Blind Man with a Pistol

Rating:
Summary: A wonderful book by a neglected master!
Review: Chester Himes spent years analyzing the race question and nobody recognized the fact. The reason was, he disguised his probes into the mysteries of racism in his series of Harlem domestic novels. However, in "Blind Man with a Pistol," he lays all the dark, evil workings of racism out there for us. He renders his two star detectives virtually powerless in a mad riot between three major factions. Like most riots, there are numerous underlying events and themes involved in Himes' riot in this novel. The book is expertly paced and has its moments of humor in the midst of the madness. A wonderful book by a neglected master!

Rating:
Summary: Not his best
Review: I have read almost everything else by Chester Himes and ate up each and everything I've read, especially his detective series. This book, while I was engaged and enjoyed reading it, I often found tedious. Unlike the other novels in this series which are slickly written with a flowing prose, "Blind Man" is jumbled and often difficult to follow because of the clunky prose. The lack of central story line also made it difficult to read. However after saying that, one must keep in mind that the novel's real focus is the random NYC crime and the misery surrounding it, so the style, while difficult to follow, absolutely captures this chaos. Unfortunately, it does not make for an enjoyable read. It is by far the most violent work of his that I've read. I really get the feeling that Himes was just fed up with the whole situation when he wrote this book, as if he really wasn't capable of making it humorous anymore.

Rating:
Summary: Two rough and ready cops stop crime in Harlem
Review: The difference between the cops and the crooks is the cops keep looking for justice however they come by it while the crooks look for gain. Very well written although dark. An eye openers for those of us who don't know anything about Harlem in the 60's.

Rating:
Summary: Dirty Business
Review: This a book by a Black author about Harlem in the 60's. It is not a story, but a series of incidents leading the protagonist, one of a team of Black cops, to conclude "It don't make no sense." It portrays every negative aspect of the community: crime; vice; brutality; ignorance; mindless, purposeless plunging forward.The title character symbolizes the whole enterprise. Is this picture fair or accurate? It overflows with violence. It is not dull, but neither is it pleasant to read.