McSweeney's Mammoth Treasury of Thrilling Tales edited by Michael Chabon

McSweeney's Mammoth Treasury of Thrilling Tales

edited by Michael Chabon

Published by Vintage Books


One of the first things that happens when I see that Vintage is the publisher of a book (a division of Random House), I get a smile on my face. I've read a good number of their selections, and I can't say as I've ever been disappointed. Vintage is generally a reliable benchmark for me that I'll enjoy the book.

This was true all over again with McSweeney's Mammoth Treasury of Thrilling Tales. Edited by the author of Wonder Boys and The Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, Michael Chabon, this extraordinary collection of short stories is sure to please anyone who starts reading it. In fact, I had a heck of a time putting it down long enough to go to work, and found myself thinking about the stories once I was at work. You know you've found a good book, then!

The cover and illustrations inside (by Howard Chaykin) are reminiscent of the comics and magazines I found when I was a child. Those thrillers could be found in comic stands and magazine racks where we'd sit and read (if we didn't get chased off), bottles of soda at our sides, a pocket full of licorice. There's a nostalgic feel here, and yet these stories are for any adult who likes to be swept up in an adventure and taken to places you haven't never seen before.

You'll surely recognize a number of the contributing authors: Michael Chabon, Stephen King (oh, what a wonderfully long list of his work is to be had!), Michael Moorcock (we all know and love the Elric Saga), Neil Gaiman (award winning author of American Gods, Neverwhere, the Sandman comics)...Dave Eggers (Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius) is here along with Elmore Leonard (I have always loved his book, Freaky Deaky, and he wrote Get Shorty, which was made into a fun movie). Any fans of Harlan Ellison out there? You see what I mean...with names like these (and many more wonderful authors!) how can you go wrong?

The stories themselves are definitely as promised...thrilling. You'll find suspense and entertainment, imagination and creativity. I won't give you a synopsis of each story, because you'll want to pick this one up and find those pearls for yourself. King fans will be happy to read The Tale of Gray Dick.

I love some of these titles, too! Take a guess who wrote The Case of the Nazi Canary or Otherwise Pandemonium or Chuck's Bucket. Weaving the Dark...that conjures an image, doesn't it? Kelly Link's Catskin was a wonderful fairy tale with a delicious twist.

Wonderful, wonderful words between these covers, I'm telling you. The pleasure of the stories is worth far more than the cover price. I love anthologies, because almost always you can discover a new author to add to your reading list. With a list of authors so distinguished as this, you'd think that would be difficult to do, but I'm honest when I say I found a new one or two.

Short stories are really difficult to write well...to condense a whole story into just so many words. I think that takes some real talent, and boy, will you find it here. I can probably describe anything if I have enough words, but I don't think I could do a short story near the justice that these authors have. It's like looking at a painting. One author comes in with a story and it really takes you along to where the story is. There, that's a brush stroke. The next author comes along and takes you another place, just as thrilling, but maybe a little different than the first one. None of these stories is a copy of another one. There's another brush stroke. Story after story finds you holding the book open, reading with certain satisfaction and knowing you've found a masterpiece. The whole thrilling portrait is complete...the stories have been told and you find yourself wishing for more.

And that's where the good part comes in! There's a McSweeney's Mammoth Treasury of Thrilling Tales Two in the works. I'm ready to hold up my money when it gets here.










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