Rating: 
Summary: A Wonderful Paul Winfield Legacy
Review: For those who have read or listened to them, the Socrates Fortlow stories will be more enduring than the Easy Rawlins mysteries. Beyond this, Paul Winfield's performance ("reading" does not begin to do justice to his achievement) of these stories is at least the equal of Walter Mosely's work here. I really regret that I did not hear these tapes until after Winfield had died. I would have made great effort to advise him personally how moving, delightful, and enlightening his performance is. Winfield has more than internalized and reiterated these stories and characters. Time after time he intonates a word that catches the listener off guard with insight into Mosely's rich characters and settings, drawing a winsome smile, an outright laugh, or an uncomfortable unanticipated point of empathy with a life situation I really would not want. Winfield and Mosely have created a warm and indestructable thread in the fabric of American art that truly celebrates American culture, from a vantage point that one would not expect to yield such results. I am sorry to see that, as of this writing, Amazon lists the Winfield tapes as out of stock, but I can see why that is so because Winfield's performance here dserves to be "sold out." It would be a great, great shame, however, if Paul Winfield's wonderful performance were not available soon again for an ever widening audience.
Rating: 
Summary: Strong Short Stories
Review: Socrates Fortlow is 8 years out of an Indiana prison where he served a 27 year sentence for the rape and murder of a woman and murder of a man. He is now 58 years old and living in Los Angeles in a shack in a poor part of town and is still in a constant battle with himself as he struggles to control the thoughts of violence that surge through him. Although Socrates is a violent man he is also a deep thinker using his own brand of insightful wisdom to combat daily problems and injustices.
ALWAYS OUTNUMBERED ALWAYS OUTGUNNED is a book of 14 short stories featuring Socrates as he deals with the hardships facing an ex-convict who is trying to fit back into society. They cover a vast range of societal issues that can be considered mundane at first glance, but which make up the important detail of life. Socrates' approach to his problems range from borderline illegal to genius in their simplicity and common sense.
Socrates' displays hi philosophical age of wisdom in the opening story when he catches Darryl, a local boy who has stolen and killed a rooster. He proceeds to teach Darryl the difference between right and wrong in a caring but unorthodox way. Immediately following this is a story where Socrates engages in an act of vigilantism, using his violent nature to warn off an undesirable character living in the neighbourhood. These opening two stories paint a vivid picture of the two opposite sides of Socrates Fortlow, the reasoning thinker and the man of violent action.
Philosophical debates dominate many of these stories as Socrates meets men who: are thieves; are cheating on their wives; have walked out on their wives; have fought and killed in wars and who are now trying to cope with it; are cruel to animals. In each of these stories Socrates imparts his own brand of wisdom on others while inside he is in a struggle to contain the rage he feels towards these people.
While not really mystery stories, they do involve crimes and criminals and the moral and social issues associated with them. For example, in one story Socrates has very strong suspicions that he knows the identity of a serial arsonist, but struggles with his rebellion against authority before deciding whether he should turn the man in or not. A later story brings back Darryl and his run in with one of the local gangs. Socrates does his best to protect Darryl from the perils of the gang culture that threatens to swallow him.
I found these stories to be particularly engaging, addressing issues that one could dismiss as everyday events, but which are also very important. Mosley has created in Socrates Fortlow a very sympathetic character who is merely trying to survive as a black ex-convict in a hostile environment. His solutions to the problems that confront him don't always fall within the bounds of legality, instead aiming for the solution that will result in the `right' outcome rather than the just outcome.
Rating:
Summary: College Prep Review for Fellow High School Students
Review: The novel ~Always Outnumbered, Always Outgunned~ by Water Mosley is a dramatic story that follows the adulthood of Socrates Fortlow; a convicted rapist and murderer who lives in Watts, Los Angeles. After being in prison for 27 years, Socrates tries to redeem himself by helping others with their own troubles and problems. Throughout the book, he comes across many people who change his life while he helps them. Socrates' journey shows him that life goes on even after it has stopped for him. He especially tries to help Darryl, a teenager who is on the same path of self-destruction that Socrates took, with his uneasy life in the ghetto. And as Socrates comes in contact with more and more people, he realizes that there is some humanity left within him and maybe even this world.This book has many adult themes in it from the dialogue to the main character being a convicted rapist and murderer. We believe this book should be read by more advanced readers. The format of the book is very complex. It does not go in chronological order. A chapter might begin with something that happened three weeks before the initial reading, and the whole chapter might be on that sole event. If you have read ~House on Mango Street~ by Sandra Cisneros, which follows the same format, this novel is not so hard. However, if you have not experienced this kind of reading before, you might find yourself lost frequently. Anyone below high school will have a hard time with this book. ~Always Outnumbered, Always Outgunned~ has many dramatic and depressing themes and chapters. We do not suggest this if you are looking for an uplifting book. Many controversial subjects are covered in this book like racism, discrimination, the life in a ghetto, murder, rape, and many other things that some people find uneasy to talk to about. However, the book is fascinating, suspenseful, and makes you think. The novel is made to keep you on your toes with every twist of the story. Socrates becomes the unlikely hero that by the end of the book will leave you wanting more. We recommend this to anyone that is looking for an intense and wonderful novel that shows that there could be a little good still left in anyone no matter what. Greg, Christian, Carrie & Ni - Culver Academy
Rating:
Summary: strong stories; read by a fantastic actor (Paul Winfield)
Review: These stories, as read by the great actor Paul Winfield, are powerful testaments to life, love, hard times, etc.. These stories and their central character, Socrates Fortlow, are fine examples of a man, who did wrong, seeks redemption, and tries hard to make amends. The continuing theme of the crime which he committed ties them all together. Mr. Winfield's reading cuts across all racial barriers, to teach all of us, black and white, about one man's struggle(s) with his demons. His reading also adds passion and depth to Mr. Mosley's writing. I'd highly recommend these stories (in audio and print). [Refers to the audio edition.]
Rating:
Summary: Beautifully written, great insight
Review: I heard it was a book of short stories, but found it to read like a novel. Socrates is a deep and thoughtful character who will stay on your mind a long time. He tries to do the right thing in very adverse conditions. This book was an easy read, but deep and beautiful. I'd recommend to every reader I know.
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