Tough, Tough Toys for Tough, Tough Boys
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| Tough, Tough Toys for Tough, Tough Boys | |
 The Book's Cover |
|
| Author | Will Self |
|---|---|
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Short Story Collection |
| Publisher | Bloomsbury Publishing |
| Publication date | 30 April 1998 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| Pages | 244 pp |
| ISBN | ISBN 978-0747539063 |
| Preceded by | The Sweet Smell of Psychosis 1996 |
| Followed by | Dr. Mukti and Other Tales of Woe 2004 |
First published in hard cover in April 1998 and paperback in March 1999 "Tough, Tough Toys for Tough, Tough boys" is a collection of short fiction by English author Will Self. The New York Times Book Review said of the collection...
"Mr. Self's latest book, Tough, Tough Toys for Tough, Tough Boys represents his most disciplined storytelling yet. The tales in this collection demonstrate a new control and polish, without sacrificing anything in terms of inventiveness or plain weirdness. Like his 1994 novel, My Idea of Fun it attests to Mr. Self's ability to render even the most bizarre, Twilight Zone-like events with convincing verisimilitude while enthralling -- and often horrifying -- the reader with his scathing, Swiftean humor." ."[1]
While the Washington Post considered it in slightly harsher terms...
The dark devices Self relies on still bring gasps of admiration and shock, but for a successful author who has long since navigated the thicket of pubescent self-loathing there is a risk that they also serve a cynical purpose, providing cover for a failure of sustained imagination.[2]
Contents |
[edit] Stories
The Rock of Crack as big as the Ritz
Young black brothers Danny and Tembe discover the eponymous rock behind a wall in their basement.
Flytopia
The story of a man who, in commune with the insects living in his house, sacrifices his irritating girlfriend to them as sustanance.
A Story for Europe
A two year old child begins to display a curious style of gibberish. Meanwhile Herr Doktor Zweijerig, a german businessman, begins to collapse mentally.
Dave Too
The story of four Daves.
Caring Sharing
A four way love story, set in New York, between Travis and Karin and their giant Emotos Brion and Jane.
Tough, Tough Toys for Tough, Tough Boys
Bill takes a long car journey from the outer reaches of Scotland to London, in one day. Along the route he picks up a hitch-hiker. The title of this story was a slogan for adevertising Tonka Toys.
Design Faults in the Volvo 760 Turbo: A Manual
Bill Bywater recounts the faults of the automobile, all the while failing to live his love life to the full.
The Nonce Prize
The final story returns back to Danny and Tembe from the opening story. Danny is framed for child molestation and murder and is sent to HMP Wandsworth. He eventually finds an outlet in the prison English classes. His desire for redemption is entwined with his desire to win the Nonce Prize.
[edit] Short story collections by the same Author
- The Quantity Theory of Insanity (short stories) 1991
- Grey Area (short stories) 1994
- The Sweet Smell of Psychosis (illustrated novella) 1996
- Design Faults in the Volvo 760 Turbo (short stories) 1998
- Tough, Tough Toys for Tough, Tough Boys (short stories) 1998
- Dr. Mukti and Other Tales of Woe (short stories) 2004
- The Undivided Self: Selected Stories (short stories) Scheduled 2008
[edit] References
- ^ Kakutani, Michiko. "Forks Through Windows And Other Grotesqueries", New York Times, 1999-05-21. Retrieved on 2008-03-06.
- ^ Schillinger, Liesl. "Tough, Tough Toys for Tough, Tough Boys", Washington Post, 1999-05-21. Retrieved on 2008-03-06.
[edit] External links
