"Dear Gangster...": Advice for the Lonelyhearted from the Gangster of Love

Rating:
Summary: Where has the Gangster gone?
Review: Hey, buy this book. I can't make it any simpler than that, ya chowderheads.

But to elaborate...the Gangster of Love provides us with the kind of advice we really need in the 20th century wars of romance. But will we listen to his wise counsel? He is a prophet without honor in his own country, a lonely voice crying out in the wilderness. Also, he has a strange fascination with the Harvey Keitel movie, "The Bad Lieutenant". He does sympathize with the wounded, the outcast, and the lonely. Burned once too often, he understands your pain and wants to tell you, "It's too late for me, save yourself." But you won't listen, will you? And so you're gonna take the fall.

His material sorta reminds me of Hunter S. Thompson, but maybe that's just me.

Sadly, other than this one book, I've never found any other evidence of the Gangster, though I've searched and searched. In these troubled times, we could use his insight.

I'll just quote from the end of one of his replies to a reader inquiry to give you a taste of his work:

'And crying's just not good enough anymore, is it? Not if no one hears it. Not if someone doesn't say, "Please stop crying, I'm sorry I made you cry, I never want to see you cry again."

And months and years really do matter now. Somebody's counting. And who's gonna kiss you on New Year's Eve? Because at midnight your time is up, and baby, it's cold outside.

It was supposed to be warm.'

Just go buy this book.

Rating:
Summary: smart, dead-on, and side-splittingly funny
Review: This is not only the funniest book I can remember reading, it's also the most honest and true-to-life. I can't believe there hasn't been a sequel. Dave Barry (author of the introduction) should definitely tell the Gangster to write a whole 'nother volume.

Rating:
Summary: read it, you won't regret it
Review: You'll find yourself reading and re-reading this book, over and over again. Everyone says how funny it is; I'd say, if anything, this book is rather depressing. Yes, it has many funny moments, but overall, it is not a happy book. But it's a great book. I wish I could find more books like it. I wish there was something else available by the Gangster of Love.