Red-Dirt Marijuana and Other Tastes

Rating:
Summary: One Great Short Story
Review: After Flash and Filigree, this is the second weakest of Southern's books. It does, however, contain a remarkable short story, "Razor Fight," images from which have remained with me for more than a decade. After reading that Joan Didion used to retype Ernest Hemingway's short stories to gain a better understanding of his style, I did the same thing with "A Clean, Well-Lighted Place" and "Razor Fight," and then ran them through the Grammatik grammar checker, which ranks writing according to its succinctness. Both stories were ranked at the third grade level -- no small accomplishment.

Rating:
Summary: These stories blew me away!
Review: Having read Candy and Blue Movie, I have wanted to read another Terry Southern book for ages. However, it has been almost impossible to obtain his other works. I came across this short-story collection at a store that sells used books and I couldn't resist giving it a whirl. Red-Dirt Marijuana and Other Tastes is full of Southern's signature dark humor and unconventional storylines. Southern has proven that he is a master storyteller with the disarming stories featured in this book. My favorites are "Twirling at Ole Miss," "The Moon-shot Scandal," "You're Too Hip, Baby," "Razor Fight," "I Am Mike Hammer," and "The Blood of a Wig." Those stories blew me away. "The Blood of a Wig" was the best one in the collection. This is the funniest and strangest book I have read in a long time! If you loved Southern's novels, you will love this collection of short stories. I cannot recommend Red-Dirt Marijuana and Other Tastes enough.

Rating:
Summary: weird and crazy
Review: Screw prose. Screw plot. This book is so damned funny! It reminds me of the war stories of Michael Herr or the drugged ut fantasies of Hunter Thompson. What about the woman who colors her hair blond, only to return home and have her husband mistake her for a mistress. What about the irreverent humor about Hoover trying some neck-crophilia on JFK's body. This is one of the most original collection of stories I've ever read. It's so hard to find stuff like this nowadays.

Rating:
Summary: weird and crazy
Review: Screw prose. Screw plot. This book is so damned funny! It reminds me of the war stories of Michael Herr or the drugged ut fantasies of Hunter Thompson. What about the woman who colors her hair blond, only to return home and have her husband mistake her for a mistress. What about the irreverent humor about Hoover trying some neck-crophilia on JFK's body. This is one of the most original collection of stories I've ever read. It's so hard to find stuff like this nowadays.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent, excellent, excellent.
Review: Should be required reading in beginning English and journalism classes. Book is date sensitive. Readers can explore the historical context and content. A very funny contribution to journalism.