Joe R. Lansdale is the internationally-bestselling author of over
fifty novels, including the popular, long-running Hap and Leonard
series. Many of his cult classics have been adapted for television
and film, most famously Bubba Ho-Tep, starring Bruce Campbell and
Ossie Davis. Lansdale has written numerous screenplays and
teleplays, including for the iconic Batman the Animated Series. He
has won an Edgar Award for The Bottoms, ten Stoker Awards, and has
been designated a World Horror Grandmaster. Lansdale, like many of
his characters, lives in East Texas.
New York Times bestselling author Kathleen Kent’s fourth book,
titled The Dime, is a contemporary crime novel set in Dallas,
nominated by both the Edgar Awards and the Nero Awards for Best
Novel. The sequel to The Dime, titled The Burn, will be published
in February 2020. Ms. Kent is also the author of three bestselling
and award-winning historical novels, The Heretic’s Daughter, The
Traitor’s Wife, and The Outcasts.
Book People Top 10 Crime Books of 2020 "Full of humor, gritty
drama, and insightful observations, the five stories in this
rewarding collection from Edgar winner Lansdale (The Elephant of
Surprise) concentrate on the early years of his two mismatched East
Texas private eyes: Hap Collins, a straight, white liberal; and
Leonard Pine, a gay, black conservative. Lansdale packs a punch in
the standout 'Sparring Partner, ' in which the pair, as high
schoolers, are hired by a ruthless boxing manager to train a
weakling college kid and a giant named Man Slayer. Hap and Leonard
fend off a murderous racist in the thrillingly grisly 'The Watering
Shed, ' and in the moving title tale, Hap strives to help a
battered woman escape her abusive husband. A food theme runs from
the smells of an adolescent Hap's grandma's kitchen to a teenage
Leonard's insistence on being served breakfast in a whites-only
café. 'Good Eats, ' a selection of recipes with a disclaimer from
Hap, rounds out the volume. This book adds rich background to
Lansdale's tough, morally decent characters, who first appeared in
1990's."
--Publishers Weekly "The dialogue throughout is worth the price of
admission, not as stylized as Elmore Leonard's but laden with the
same irresistible combination of relaxed badinage and playful
threats that sometimes spiral into serious consequences while still
remaining playful. The 17 down-home recipes contributed by
Lansdale's daughter, Kasey, many of them as chatty as the stories,
are a bonus."
--Kirkus "Of Mice and Minestrone is enthralling storytelling that
engages readers with dashes of simple wisdom and hard truth. And
this particular volume includes a quirky, culinary epilogue from
Joe's daughter Kasey."
--Fort Worth Weekly "Amply filled with humor, wisdom, and heart . .
. An excellent addition to a great collection."
--Manhattan Book Review "These stories evoke the likes of Elmore
Leonard, and manage to feel so reflective that one can almost taste
the food."
--Green Man Review "In these character studies of his two most
charismatic protagonists, Joe Lansdale takes us to the dark side of
Mayberry--authentic tales of small town life in the heart of the
twentieth century that also provide an unflinching look at the
violence that charged the last gasps of Jim Crow, with all the
force of the Sabine River at flood stage."
-- Christopher Brown, Campbell and World Fantasy Award-nominated
author of Tropic of Kansas and Rule of Capture "You leave this book
hungry, both for food and to start the whole series all over again,
live through it one more time, maybe just live there a while."
--Stephen Graham Jones, author of Mongrels and The Only Good
Indians "An absolute treasure trove for Hap and Leonard fans. Going
back to the beginning only deepens our love and appreciation for
these guys. This collection proves once again why Joe Lansdale is
one of our very best."
--Ace Atkins, New York Times Bestselling author of The Shameless
"Of Mice and Minestrone is classic Lansdale at his legendary best.
For his legions of fans, the much-anticipated stories will fill
some of the gaps in their collections. For new readers, they will
soon come to appreciate why Lansdale is regarded as one of
America's finest living writers. Compelling. Hilarious. Poignant.
Readers have waited a long time for this collection to finally
appear. It was well worth that wait. Roll on the next sequels and
prequels."
--NY Journal of Books "I enjoyed every tale in this collection. The
best was the title story which was pretty dark and incredibly sad.
I really need to read more of Hap and Leonard's adventures if this
book is an example of what they get up to."
--Book Lover's Boudoir "Of Mice and Minestrone is the last bit of
connective tissue missing from the Hap and Leonard Mythos, which is
one of the most entertaining series in modern literature. This
book, which deals with abuse, friendship, violence, growing up,
race, food, and justice, is full of the wit that's made Lansdale a
star."
--Gabino Iglesias, author of Coyote Songs "The humor worked
brilliantly well. I found myself chuckling and even outright
laughing consistently. And the juxtaposition of this humor against
some of the truly horrible things that they have to deal with here
made each end of that spectrum all the more poignant."
--Elitist Book Reviews "While Lansdale's work is as varied as the
regions of Texas, there is one common link through all of it: his
brilliant storytelling. I had only dabbled in the world of Hap and
Leonard before this, but it's safe to say that after reading this
collection, I'm hooked, and will be reading more of these stories
sooner rather than later."
--Grimdark Magazine "Overall, a fantastic collection, for old
hands, and new readers of the series alike."
--Sci-Fi and Fantasy Reviews "I didn't think about the corona virus
at all when reading this, and I read it over two days, but could
easily have done it in one. I wanted to savor the experience. I
think you should too!"
--Char's Horror Corner "Of Mice and Minestrone is a must-read for
all Lansdale devotees. If you somehow missed or avoided the
previous Hap and Leonard novels or story collections--or are new to
the works of this prolific and distinctive author--this anthology
of stories from the duo's early years is a wonderful
introduction."
--Bookgasm "5/5 Stars. Delightful collection of stories with
interesting introduction and bonus collaborative recipes."
--Nonstop Reader "Lansdale gives us a volume that's on par with any
other entry in the series, with at least one story that ranks among
the best the series has ever been."
--Umney's Alley Praise for Joe R. Lansdale "A folklorist's eye for
telling detail and a front-porch raconteur's sense of pace."
--New York Times Book Review "An American original."
--Joe Hill, author of Heart-Shaped Box "A terrifically gifted
storyteller."
--Washington Post Book Review "Like gold standard writers Elmore
Leonard and the late Donald Westlake, Joe R. Lansdale is one of the
more versatile writers in America.
--Los Angeles Times "Lansdale's been hailed, at varying points in
his career, as the new Flannery O'Connor, William
Faulkner-gone-madder, and the last surviving splatterpunk . . .
sanctified in the blood of the walking Western dead and righteously
readable."
--Austin Chronicle "While Lansdale's work is as varied as the
regions of Texas, there is one common link through all of it: his
brilliant storytelling."
--Grimdark Magazine
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