Eight million ways to die

Author: (USA) Lawrence Block
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-09-01
Features: Before reading this book, there is no truth. In the book, Block, through the character of Degarmo, says: "You know what kind of shit this city has? What kind of stinking jungle this damn metropolis is? Eight million ways to die (at that time, New York's population was eight million)." This line sets the tone of compassion for humanity in "Eight Million Ways to Die." Block's novels also break the boundary of reducing detective fiction to a game of wits. He brings in the intense individual loneliness of modern people and places the real side of New York's underclass into genre fiction. Perhaps having seen through society, Matthew begins to refuse to close his eyes. He decides to stay awake, quit drinking, and attend Alcoholics Anonymous. However, at the AA meetings, he sees more sides of society—or more tragedies—and hears confessions of or pain from people struggling for freedom.
Lawrence Block is a master of detective fiction, and the Matthew Scudder series is the best detective fiction of this century. – Private Eyes
Reading Matthew Scudder, I felt like I had to finish it in one breath, just like reading martial arts novels as a child. – Hou Hsiao-hsien
All of Lawrence Block's works are very interesting. Give me another Lawrence Block. – Associated Press
Good! – Stephen King
I saw her come in. I wish I hadn't. Her hair is golden, almost silver, and if it were on a child's head, it would be called flaxen. Her hair is braided into thick plaits and tied at the top with pins.