Phil Harvey (1) (1938–2021)

This debut novel by Phil Harvey is meant to be a tense psychological thriller. I say “meant to be” because in reality it is tedious most of the time and almost boring at others. Seven people are dropped on an island in the middle of Lake Superior and must survive the brutal winter. For this feat, they will each win $400,000. No one is allowed on or off the island; indeed, no one may help them, even if they are injured or starving. All this is done for the sake of realty television and show more the viewing public. And so begins the struggle to survive: for shelter, for food. Alliances are formed, rules and agreements meted out. But plans do go awry, and bad things happen. The rules set down by the TV studio and by participants themselves are broken. The plot idea is an interesting one, but not well developed in this book. We have the struggle to find sufficient food, and the squabbling between the participants, but not much more. Oh, yes, there is the obligatory voyeuristic sex for the undiscriminating public. The characters are two dimensional figures with little to commend them. A smattering of facts is made known about them, but not nearly enough to make the reader care about what happens to them. The story ends abruptly, and life - and TV ratings – goes on. What does this story teach us? Bad things happen and bad guys can get away with it. There are much better survival novels if that is your cup of tea, or maybe the goal of this book is just to survive reading it to the bitter end. show less

Devotional by Phil Harvey is an interesting collection of erotic tales which opens an intimate door in the readers' mindspace and blends the mundane and deep eroticism. These stories were not made from the usual gratuitous pulp ground to a disgusting graphic mess to gratify the simple mind. They reflect a higher level of writing, style, and sophistication where eros seductively creeps from landscapes full of color, terroir, and the human condition. Oh yes - There is enough sensuality in show more these stories to send a priest running to the confessional. Eros is in the mind. Harvey reflects a deep awareness of this in this sensual collection. Like a fine aged rum - this collection is set apart to be savored by those who dare to open the pages. show less

Show Time by Phil Harvey

Seven people (three women, four men) are offered $400,000 to try to survive on an island for seven months, in the middle of Lake Superior. They are given bare necessities, and risk the dangers of the wild, cold and starvation.

Each person has a reason for needing the money, this is what motivates them to attempt to carry out this dangerous adventure. While this is being filmed as a reality show, the participants begin to wonder if they are not being set up (in some show more desperate way) to hike up the show's ratings.

The story moves at a fast pace with a lot of drama, action and surprises. There were a few times when I figured out what was going to happen, but that did not slow my interest, and I am glad I finished to the end. I do feel those who like a thrilling story with added drama and suspense will enjoy Show Time. show less

Erotica is not something that generally disturbs me - and it wasn't the sex or the BDSM that occurred during a couple of vignettes. I was slightly uncomfortable with how old many of the characters seemed to be. I know one explicitly mentions he is 15, and yet another discusses liking the was her breasts were, "filling out." I certainly wouldn't label Devotional "kiddie porn - there were several passages that centered on consulting adults.

I do wish there had a bit more fulfillment between the show more characters of each story. Most of the vignettes ended with the protagonist (if I can apply that term here) alone, often left to fulfill their own sexual needs. "Devotional," the short story after which the book is named, seemed to end in pain and possibly death. I found myself wishing less abrupt endings to each section of the book.

I did, however, like, "Bait and Switch." The plot was developed more fully, and the interplay between the characters was (if you will pardon the pun) fleshed out more fully. "Bait and Switch," finally gave me insight into the talent of the author, Phil Harvey. I would be interested to read a more mainstream example of Harvey's writing. I think there is quite a bit of potential there, but if erotica is the genre he prefers, then I would suggest he spend time reading some of the classic erotica writers - Anais Nin, John Cleland - even Vladimir Nabokov, and Henry Miller.

I see potential in Harvey's writing - the best advice I could give we be not to rush through each section. Perhaps a full length book would be a challenge, but could yield some very fine writing. He's already won The Pushcart Prize, and his previous works seem to garner praise from everyone from President Jimmy Carter to ACLU President Nadine Strossen.

I am interested in reading some of Harvey's more mainstream books -

I found the author's notes at the end of the book interesting, "As president of Adam & Eve, a leading supplier of sex toys, adult films, and condoms, Harvey fights for libertarian values. The Government vs. Erotica, the story of the federal government’s attack on his company, drew praise from Publishers Weekly and Booklist. His battle for the freedom to distribute sexually explicit materials by mail spurred the ALA Intellectual Freedom Roundtable to nominate the work as the year’s book on intellectual freedom.

As a librarian, I am very concerned with intellectual freedom, and I applaud any works that strive to prevent fight censorship. show less