Devilish Doings

Rating:
Summary: Devilishly Done
Review: Frank J. Finamore has pieced together a rather enjoyable read. His selection of authors could only be outdone with the inclusion of a few others(such as Robert Louis Stevenson("Markeim" would have worked well here)and Lovecraft), but what might have worked even better for this collection would be a progression of stories through the ages. Most of these tales are from authors who lived in the 1800's, which in itself is a pleasure to read tales written in a time less centered on foul language and gory depictions. However, Mr. Finamore, in his introduction, advises that as we near(ed) the millenium, society's fascination with the devil may have an impact on us individually. To back this up, he provides us with tales of devilish deals sealed within the jaws of rats, the devil in the guise of a minstrel and a gambler, and bargains gone awry. Some of the stories I had never read before(such as the re-telling of the legend of Kathleen O'Shea), but most were old favorites, such as the infamous "The Devil and Daniel Webster", in which a patriot abuses old Scratch so badly you almost feel sorry for him. The best thing about this collection is that it brings together some old favorites, and adds a few to the list. Most compilations, however, progress(see any of the Greenberg/Weinberg collections), while this one starts classicly great and stays that way. The only disapointment is in the introduction, where you think that maybe Mr. Finamore was trying to assemble a classroom ready tome and not a study on the literary fascination with the devil. Then again, any collection that includes Caballero's "The Devil's Mother-In-Law", in which we see a demon fearing something more than every married man on earth has feared for centuries, has to be good.

Rating:
Summary: Devilishly Done
Review: Frank J. Finamore has pieced together a rather enjoyable read. His selection of authors could only be outdone with the inclusion of a few others(such as Robert Louis Stevenson("Markeim" would have worked well here)and Lovecraft), but what might have worked even better for this collection would be a progression of stories through the ages. Most of these tales are from authors who lived in the 1800's, which in itself is a pleasure to read tales written in a time less centered on foul language and gory depictions. However, Mr. Finamore, in his introduction, advises that as we near(ed) the millenium, society's fascination with the devil may have an impact on us individually. To back this up, he provides us with tales of devilish deals sealed within the jaws of rats, the devil in the guise of a minstrel and a gambler, and bargains gone awry. Some of the stories I had never read before(such as the re-telling of the legend of Kathleen O'Shea), but most were old favorites, such as the infamous "The Devil and Daniel Webster", in which a patriot abuses old Scratch so badly you almost feel sorry for him. The best thing about this collection is that it brings together some old favorites, and adds a few to the list. Most compilations, however, progress(see any of the Greenberg/Weinberg collections), while this one starts classicly great and stays that way. The only disapointment is in the introduction, where you think that maybe Mr. Finamore was trying to assemble a classroom ready tome and not a study on the literary fascination with the devil. Then again, any collection that includes Caballero's "The Devil's Mother-In-Law", in which we see a demon fearing something more than every married man on earth has feared for centuries, has to be good.