Customer Reviews

Willeford

5 star:		(3)
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I've been a Willeford fan for many years. This is a great way to gain insight into the life and mind of a great writer. Having read all the books by Willeford I could get my hands on, it was wonderful to read words from a man that knew and loved Charles Willeford. I use the book as a constant resource for infomation (it has a complete bibliography)to make sure I'm not buying a book (renamed) that I already own.

This book is a must for any fan of Charles Willeford's books and writing. Author Don Herron actually met and got to know Willeford during the latter's lifetime, and the book is as much a memoir of how Herron came to discover and appreciate this little known literary crime writer as it is a conventional biography/bibliography/critique of Willeford. I first read it at about the same time I was discovering Willeford's Hoke Moseley series, which are marvelous stories about a middle aged Miami cop's confused personal life intertwined with his encounters with some very memorable pyschopaths. Herron's book gave some great insights into Willeford's creative processes during the creation of Hoke and other works and gradually shows how Willeford came to be such a powerful storyteller.
My own recommendation is to purchase this book even if you've not discovered Willeford, as Herron is a pretty good storyteller in his own right. I'm certain that after reading this work you'll want to check out CW's titles. Of course, for the long time fan of Willeford this book is the answer to most questions you may have had.
A definite 5 stars.

If you're a Willeford addict (and Lord knows he is addictive), this book is an indispensible addition to your collection. Although he discovered Willeford late (like a lot of us), Herron is truly an insider who hung out with the man, collaborated with him, and had access to his private letters and archived files.
There's so much Willeford minutiae here that it's like a reference book. There's also an incredibly long taped conversation with Willeford, among friends at home. The book also includes the most extensive Willeford bibliography I've seen.
Thank you, Don Herron!