Manhattan Noir 2: The Classics

I think it is obvious I love the Akashic Noir series. I have pulled a few off my shelves from several years back to read again. The most recent one I have reread is Manhattan Noir 2: The Classics edited by Lawrence Block. He also edited the first Manhattan Noir. What makes the classics different from the regular releases in the series is that rather than asking contemporary authors to write new fiction for the anthology, Block mined the past, incorporating stories from Edith Wharton, Stephen Crane, and even a poem from Edgar Allen Poe.

As with all the Noir series, the stories take place in Manhattan though Poe’s The Raven may be a bit of a stretch since its location is not mentioned. However, it does take place in Poe’s writing study show more and he did live for a time in Manhattan, so Block lets it count. In fact, Block includes three poets in his collection.

Among the authors are the classic short story stylist O’Henry and the always exceptional Joyce Carol Oates, there’s Stephen Crane cheek by jowl with Donald Westlake next to Susan Isaacs. That is what makes these anthologies so strong.

Manhattan Noir 2: The Classics is another outstanding edition to the wonderful collection of noir short stories from Akashic Books. I did not love every story, of course. The story by Jerrold Mundis was the one I most disliked. It was well written, but it just made me unhappy. You know, sometimes people are just awful and even carefully crafted stories are made awful by the people in them. It would not have upset me so much if it were poorly done.

You know, Christmas is coming and for your friends who are readers and mystery lovers, Akashic Noir books are an excellent gift. Short story anthologies with multiple authors are good gifts for readers. There’s always so many different writers, several are bound to please.

★★★★
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They're classics for a reason: this collection, unlike the first Manhattan Noir, includes stories (and poems) that were all previously published, rather than commissioned for the anthology. While, as with any collection, I didn't like all the selections, I was impressed by a much higher percentage in this second volume. Some stories were by authors I knew, and knew it would be hard to go wrong with, like Edith Wharton, O. Henry, Langston Hughes, and more, but there were others by authors I was unfamiliar with (although I had heard of some of them) but whose work stunned me, such as amazing stories by Cornell Woolrich and Evan Hunter and others by Irwin Shaw and Donald E. Westlake. As with the earlier volume, the conceit is that each show more story represents a Manhattan neighborhood and, as with it, in most cases the story is just located in that neighborhood rather than being specific to it in some way. But, all in all, a fun collection. show less

A fun collection of classic short stories in and about New York City, each story labeled with the location. The poetry was not as wonderful as the stories. I was particularly taken with a story by Barry N. Mazberg. 'The Interceptor', very, very noir.

liked these old stories better than the new ones in noir 1.