51/60 - Hard Rain Falling by Don Carpenter

[u/bahbamski]

Very sad and melancholic story about freedom and morality set in rainy Seattle. If you like sitting in the rain and feeling sorry for yourself this is for you. Fire up the Elliot Smith for this one.

It’s not just melancholic and full of ennui though. It’s rainy and miserable and it’s about pool hall junkies ultimately getting up to no good and being, well criminals. But there’s moments of good, honest philosophical insight.

These characters are gridiron tough. At moments they seemingly get everything they want and can feel trapped. Other moments they are in prison and feel more content and free than they ever did on the outside. Is their ‘imprisonment’ even their own fault really? And if you get freedom, what do you even do with it if you have no purpose ?

I think you need to be in a particular mood for this one - think dreary, sad, woe is me, violent, contemplative, and lonely. If that’s what you’re into, this will hit the spot.

[u/locallygrownmusic]

Fantastic book, it's not really set in Seattle though. Most of it takes place in Oregon and California from what I remember.

[u/bahbamski → u/locallygrownmusic]

You’re right, sorry. I live on the east coast and for some reason always think Seattle is in Oregon .

[u/GardenIcy2048]

Actually I'm from India, still I'm looking where to buy , book looks most all costly in cost

[u/GardenIcy2048]

where did you buy?

[u/bahbamski → u/GardenIcy2048]

Just like a Barnes and Noble I think 🤷‍♂️

[u/GreenEnhanced]

Been hunting this book down forever. Your description makes me want it more

[u/youngpathfinder]

Really underrated and somewhat progressive for the time with the portrayal of gay love.

[u/BrupieD]

I was excited about reading this after seeing so many enthusiastic comments from other New York Review of Books readers. I can tolerate grittiness and violence but I failed to find much else. Written well but not as rewarding as expected.