Customer Reviews

Strange Wine: Fifteen new stories from the nightside of the world

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Undoubtedly some of the author's finest work, this is a book worth coveting but beware the hidden costs. The first casualty may be our televisions and not the least may be any smugness and/or complacency we have in our society and humanity. The stories are themselves superb, the author's notes excellent, the result is a book which once gotten is unlikely to ever leave your possession. Beyond getting the book, the next best piece of advice would be to skip ahead and read 'The New York Review of Bird' first

Harlan's probably the most brilliant writer I have ever read, and this seminal collection displays all of his talents at their peak. The introduction is preachy, hard-hitting and definitely necessary, and while Harlan occasionally states his myriad opinions at the sake of story, it's forgivable. Anything and everything that is good about short story collections is condensed into this one book, the scope of which ranges from satire ("The New York Review Of Bird") to humor ("Working With The Little People") to outright horror (the devastating "Croatoan"). While some of the material can be found in the later "Essential Ellison" collections, it is unforgivable that this little-known masterpiece has gone out of print, as it would make a cherished addition to everyone's bookcase.

When someone says the name "Harlan," I usually think Harlan Coben. I am afraid to say I have never heard of Harlan Ellison for fear it might send this caustic, "speak your mind" author into apoplexy. Ellison is more known for short stories than full length novels. STRANGE WINE is a collection of fifteen short stories "from the nightside of the world" published in 1978. I had heard his name tossed around on a few chat lists, even saw a video of a rant against studios that expected him to donate a script rather than receive payment. One excellent example of his distaste of the publishing "experts" is "The New York Review of Bird." This story finds Cordwainer Bird wreaking havoc on a bookstore that dares to hide his books in the basement versus in the front window with the bestsellers. I like the story "Mom" the best as the ghost of a Jewish mother still tries to control her son's life. The title story, "Strange Wine" leaves the reader, or should leave the reader with a great lesson about life. Ellison has an unforgettable writing style, somewhere between exceptional and phenomenal.