Define Books As The Bottoms
| Original Title: | The Bottoms |
| ISBN: | 0446677922 (ISBN13: 9780446677929) |
| Edition Language: | English |
| Characters: | Harry Collins, Harry Crane, Thomasina Crane |
| Literary Awards: | Macavity Award Nominee for Best Mystery Novel (2001), Anthony Award Nominee for Best Novel (2001), Hammett Prize Nominee (2000), Edgar Award for Best Novel (2001) |
Explanation In Favor Of Books The Bottoms
The narrator of The Bottoms is Harry Collins, an old man obsessively reflecting on certain key experiences of his childhood. In 1933, the year that forms the centerpiece of the narrative, Harry is 11 years old and living with his mother, father, and younger sister on a farm outside of Marvel Creek, Texas, near the Sabine River bottoms. Harry's world changes forever when he discovers the corpse of a young black woman tied to a tree in the forest near his home. The woman, who is eventually identified as a local prostitute, has been murdered, molested, and sexually mutilated. She is also, as Harry will soon discover, the first in a series of similar corpses, all of them the victims of a new, unprecedented sort of monster: a traveling serial killer.From his privileged position as the son of constable (and farmer and part-time barber) Jacob Collins, Harry watches as the distinctly amateur investigation unfolds. As more bodies -- not all of them "colored" -- surface, the mood of the local residents darkens. Racial tensions -- never far from the surface, even in the best of times -- gradually kindle. When circumstantial evidence implicates an ancient, innocent black man named Mose, the Ku Klux Klan mobilizes, initiating a chilling, graphically described lynching that will occupy a permanent place in Harry Collins's memories. With Mose dead and the threat to local white women presumably put to rest, the residents of Marvel Creek resume their normal lives, only to find that the actual killer remains at large and continues to threaten the safety and stability of the town.
Lansdale uses this protracted murder investigation to open up a window on an insular, poverty-stricken, racially divided community. With humor, precision, and great narrative economy, he evokes the society of Marvel Creek in all its alternating tawdriness and nobility, offering us a varied, absolutely convincing portrait of a world that has receded into history. At the same time, he offers us a richly detailed re-creation of the vibrant, dangerous physical landscapes that were part of that world and have since been buried under the concrete and cement of the industrialized juggernaut of the late 20th century. In Lansdale's hands, the gritty realities of Depression-era Texas are as authentic -- and memorable -- as anything in recent American fiction.
Specify Out Of Books The Bottoms
| Title | : | The Bottoms |
| Author | : | Joe R. Lansdale |
| Book Format | : | Paperback |
| Book Edition | : | Special Edition |
| Pages | : | Pages: 328 pages |
| Published | : | September 1st 2001 by Mysterious Press (first published 2000) |
| Categories | : | Mystery. Fiction. Horror. Historical. Historical Fiction. Crime. Thriller. Mystery Thriller |
Rating Out Of Books The Bottoms
Ratings: 4.17 From 6322 Users | 765 ReviewsCritique Out Of Books The Bottoms
That was a great read, however sad and disturbing it be. Joe R Lansdale knows the perfect way to tell a tale, short and sweet, but packs a punch full of emotions. His style of writing is very easy going, like he's sitting at a campfire or just shooting the shit out on a hike and you're listening to him fully as to pass the time. He's got a good sense of humor, even for times where it wasn't meant to be funny... And his language is authentic, the scenes come to life and everything seems beautifulI'm so glad I followed through on Cameron Wiggins' recommendation to read The Bottoms. It is similar to To Kill a Mockingbird, but also has its own story to tell.Rich in fully-realized characters and atmosphere, along with a whodunit, this was a wonderful read. Even after I closed the book for the last time, I am still filled with my thoughts and feelings about its characters and their experiences.
After reading a couple of Lansdale's newer books, and hearing how much other writer's loved his work, I decided to check out the novel that seems to get the most hype, THE BOTTOMS. This one had been on my radar for the last couple years. I decided to grab a copy from my local library, and I'm glad I did. While not as perfect as TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD (Harper Lee), THE BOTTOMS is definitely in the same ballpark of great American literature. An amazing cast of characters are brought to life and
I first discovered Joe Lansdale when I found a discounted hardcover copy of THE BOTTOMS at Half Price Books. This excellent book started my love affair with the works of CHAMPION JOE! If you've never read him, give Hisownself a try ;)
Once again I find myself sitting here scratching my head wondering how in the world can this be the first time I have read Joe R. Lansdale. In truth I think I may have come across a short story or two in one anthology or another, but this is my first novel. It will not be my last.The story unfolds on a farm, set deep in the woods by the Sabine River in East Texas during the depression era of the 1930s. Our narrator is Harry Collins, an eleven year old boy who lives on the farm with his
The Bottoms by Joe R. Lansdale The Bottoms by Joe Lansdale is a rousing atmospheric murder mystery with an abundance and it has to said, more than its fair share of tension and thought provoking issue. The Bottoms won the Edgar award in 2000 and is definitely a book that will stay resolutely in your thoughts long after you've finished. The story is an unforgiving coming of age tale for eleven year old Harry Crane set in the 1930's who along with his younger sister discover the tortured body of a
Set in East Texas in the years of the depression this is part murder mystery, part coming of age, and part historical novel and surely one of Joe Lansdale's finest, though that will be for debate, I have read several Lansdale and they all have 5 stars from me. The story is narrated by 11 year old Harry Collins from his rest home bed many years later. There are issues of race and the KKK play a role throughout. Life in The Bottoms, a deprived and poor area of East Texas, is described wonderfully
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