The Moon in the Gutter (Midnight Classics) [Paperback]

David Goodis (Author), Adrian Wootton (Introduction)

Book Description

Series: Midnight Classics | Publication Date: January 1, 1998

The Goodis revival goes on--many of his titles are back in print including The Blond on the Street Corner from Serpent's Tail.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Another piece of pulp fiction, Goodis's 1953 noirish novel portrays the story of protagonist Bill Kerrigan, a poor street-hardened man who marries wealthy Loretta Channing. Kerrigan, however, soon learns that class is something you can't buy and once a street punk, always a street punk.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Serpent's Tail (January 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1852424494
• ISBN-13: 978-1852424497
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #990,929 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hamsun Noir, October 12, 1999

By 

Cort McMeel - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Moon in the Gutter (Midnight Classics) (Paperback)

This guy is the Knut Hamsun of Noir. Grit, realism served up filthy-delphia style. His characters speak in the harsh dialect of wasted lives, guts, soul and all other essentials of the True Predecessor of Bukow, Selby, Fante, and Leonard Gardner...the beauty of ugliness is the religion of Goodis and his brash honesty and no-holds barred grappling prose style make him one of the greats.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars gritty story, but what about that ending?!?, December 30, 2002

By 

lazza (Fort Lauderdale, Florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Moon in the Gutter (Midnight Classics) (Paperback)

David Goodis is the champion of the down-and-outs, druggies, boozers and misfits. In 'The Moon in the Gutter' we have an interesting story about a stevedore (dock worker) and his utterly miserable existence. He has difficulty in coming to grips with the grisly death of his sister, his home life is a disaster, and his future looks bleak. But then he meets a blonde from the other side of the tracks and ....

While I won't give any spoilers here let me just say I felt very let down by the ending of this novel. David Goodis brings the reader into the life of this poor soul and shows us his world without compassion. Towards the end the tension builds (..again no spoilers) but the author fails miserably in tying it all together at the end. Very disappointing.

Bottom line: a missed opportunity by Goodis. Intriguing, but best left to Goodis fans only.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Goodis is a really good mystery writer, December 31, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Moon in the Gutter (Midnight Classics) (Paperback)

Seven months ago, Bill Kerrigan's beloved sister committed suicide rather than lives with the memory of the assault on her body by an unknown assailant. Bill remains in shock, visiting the alley off of Philadelphia's Vernon Street where his sibling died.

After spending some time in the alley, for some reason known only to him, Bill decides he needs a beer so he goes to the nearby Dugan's Den bar. At the dive, Bill meets Newton Channing, a slumming wealthy uptowner. When Newton's classy sister Loretta comes to take him home, an immediate bond forms between her and Bill. However, he is a stevedore, residing in the slums while she is class personified. Even if Bill can put aside his ghastly obsession of finding the culprit behind his sister's death, this couple has no chance of making it.

THE MOON IN THE GUTTER is a reprint of a great urban Noir. The characterization is deep and very intriguing because of David Goodis' insight into the Vernon Street dwellers. The story line is haunting as its serves up to prove that the author was exceptionally good at his craft. Readers who give this novel a chance will search the second hhandbook stores for more works by Mr. Goodis.

Harriet Klausner