Synopses & Reviews
Providing insight on homelessness, political corruption, and the potential effects of gentrification, this urban noir tells the tough story of Magrady, a semi-homeless Vietnam veteran in Los Angeles. As he searches for a friend who has gone missing from Skid Row and who may be involved in a dangerous scheme, Magrady must deal with take-no-prisoners community organizers, an unflinching cop from his past, frequent flashbacks of war, an elderly sexpot, the drug culture, and the perils of chili cheese fries at midnight. A rollicking interview with the author wherein he discusses ghetto literature, politics, noir and the proletariat, and the unknown future of books, is also included.
Review
"Firmly rooted in the hard-boiled tradition." Publishers Weekly
Review
"Honesty, distinctive characters, absurdity, and good writing . . . are here in Phillipss work." Washington Post
Review
"Magrady's adventures, with a distinctive noir feeling and appreciation for comic books, started as a serialized mystery. An interview with Phillips enhances the package, offering a compelling perspective on race and class issues in South Central L.A." Booklist
Synopsis
Having grown up in late-sixties South Central Los Angeles, Gary Phillips vividly recalls stories of what happened to brothers who ran afoul of the "polices" of the 77th Division. Small wonder that in his teens he organized against police abuse, later became active in the antiapartheid movement, was down against the contras, did duty as a labor rep, worked for a political action committee, and taught incarcerated youth. So of course matters of race, class, and the social fabric, along with influences of blaxploitation films and Jack Kirby comic books, permeate his crime and mystery stories. The Underbelly is a novella about a semi-homeless Vietnam vet searching for a disabled friend gone missing from Skid Row. It's a solo sortie where the flashback-prone protagonist must deal with gentrification, kick-ass community organizers, an elderly sexpot, a magical skull, chronic-lovin' knuckleheads, and the perils of chili-cheese fries at midnight. The Underbelly is illustrated with photos and drawings.
Plus...
A rollicking interview wherein Phillips riffs on Ghetto Lit, politics, noir and the proletariat, the good negroes and bad knee-grows of pop culture, Redd Foxx and Lord Buckley, and wrestles with the future of books in the age of want.
Synopsis
"Plus, 'But I'm gonna put a cat on you' outspoken interview."
About the Author
Gary Phillips is the author of Bangers, The Jook, and Violent Spring. He is a former union representative and south central Los Angeles community organizer. He lives in Los Angeles.