Review: Gritty, Unsentimental View Given of the American Southwest
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 01 17, 2012
Having been catching up on the ebooks I've wanted to read since getting a Kindle for Christmas, I turned to THE CHAOS WE KNOW by fellow writer Keith Rawson. This collection of short stories offers biting, unflinching looks at the American culture in Arizona around cities like Mesa, Scottsdale, and Tucson. Noir writer Charlie Stella presents an insightful Foreword to set the stage. I liked reading Keith's longer stories such as "What I Lost Along With My Keys," "The Referral System," and "The Anniversary Weekend." These are hard characters like meth addicts, bent cops, and dope dealers living their hard existences. I can hear strains of Charles Bukowski, John Fante, and Scott Phillips in the narratives though the original voice and talent remain entirely Keith Rawson's. There is humor and irony also at work, so everything isn't bleak. This unsparing noir that's often all too painful and true should satisfy the fans of the genre as it did this one.