Lee Child recruits Joyce Carol Oates, Jonathan Ames, Cara Black, and
others to reveal nicotine's scintillating alter egos.
Typically for Akashic--publisher of the terrific Noir series--the
stories approach the subject matter from an impressive number of
angles...Akashic has yet to produce a dull anthology, and this one is
especially good.
--Booklist
Sixteen tributes to America's guiltiest pleasure...Even confirmed
anti-smokers will find something to savor.
--Kirkus Reviews
The most successful entries delve bone-deep into addiction, as
characters smoke to smother physical pain, loneliness, and their
days...These writers capture the mental gymnastics behind the
characters' bad decisions, and the joy such bad decisions can bring.
--Publishers Weekly
In recent years, nicotine has become as verboten as many hard drugs. The
literary styles in this volume are as varied as the moral quandaries
herein, and the authors have successfully unleashed their incandescent
imaginations on the subject matter, fashioning an immensely addictive
collection.
Featuring brand-new stories by: Lee Child, Joyce Carol Oates,
Jonathan Ames, Eric Bogosian, Achy Obejas, Michael Imperioli, Hannah
Tinti, Ariel Gore, Bernice L. McFadden, Cara Black, Christopher
Sorrentino, David L. Ulin, Jerry Stahl, Lauren Sanders, Peter Kimani,
and Robert Arellano.
From the introduction by Lee Child:
Food scientists have discovered a complex compound naturally present
in, among other things, potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants. The
compound offers us a number of benefits: it improves our fine motor
skills; it increases our attention spans; it improves our cognitive
abilities; it improves our long- and short-term memories; it lessens
depression...In and of itself, it has no real downside. It's called
nicotine. We should all get some.
The problem is the delivery system...The most efficient way is to burn
dried tobacco leaves and inhale the smoke. Ten seconds later, the
compound is in your brain, doing good in all its various ways.
Unfortunately, the rest of the smoke doesn't do good. And therein lies a
great mystery of human behavior. To get the good, we risk the bad. Or we
prohibit ourselves the good, for fear of the bad. Which approach makes
more sense?
