A New Universal History of Infamy [Hardcover]

Rhys Hughes (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 181 pages
• Publisher: Ministry of Whimsy Press; First Edition edition (January 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1892389843
• ISBN-13: 978-1892389848
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #11,093,775 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I am a writer of Fantasy, Speculative Fiction and Magic Realism who often uses comedy and absurdism to examine philosophical issues. I am known for my original ideas, intricate plots and entertaining wordplay! I write short stories, novellas and novels.

I have been a writer from an early age. I completed my first proper short story when I was 14. It was called 'The Journey of Mountain Hawk' and I still remember what it was about, even though it no longer exists. None of my early work exists. My earliest surviving short story dates from 1989, and since that time I have embarked on an ambitious project of writing a story cycle consisting of exactly 1000 linked tales. Recently I decided to give this cycle an overall name -- PANDORA'S BLUFF.

My main influences are writers such as Italo Calvino, Stanislaw Lem, Boris Vian, Flann O'Brien, Jack Vance and Jorge Luis Borges, all of whom have a very well-developed sense of irony and a powerful imagination. I love irony and satire, not only the 'negative' kind that seeks to undermine some form of injustice but also the 'positive' kind that takes sheer delight in its own playfulness. And yet I am also fully committed to engaging with serious themes. In fact, many years ago, I decided that I should find my own name for the style of writing I like best and the name I came up with was: "Romanti-Cynicism." The main idea behind this new genre is to combine humour and seriousness, to fuse the emotional with the intellectual, the profound with the lighthearted, the unfettered with the precise.

My first book was published in 1995 and sold slowly but it seemed to strike a chord with some people. My second, third, fourth, etc, books sold much more strongly as my reputation increased. I have been told that I am a "cult author" and I'm pleased with the description, but obviously I also want to reach out to a wider audience! My eighteenth book has just been published and I have many new books due to be released in the next two years.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Uneven and Somewhat Unlikeable, April 7, 2008

By 

Grey Wolffe "Zeb Kantrowitz" (North Waltham, MA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: A New Universal History of Infamy (Hardcover)

This book is supposed to be an 'homage' to Jorge Luis Borges, but if I was JLB, I'd say, "thanks but no thanks". Mr. Hughes thinks alot about his talent but he is neither as talented or 'smart' as he thinks. True about half of the stories/pieces work, but when they don't, they really don't.

Of the four sections he divides the book into, the first and last sections work the best with the first being the best overall. During the rest he seems to be reaching and ends up flat or overly cute ('wink wink nudge nudge').

But, that's just my opinion, take it for what it's worth.