-stomached conservative. Be prepared for a few shocks and an interesting insight to the American way.

A collection of stories which not only herald a long and successful career as a fictional novel writer, but which also makes definable links to the brothers film work. Original and very, very funny, in a way only ever really created by a Coen.

The man is a God.

Some of these stories hit familiar territory for Coen. Others are a departure. These others are less successful. These others tend to delve into a Jewish childhood fraught with bitterness. They tend to fail as Coen slowly feels out the audience reaction during the narrative, never quite going as far as he does in his usual world of gangsters, drifters and hitmen. It makes you wonder how biographical some of the stories are as he tries to be satirical without wanting to offend.

The stories set in familiar surroundings though are riddled with class dialogue and subdued brutality, both hallmarks of the great films he's penned. They are a mix of novellas and mini-screenplays that rarely fail to hit the right spot. Naturally he wanted to use the medium of the short story to broaden his horizons. To me it has just confirmed to himself that he excels at one thing and that is what he should stick to.

This collection of 14 short stories from half of the Coen Brothers filmmaking team is very solid throughout save one or two entries. They have all the elements and tones you might expect, deft odd humor, nasty hoods, pitch-perfect dialect, and a sort of twisted upper Midwest and California settings. There are a few stories that drift into the autobiographical realm, as they recount some aspect of growing up Jewish in Minneapolis. If you like Coen Brothers' movies, you should definitely dip into these stories.

I've read the book and listened to the audio tape, and highly recommend the audio tape over the book. The outstanding voice talents employed in this work dramatically improve the stories.

But even these talents couldn't completely overcome an obnoxious tendency in Ethan Coen's text. Although two or three of his short stories compiled to form "Gates Of Eden" were, mercifully, devoid of grossly overused simile and syrupy prose, the rest suffered. Even in the final story about the Dakotan/Minnesotan who has beheaded his wife the clever story is somewhat spoiled by this tendency. In it the simple rural Nordic/Canadien English (Fargo-esque) speech patterns of the narrator/protagonist transforms into sophisticated flowing, poetic prose during the climax of that story. The character seemed more elegant, more real when he spoke more simply. And the story would have been more powerful if he had kept to the more native sounding speech patterns thru the climax.

The detailed descriptions get in the way of some very fun stories. They take away the characters voice. About halfway thru the story about the California Weights & Measures employee, I lost the very engaging and funny visual/auditory image I had of the main character, replaced by the overwhelming, yet beautifully lyrical descriptive prose. Even on the audio tapes, William H. Macy's excellent reading of the story was overwhelmed by the display of artistic writing.

I think the book is worth reading, just be prepared to be frustrated when style gets in the way of a good story. The Coen's seem to always get the balance right in their movies (well, maybe Barton Fink go lost in it's style too). But it wasn't right in this compilation of short stories.

Dave Carter

Good, robust, manly storytelling. These stories have a very different vibe from Coen's filmmaking, but they're just as good. He's a beautiful writer without ever getting flowery (hence the "manly" part) and even though I'm not one for poetry, I've been tempted to buy his other book based solely on my love of this one.

As a big fan of his movies, I was really inpressed with this collection of short stories. This guy can really write. GATES OF EDEN will leave you wondering if every story included could be made into a film. Brilliant!

Well no, these aren't actual people in Coen's stories, but they are 'real' and brilliantly drawn. The dark humor those familiar with the Coen Bros. movies is ever-present in these stories, and Ethan proves he's as capable a writer as a storyteller, with very clever use (and abuse) of language and clever turns of phrase.

I suppose what I enjoyed most is that every chapter of this short-story collection is a *story*, rather than just a writing exercise from a creative writing course. These stories are populated by *characters*, and the actions of these characters advance the *plot*. Each is pure fun to read, and again, are excellent *stories*. They're about people, and the things people do, and how screwed up the whole species really it.