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Title: At End of Day: A Novel of Suspense by George V. Higgins ISBN: 0-15-601190-5 Publisher: Harvest Books Pub. Date: May, 2001 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $14.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.43 (7 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: The Friends of Whitey Bulger
Comment: would be an appropriate subtitle for this roman a clef wherein Whitey, Steve "the Rifleman" Flemmi, notorious FBI agent John Connally and their circle get the classic Higgins treatment. Once again the soliloquies are the star attraction, full of Higginsian rifts and rants, ribald, vulgar, always shrewd and sometimes wise, but always lush of language, on the thousand and one shocks that make getting through the day such an difficult and unrewarding task. While its true all the characters talk in the same patois (even the woman talk out of the side of their mouths) you grant Higgins the indulgence so absorbing are these blue collar monologues. Updike speaking through the mouth of Rabbit is the closest comparison I can think of.
Sadly, this was Higgins valediction, so it is appropriate that it is such a Boston story; for nobody delineated the world of hoodlum Beantown these last thirty years like George V. Higgins. Like all the best, he created a world, and for all the sordidness and cynicism animating it, it was not without its charms: in his wonderful novels the pen does prove mightier than the sawed-off shotgun.
Rating: 5
Summary: Gripping last work in an outstanding ouevre
Comment: The sad death of George V Higgins means this will be his last book. It is certainly one to remember. Readers new to Higgins will at first find his style somewhat "difficult": his novels centre on the criminals, law enforcement agents and politicians (they are usually amusingly similar) of Boston, but instead of the usual descriptive narrative, the plot unfolds through the conversations of people often only tangentially concerned with its developement. Once one gets used to this digressive way of telling a story one quickly becomes engrossed in the story he is relating: in this case, the disturbingly close relationship between Boston's chief FBI agents and two leaders of organised crime in the city (apparantly based on a real case). I have to confess to being slightly disappointed with some of Higgins' most recent works (although they are still better than most "crime" fiction), but this last novel is brilliant; I know it is a cliche, but I could not put it down. One is genuinely engaged by the diverse and acutely drawn characters, though Higgins cleverly constantly reminds us that behind their apparant good-nature and charm, most of them are really either cold-blooded loan sharks who have no compunction in using extreme violence to maintain their way of life, or law enforcement officials (and their families) with a somewhat ambivalent attitude to the law they are supposed to be enforcing! As with most of Higgins' novels, I immediately went back and re-read it, and of course saw things I had missed first time: you certainly get good value out of his books. I would class this as one of his best, and it is very sad to think that there will not be any more. It is my intention to go back and read every one of this excellant author's magnificent contribution to modern American literature (and, I contend, he is far too good a writer to be "ghettoised" in 'crime fiction'.)
Readers new to George V Higgins would find "At End Of Day" a good place to start, those who know what to expect will not be at all disappointed. My advice is READ IT!
Rating: 5
Summary: New to Higgins;Excellent starting point
Comment: George V. Higgins' "At End of Day" is reminiscent of the work of KC Constantine, with its wonderful addiction to dialogue. I have not read "The friends of Eddie Coyle", but it is next on my list. AEoD is a long trip through the lives of two FBI agents and two gangsters,who, while they do work together, are not buddies,least of all Arthur McKeon(the treacherous McKeach).GVH's chracters seem to deliver Shakespeare length monologues, but they never become tiresome. Some readers may wonder where the action is, but when you read Higgins' vivid description of McKeach beating a potential business rival,you'll be glad the violence is kept to a minimum. Every character could be a living,breathing person(and some are, this is based on a true story) and there are about three novels' worth of conversation in this book. I enjoyed every line (twice, 'cause I relly had to read it twice for understanding!). A beautiful end to what I hope was a killer career
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Title: The Friends of Eddie Coyle: A Novel by George V. Higgins, Elmore Leonard ISBN: 0805065989 Publisher: Owl Books Pub. Date: September, 2000 List Price(USD): $13.00 |
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Title: A Change of Gravity by George V. Higgins ISBN: 0805048154 Publisher: Henry Holt & Company, Inc. Pub. Date: September, 1997 List Price(USD): $25.00 |
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Title: The Agent by George V. Higgins, George Higgens ISBN: 0151003572 Publisher: Harcourt Pub. Date: 07 January, 1999 List Price(USD): $24.00 |
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Title: Cogan's Trade by George V. Higgins ISBN: 0786711086 Publisher: Carroll & Graf Pub. Date: 23 December, 2002 List Price(USD): $12.00 |
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Title: Street Soldier: My Life as an Enforcer for Whitey Bulger and the Irish Mob by Edward Mackenzie, Phyllis Karas, Ross A. Muscato, Edward J. MacKenzie Jr ISBN: 1586420631 Publisher: Steerforth Press Pub. Date: April, 2003 List Price(USD): $22.95 |
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