The Baltimore City Paper’s yearly “Big Books Issue” is out this week, in conjunction with The Baltimore Book Festival and amongst the many very interesting articles–especially this one on the rather negative influence of Joyce’s “The Dead”–there’s a piece called “27 Writers on 27 Short Stories by 27 Authors”. Sprinkled amongst the others writers’ picks is my quick recommendation of the title story from Iceberg Slim’s short-story collection Airtight Willie & Me:
“The titular tale from street-fiction god Iceberg Slim’s only short-story collection, is thoroughly swamped in slang—you’ll need to know what a “jasper” is—and the ugly details and minor victories a life of conning and pimping brings, all wrapped up in a surprisingly neat, though appropriately cruel, O. Henry in the hood surprise ending.”
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