Comment

johnami
Sep 05, 2012johnami rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
This is an absolutely wonderful collection of non-fiction and fiction works by the very gifted writer, Joseph Mitchell. Mr. Mitchell is both a seasoned journalist and a creative writer. In his works he provides the best of both literary worlds. The non-fiction pieces are thoroughly researched, examined objectively, and written with satisfying clarity. The fiction pieces bring to life characters and situations that are a pleasure to identify with. From these works we come to understand that Mr. Mitchell is a very sociable person, interested in everything and everyone. He truly enjoys the company and stories of the many unique characters he writes about. They are never portrayed as odd, but always as interesting. The stories in this collection take place decades ago, ranging in time from the 1930’s to the 1960’s. They are primarily concerned with situations in New York City and the eastern seaboard. Yet, despite the considerable passage of time, the situations and people are in many ways identifiable with modern counterparts. Part of that is due to the personalities of the characters, and a greater part is owing to Mr. Mitchell’s skill. The characters and their dilemmas are so genuinely portrayed it is as if we know them.