Normally I read junk, police procedurals, thrillers, mysteries and the like. I enjoy good writing, I won’t put up with what I think is bad writing. But I don’t go in for “literature”.
Every once in a while I step out of my “cotton candy reading” box and try something new. For some reason, I’ve been trying to remember one book from such an attempt. It’s about a loser-type fellow who works as a repo man for a rental center in a mostly poor, black, urban neighborhood. He works with a black man who’s been doing it for years and is teaching him the ropes. It chronicles their days at work, and builds towards a climax with the young guy attacking and killing a dog and, later, rushing home to his ex-wife, or ex-girlfriend who is mentally unstable and kills herself by immolation in front of the local news. I want to read up a little more about it, because even though I didn’t really care for it, it has stuck with me. I can’t remember anything about the title or author, although I believe it won an award for first novelists.
chicksdigscars, The Repo isn’t it. This book was something other than what I normally read (not a thriller or detective fiction etc), it was just a “straight” drama kind of thing. I was trying to say that I normally read that kind of thing, but one of my excursions into “serious” literature I found this small novel. I just can’t think of the title or author and it’s driving to distraction.
can you remember where it was set? A city? State? Maybe a character’s name? Disregarding the repossession aspect, the other information is kind of vague and isn’t really giving me anything useful in searching. Was it part of any type of book club? Like Oprah’s or Good Morning America, that type of club.
I got it from the local library, it was on the new release shelf. I can’t remember anything else, belive me I’ve been trying. It might have been Chicago, but I’m not at all certain.
Thanks again. I’m pretty sure the library doesn’t retain history, but maybe they’ll have records of the new releases? Hmmm…
If you got it from the library, and their records are computerized (which most all are), they will have a record of it. I’m not sure how long they keep circulation information, but if their programs are like any I have seen, then they will keep the information for several years as it helps them to track readership. That info is helpful in “weeding” out books.