Hard Rain Falling by Don Carpenter (c1966)
Originally published in 1966, this long-out-of-print, should-have-been-classic was recently reissued by New York Review Books with an introduction by George Pelecanos. Hard Rain Falling chronicles several years of the transient, living-on-their-wits ups and downs of orphan-turned-boxer, Jack Levitt, and black pool hustler, Billy Lancing. Both "come of age" as they cross back and forth between sketchiness and normalcy and later find themselves as cellmates at San Quentin. Carpenter's writing is plain, tough and honest, akin (at least for me) to short story authors Raymond Carver and Thom Jones. A great novel that will hopefully find a new audience. Check catalog for availabilty.
- submitted by Tom @ MPL Central