Temporary Knucksline: i-Hop ... Film Reviews ... Lunch with Patti ... A Reminder ... O soave fanciulla ...

Monday, March 21, 2011

i-Hop ... Film Reviews ... Lunch with Patti ... A Reminder ... O soave fanciulla ...

Amici:

Momma Stella visited i-Hop last week ...

MS: Sonny boy, I went to I-hop last week with the director downstairs.
SB (moi): Nice. So you gave up sweets for lent too?
MS: Yeah ... what? Go scratch your ass. I gave up meat.
SB: And desserts. You told me no sweets either.
MS: What dessert? This was breakfast when we went.
SB: I’m breaking your shoes, ma. You have a good time?
MS: Oooh, sonny, I had banana pancakes with strawberries and whipped cream. Mmmm, it was delicious.
SB: Good for you.
MS: So that’s for me from now on.
SB: Yes, boss. You sure the lord is okay with that around lent?
MS: Yes. Don’t start. Yes.
SB: Because I was gonna start going again to church but I’m on a diet and if I can eat like that, what’s the point?
MS: Never mind.
SB: Because if it’s okay at lent, then the wafer at mass should taste better, no? Maybe like a banana strawberry pancake.
MS: Go shit in your hat.
SB: But then you’d need two altar boys, one for the pancake and one for the whipped cream, right?
MS: Okay, time to go home now. Goodbye, pain in the ass.

I love my Mommy!

Film Reviews (foreign and domesticals):

Jaffa ... heartbreaking story of a an Arab-Israeli conflict within the confines of a small garage; the owner is an Israeli. His son and daughter work there along with two Arabs (a father and son). The daughter has a secret relationship with the young Arab (the best mechanic in the garage) and her brother, an obnoxious loser, is the cause of a tragic catastrophe complicated by politics and family. An excellent movie.

9th Company ... one of the toughest war movies I’ve ever seen. A rough and tough bunch go through a rigorous training regiment before being sent to Afghanistan ... the Mujahedeen are ready and waiting for them. If this one doesn’t convince you Afghanistan is best left alone, nothing ever will.

Behind the Lines ... A World War I tale of traumatic stress syndrome ... shell-shocked British officers fresh out of the meat grinder of the trenches try to deal with several issues amidst the madness; turning from an army of liberation into one of aggression is a particular obstacle for one officer/poet/hero. Brutally good.

City Island ... a cute Indie featuring Andy Garcia as a prison guard/actor wannabe who finds his son (from his first relationship) behind bars. Sometimes too cutesy, but fun stuff nevertheless when you have a few hours to kill. All Star cast is in prime form.

8 Mile ... this remains one of TK’s picks for all and any high schoolers (along with American History X) as must views ... the messages are noble (work hard, don’t quit, never quit, make no excuses, take responsibility) ... and the cast, upon further reflection, is wonderful ... Michael Shannon (Revolutionary Road/Boardwalk Empire) and the late Britney Murphy ... excellent.

Lunch with Patti domani at Christina’s ... Knucks visits an old hangout and very fine eatery (he once ate most of the menu ... for lunch).

Reminder ...

Johnny Porno at The Raconteur ... Hey, reserve Thursday, April 7th soon as yous can ... an evening with Knucks? Oy vey ... he’s reading from Johnny Porno in Metuchen, New Jersey ... April 7, at 8:00 p.m. at The Raconteur (April 7, 8:00 p.m.) . The Raconteur offers wine and Johnny Porno ... where half the proceeds will go towards keeping this small independent bookstore from getting crushed.

The Raconteur
431 Main Street
Metuchen, NJ 08840
(732) 906-0009

Anyone who needs a sleepover and ride to the train the next morning, write me.

—Knucks

Tommy Red Reviews ...

“This taut, compulsively readable tale of mob
life in and around New York City, Stella’s first novel since 2012’s Rough Riders, has the smack of authenticity on every page … Stella serves up a tasty goombah stew with a splash of Guinness, and no one can make this recipe simmer better than he does.” —Publishers Weekly

As usual Stella’s ear for dialogue is amazingly
authentic and accurate, which not only lends credibility to each of his characters but also adds to the headlong pace of the narrative. These themes and the way they influence almost every character elevates the novel from a simple story of murder and revenge. At the same time they demonstrate Stella’s
familiarity with present-day criminals and cops, and his mastery at presenting
tales that illustrate their world and inner emotions. For those who have yet to
discover the joy of Stella’s work, TOMMY RED is a good a place start as any. —Alan
Cranis (Bookgasm)

“Holy crap. I've said it before and I'll say
it again. Why the hell isn't Stella on every mystery lover's must-read list. . . . This taut, tightly presented story of misplaced loyalties and retribution is nicely tied up in a fast-paced tale that, once you get used to the rhythm of the dialogue, just begs you to turn
the next page.” —MenReadingBooks

“Stella was often compared to George V. Higgins and Elmore Leonard at the beginning of his career, but now the world of East Coast gangster fiction is all his.” —Mysterious Bookshop

“Tommy Red by Charlie Stella. Mob hit man gets into a snafu. This novel is only 165 pages long. Since this is a Stella novel you can bet it's 165 pages of greatness.”—Lake Mills Library

“Tommy Red builds to an explosive climax that should satisfy readers looking for action, while at the same time offering complex characterisation and thematic complexity that is beyond the reach of most crime novels.” —Crime Fiction Lover

“Stella reminds the reader of some recent episodes that the police would probably like
for us to forget, most prominently the Eric Garner incident. Even the mob guys think it makes the cops look bad. There's a lot going on in Tommy Red, and big props to Stella for
wrapping it all up in about 150 trade paperback pages. Good stuff and highly recommended.” —Bill Crider

“There are few writers (except possibly Elmore Leonard and George V. Higgins), who can
write mob dialogue as well as Charlie Stella … Charlie makes navigating my way though the plot fun. And funny. How can you not laugh at this line. It was a little after one o'clock in the
morning when he was thinking he'd like to bite the ass of that Mother of Dragons broad about to take a bath. (Game of Thrones).”—Patti Abbott

“No one writes better dialog, nor allows it to carry the story more than Stella, nor pulls it off better. Tommy Red could deteriorate into a series of scenes of guys bullshitting, but every sentence is an insight into a character’s mind,
and one never knows when a prime plot point will emerge from a discussion about the merits of hockey versus football … Tommy Red a riveting tale told in an engaging manner. You know, just as you’d expect from Charlie Stella.” —Dana King (One Bite at a Time)

Stella’s capers are populated with criminals who are more clever than smart and lawmen who get stymied by clever but eventually prevail with smarts. A delight. — Booklist (Wes Lukowsky)

Along the way the reader is treated to some of the finest characterization it’s humanly possible to capture on paper… Stella’s always dark, often violent, occasionally humorous Rough Riders more than stands on its own, and is more than worth your time. — Book Reviews By Elizabeth A. White

Sort of like Goodfellas meets Fargo. Check out Eddie’s World and start right in on Rough Riders. You’ll love the ride … Then read everything else he’s done. —East Coast Don (Men Reading Books)

Mr Stella makes his story supremely compelling and has certainly made me a believer. I very much look forward to reading his next book – in the meantime, chase this one down, it works like a beaut. —Tipping My Fedora

Let me say right here that I loved this book. Though complex, the plotlines are deftly managed and everything dovetails
towards its satisfying conclusion. Stella has a great ear for dialogue, with the New Yorkers clearly speaking a different vernacular to the Dakotans. —Crime Fiction Lover

Stella writes about criminals and cops, killers and cons, as if he knows the territory. This is one of those books that you rip through, eager to see who'll be the last man standing, as you never know who'll get the next bullet. Big, grim, boisterous, funny, and frightening all at once. Check it out. — Bill Crider

Stella’s characters’ voices sound authentic: no macho posturing — just their brutal, hard world. This is one of the leaner crime novels currently out there. For those wanting a serious character piece where the payoffs deliver, reach for ROUGH RIDERS. —Bookasm, Bruce Grossman

Rough Riders has a plethora of characters, many of whom you won't want to like but just might. What seems like true dialogue spews from mouths, FBI and locals alike. I found it very hard to put this book down, even to eat a meal. Author Charlie Stella has a way with words that makes him a master at his craft. Don't miss this one. — Bookloons Reviews (Reviewed by Mary Ann Smyth)

This is a fast and furious thriller that brings back the antagonists in Eddie’s World in a good, the bad and the ugly storyline. Rotating between the northern Great Plains and
the New York area, fans will enjoy this action-packed noir although the Feds are too scandalously uncaring about collateral damage or simply deadly avarice. – Genre Go Round Reviews (Harriett Klausner)

Johnn Porno Reviews ...

“Mr. Stella is a natural. As soon as I finished Johnny Porno I gave the book to my son so we could both be wiser-guys. Now I’m going to find all his other novels. He’s a true master.” —Dow Mossman, The Stones of Summer

“... Elmore Leonard fans are going to love Stella’s entirely original contribution to the slice-of-criminal-life genre, down-and-dirty division ... This is the seventh novel from Stella (Mafiya, 2008), who has made the underside of the New York underworld his home.” —Elliott Swanson (Booklist)

“Set in New York City in 1973, Stella’s vibrant seventh crime novel catches the cadence and daily grind of organized crime grunts … Stella tosses an eclectic cast of characters into the mix … admirers of Elmore Leonard and George V. Higgins will be happy.” —Publishers Weekly

“Johnny Porno is in many ways a master’s class on how to write a novel ... The dialog flows so smooth you’d swear you were over hearing someone’s conversation... He drops you in the middle and lets the reveals of the narrative come naturally through the dialog... Bottom line is that Johnny Porno is one of the best books I’ve read so far this year.”>—Brian Lindenmuth (Spinetingler Magazine)

“Stella has fun with DEEP THROAT throughout the book, including the idea to sell fake autographed panties ... the book is so well-crafted and well-paced that it’s going to make more than a few best-of lists when the time comes. Stella never goes for the cheap outs, letting these characters develop over the course of his story ... Not only is it a throwback to the 1970s generation, but one that blows away most set in the present day.”—Bruce Grossman (Bookgasm)

“Based on my experience with Johnny Porno — I haven't read his other books but plan to remedy that soon (Charlie Opera is $2.00 on Smashwords) — I must say that Charlie Stella is one of the best writers the crime genre currently has to offer. He's a natural wordsmith, putting down the way people really talk in a way that still reads smoothly — not an easy task. The fact that Stark House Press, who previously focused on reprinting "lost" pulp novels, chose Stella as their first original author — after author Ed Gorman recommended him upon reading the manuscript — says a lot about his peers' respect for him.” — Craig Clarke (Somebody Dies)

“Psycho cops, bent cops, straight cops, Feds, wiseguys, good women, bad women,really bad women, guys on the make, gamblers, dumbasses, good guys, bad guys. This book's got 'em all (and more), and all so well-drawn that they seem like real people. There are also three or four plots going in, and they all converge in the final pages. I don't know how Stella managed to keep all the balls in the air, but he doesn't drop a one. Stark House's first original is a winner.”—Bill Crider, author of the Sheriff Dan Rhodess series and several other novels

“Stella is of the George V. Higgins school and tells the story through compelling dialogue ... Like Higgins, Stella isn’t afraid to let action occur offstage, to be described by the principals after the fact. In Stella’s hands, this adds to the suspense, as he understands every overt climax lessens tension at its conclusion, while covert climaxes continue to ratchet it up.”>—Dana King, (New Mystery Reader)

“Charlie Stella has a gift for nailing the colorful characters in this seedy little corner of New York. The dialog couldn’t be more authentic, and from page one I was transported to a hot, gritty landscape full of guys who say ‘yous’ and women who are used to being used ... I relished how the focus was on the guys at the bottom of the totem pole, and I got to see what happens to the drivers, runners, and climbers who associate with organized crime. It ain’t pretty.”> —Rebecca Baumann, (Dirty Sexy Books)

A plot whose pacing is as fast as a pack of greyhounds and at the same time, miraculously, as crazily and craftily constructed as a Marx Brothers movie or a Rube Goldberg machine. A hungry menagerie of good guys and bad guys at feeding time. A writing style that’s top-shelf. Some side-orders of Suspense. Romance. Black Humor. All seasoned liberally with Sex, Violence, Drugs, and Rock and Roll. What else will readers find in JOHNNY PORNO? A novel that shouldn’t be this much fun or pleasurable. That’s Charlie Stella’s real crime.—Lynn Kostoff, Author of Late Rain (Tyrus Books 2010), A Choice Of Nightmares (New Pulp Press 2010), The Long Fall (Carroll and Graf 2003)

“This is a hell of a novel. Epic, yet human scale... It s wonderfully fresh and alive.” —Craig McDonald, author of Head Games, Toros and Torsos and Print The Legend

Johnny Porno is a terrific Nixon Era crime caper reminiscent of Elmore Leonard. The story line is fast-paced, filled with action and violence, and stars a seemingly hapless chump struggling to survive in a cesspool. With the fun look at pop culture in circa 1973 enhancing the plot, readers, especially boomers, will enjoy Johnny Porno’s New York joy ride.—Harriet Klausner (The Mystery Gazette)

“... this has all the trappings of classic Stella – decent guys, wise guys of various standing in the mob, good/dirty cops, but most importantly, dialogue that makes you want to stand up and beg for more. Through Stella, you can practically smell the garlic on the breath of the wiseguys trying to intimidate, strain to hear cops jerking each other around through hot dog stuffed faces, wince at the lunacy of an ex-wife going off the deep end, and nod approvingly when someone does a decent thing for Johnny. Why Stella’s books aren’t flying off the main table at the front door of Barnes/Noble and Borders is, in itself, a crime.” —East Coast Don (Men Reading Books)

“Charlie Stella's JOHNNY PORNO: absolutely excellent. Guy does dialogue like no one else.”— Russel D. McLean, Author of The Good Son and The Lost Sister(From an Interview with CRIME SCENE NI (Northern Ireland))

“Johnny Porno is exactly that – a hard man chasing the tail that won’t pay for the tears. By first reminding us of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet and then translating its rhetorical question into the vernacular of our romantically challenged times, Stella’s way with words does the near impossible; it finds a way from pornography to romance in the paradox of power and impotence peculiar to all of us: ‘Fuck’s in a name?’” — Len Wanner, University of Edinburgh.

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Monday, March 21, 2011

i-Hop ... Film Reviews ... Lunch with Patti ... A Reminder ... O soave fanciulla ...

Charlie Stella crime novels

Tommy Red Reviews ...

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