Alex Taylor (1)

When William Gay, Chris Offutt and Tom Franklin tell you that Alex Taylor is a seriously good writer, you take note. The Name of the Nearest River is up there with the all best short story collections. Melancholy, rage and madness run through all these stories. There isn't a weak story here, and while comparisons to Thom Jones and Flannery O'Connor are a huge compliment, Alex Taylor has an utterly unique voice. Very difficult to pick a favourite but ''Winter in the Blood'' will stay with me show more for a long time. A very solid 5 stars. show less

This is a raw, violent book from an author who clearly knows about the area of the country (Kentucky) and the people who live there. The story starts kind of slow, but when the action begins it is not stop until the end. This is the type of story where it is hard to root for anyone, and deep down you know it isn't going to end well for most of the characters in the story. This is an amazing first time book for the author.

The Bottom Line: A literary dichotomy: grimy, ugly, often brutal tales that are eloquently and thoughtfully told. My full review can be read on my blog at http://www.thelitwitch.com/?p=1571