The Murder of the Frogs

"No pretty little thoughts, no fake faith-restoratives — just hard solid craftsmanship and style." — The New York Times (An Outstanding Book of the Year)

From the author of Hard Rain Falling and Blade of Light come these two novellas and eight shorter pieces that explore racial conflict and the agonies of loneliness and heartbreak: "The Crossroader," in which a Black drifter outfoxes an all-white crew of small-town hustlers; "Blue Eyes," the story of an aging half-Indian prostitute and her increasingly respectable white lover; "One of Those Big-City Girls," concerning a woman in her forties drawn to younger men; and more, including the title tale, a moving narrative of a boy's first love.

"Carpenter shows his versatility and ability to handle strong themes with cool precision...a consistently interesting craftsman." — Kirkus Reviews

"Don Carpenter is a particular favorite of mine." — Jonathan Lethem

"Don Carpenter could be hilarious, and he could break your heart, and he could write about ego and frailty as well as anyone on earth. I loved him like crazy." — Anne Lamott

Don Carpenter (1931–95) gained immediate critical recognition with this first book, Hard Rain Falling, which was acclaimed as one of the notable novels of 1966. His second novel, Blade of Light (1967), also won nationwide praise. He went on to write numerous novels, novellas, short stories and screenplays over the course of a 22-year career that took him from a childhood in Berkeley and the Pacific Northwest to the corridors of power in Hollywood. A close observer of human frailty, he wrote about marginal characters like pool sharks, prisoners, and drug dealers, as well as movie moguls and struggling actors. Facing a mounting series of debilitating illnesses, Carpenter committed suicide in 1995.

CONTENTS

I. Six Stories
   Road Show
   The Crossroader
   Blue Eyes
   New York to Los Angeles
   Silver Lamé
   Limbo

II. The Murder of the Frogs

III. The Art of the Film
     Hollywood Heart
     Hollywood Whore

IV. One of Those Big-City Girls

About the Author