Joe R. Lansdale
What's everyone think of him? Anyone read him?
I've been meaning to check out some of his stuff for a while now, I remember reading one of his short stories for a class a long time ago (I think it was called something like The Night They Missed the Horror Show or something) and I really liked it. I just haven't gotten around to reading any of his other stuff (short stories of novels)
Where shall I begin?
I recently read and reviewed Leather Maiden for the Cult, which was my first Lansdale and is as good a place to start as any.
I'm in the same boat, I've been trying to get into Lansdale and have only read a few things. I'd recommend starting with his short stories, that's been the area where his work is reputed to be the strongest. I've read a Mucho Mojo and A Fine Dark Line are entertaining in places, but kind of underwhelming.
He has a few short story collections out--High Cotton might be an ideal place to start it has many of his stronger stories.
Or, this January The Best of Lansdale is going to be released.
Im after getting a call from my favourite bookstore, my copy of Leather Maiden has arrived. Yay Im looking forward to reading it this weekend.
You should begin at The Orbit, the online drive-in of Champion Mojo storyteller Joe R. Lansdale. Every week, there's a different short story posted. This week is "Hell Through a Windshield," an essay that led to the development of his Drive-In trilogy of horror novels.
Lansdale is one of my favorite authors.
I've mostly read his short stories. Writers of the Purple Rage is probably the finest collection of short stories I've ever read (Godzilla's Five Step Program being one of most creative and hilarious stories I've read), but most of his shorts collections have lots of overlap.
As far as his novels go, his Hap Collins novels are really good fun, and Drive In is like a B-Movie in book form.
It's really rare to find an author that can so perfectly balance humor, horror and real emotion in such a great way all through a very unique voice.
The only thing I've read of his were a couple of Jonah Hex comics. Both were aces.