An Authentic Voice
Born on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, the late Andrew Vachss was the author of 33 novels, three short story collections, as well as poetry, plays, song lyrics and graphic novels. His background is unique. He was a federal investigator in sexually transmitted diseases and a NYC social-services caseworker. He worked in Biafra, where he suffered malaria and malnutrition. He studied community organizing under Saul Alinsky, worked as a labor organizer and ran a self-help center for urban migrants in Chicago. He managed a re-entry program for ex-convicts in Massachusetts and directed a maximum-security prison for violent juvenile offenders. As an attorney, he represented only children and adolescents. I was fortunate that a copy of Safe House, published in 1998, came my way. It is the tenth in a series of 18 novels featuring Burke, abused as a child, ex-con, deeply conflicted, fiercely loyal to his partners in crime. The best aspect of the novel is the portrait of the criminal underworld. I don’t know how accurate it is, but it smacks of authenticity. The writing is solid, the use of run on sentences extensive, which work well in fast moving crime fare. Here are terrific excerpts: “Her voice was husky, cigarette burnished. Musical but not Top Forty.” “… self-awarded decorative tattoos: the ‘88’ — for ‘Heil Hitler,’ the eighth letter of the alphabet being ‘H’…” “Take politicians — the way they breed is to fuck the rest of us.” “The joint was as empty as a senator’s heart.” I doubt Vachss and I shared much common ground politically other than contempt for politicians. The plot is quite intricate, not easy to follow. The finale is standard for such fare. Although only 291 pages, it meanders a bit, slowing the pace. Oddly, Vachss waits until late in the narrative to profile several females in hiding through several pages. Although each segment is relevant and interesting, it might have been better to spread them throughout the book. 52 users at Amazon have rated Safe House, forging to a consensus of 4.5 on a scale of five. I’ll go with 3.5. It is geared to those who prefer the hardcore, those not averse to the anti-hero. Vachss passed away at 79 in 2021. He lost an eye in a childhood accident. Facts from Wiki, photo from Google Images:
RIP NBA stalwart Chris Ford, 74. Born in AC, he attended Villanova, leading the Wildcats to three straight NCAA tournaments, including a loss in the 1971 championship to mighty UCLA. He was drafted in the second round of the ’72 draft, the 17th overall pick, by Detroit, where he played until ’78. He then had the great fortune to be traded to Boston, where he was a member of the 1981 championship squad. In ten seasons he averaged more than nine points and three rebounds per game. After his playing career, he became a coach, winning two championships as a Celtics assistant. His efforts as a head coach were not successful. Well done, sir.
I love exploring the unintended consequences of the decriminalization of marijuana. Here’s another, headline from nypost.com: “City that always reeks: We meet the wake and bake pot smokers stinking up the AM commute.” LOL!
From NYP: “Flyers’ Ivan Provorov skips warmups over refusal to wear Pride Night jersey.” Kudos for refusing to be coerced.
From NYP: “Why won’t NY’s heavy hitters in DC — Schumer, Jeffries, Gillibrand — do anything to help Mayor Adams?” Can’t speak for the latter two, but Chuckles always disappears when things get tough. Gillibrand is practically invisible, and Jeffries is even further left than Adams and just about anybody else.
Writers love irony. From NYP: “Ex-CNN anchor Brian Stelter resurfaces in Davos to host disinformation panel.” Perfect choice. I hope it won’t be by video. He wouldn’t want to expose anyone to anything untoward.
It looked like the floating book shop was heading for a second straight goose egg when Revilo/Oliver showed in the final hour of today’s session and bought The Book of Jesus: A Treasury of the Greatest Stories and Writings About Christ; The Day Christ Was Born and the Day Christ Died by Jim Bishop; Jesus and the Eyewitnesses: The Gospels as Eyewitness Testimony by Richard Bauckham; Constantine’s Sword by James Carroll; Saint Paul: The Foundation of Universalism by Alain Badiou; The God of Old: Inside the Lost World of the Bible by James L. Kugel; and Apocrypha, a collection of pre-New Testament works by Jewish writers. My thanks, and also to Ira, who purchased Laughter Is the Best Medicine: All Time Favorites: The funniest jokes, stories, and cartoons from 100 years of Reader’s Digest; and to the woman walking her dog, who chose Women in Fiction, a short story collection, and Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows by Balli Kaur Jaswal; and to my buddy, actor/singer JVS, who took home Coincidence by yours truly.
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