The Graybar Hotel

February 15, 2018

Although the "Son of Sam" law prohibited criminals from profiting from their crimes by writing books or creating other crime-based entertainment, the Supreme Court struck down the law in 1991 citing First Amendment violations. Decades later, Dawkins, a convicted murderer serving life without parole, received a six-figure book deal. Armed with an MFA (earned before prison; he thanks Elizabeth McCracken and Kent Haruf as former teachers) and having served 13 years thus far, Dawkins relays tales from the titular "graybar hotel." He confronts suicide in "County," abject loneliness in "A Human Number," unreliable relationships in "Sunshine," mental illness in "Daytime Drama," identity in "573543" (Dawkins's prison ID), and release in "Leche Quemada." Pete Simonelli's deadpan delivery underscores the anonymity, tedium, and desolation that looms over the 14 pieces. VERDICT Prurient interest aside, Richard Ford and Denis Johnson fans will find resonance in Dawkins's collection. ["What's freshest and most surprising here is Dawkins's absolute focus on the humanity of those behind bars... A fully realized debut": LJ 5/1/17 starred review of the Scribner hc.]--Terry Hong, Smithsonian BookDragon, Washington, DC

Copyright 2018 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Curtis Dawkins's debut collection of prison-focused short stories makes for an ideal audiobook, allowing the listener to savor each work. Narrator Pete Simonelli has an ideal voice, with just enough gruffness to deliver the material, which draws on Dawkins's unconventional background as a convicted murderer serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole. Dawkins also has an MFA in creative writing, and his skills are equally apparent. Simonelli's performance weaves the stories together in a way that creates an even greater sense of continuity. He uses the diversity of the material to create unique characters whose voices and personalities demonstrate the realities of prison life, including the remorse many inmates feel, as well as the desperation and hopelessness that are part of day-to-day life behind bars. D.J.S. � AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine