Dead Boys

Richard Lange
Little, Brown and Company (2007)
ISBN 9780316017367
Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (7/07)


“Dead Boys,” written by Richard Lange, is a collection of twelve, realistic, gritty stories that take place in southern California.  In each story, the main character deals with hard-core personal issues.  How he chooses to deal with each situation has a tremendous impact on his life and his happiness.  The stories are very realistic and are heartfelt by the reader. 

I really enjoyed reading this book.  Mr. Lange can fully develop a story without having to use a lot of words.  He writes each scene so that you feel like you are a fly on the wall watching what is going on.  It takes a lot of talent for an author to be able to write with such a skill and Mr. Lange definitely has this talent.  After I read each story, I couldn’t help but pause to reflect on what just happened in the character’s life.  For some stories, positives arose from negatives, for others, it was just the opposite.

While I was reading this book, I was traveling from Los Angeles to San Diego.  It was fun to check out the scenery of where the stories were taking place, such as in Culver City.  It definitely made it seem even more real to me.  “Dead Boys” is a perfect book for someone who enjoys short stories that have depth.  I think it would be a great book for a readers group to discuss.

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