Jerry Stahl Livres

Jerry Stahl's seminal memoir of drug addiction and a career in Hollywood, Permanent Midnight is a classic along the lines of Hubert Selby, Jr.'s Last Exit to Brooklyn. Illuminating the self-loathing and self-destruction of an addict's inner life, Permanent Midnight follows Stahl through the dregs of addiction and into sobriety. In 1998, Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, and Maria Bello starred in a film version of Permanent Midnight to much acclaim. Nic Sheff, author of Tweak, writes the introduction to this edition.

"In September 2016, Jerry Stahl was feeling nervous on the eve of a two-week trip across Poland and Germany. But it was not just the stops at Auschwitz, Buchenwald, and Dachau that gave him anxiety. It was the fact that he would be traveling with two dozen strangers, by bus. In a tour group. And he was not a tour-group kind of guy. The decision to visit Holocaust-world did not come easy. Stahl's lifelong depression at an all-time high, his career and personal life at an all-time low, he had the idea to go on a trip where the despair he was feeling -- out-of-control sadness, regret, and fear, not just for himself, but for the entire United States -- would be appropriate. And where was despair more appropriate than the land of the Six Million? Seamlessly weaving global and personal history, through the lens of Stahl's own bent perspective, Nein, Nein, Nein! stands out as a triumph of strange-o reporting, a tale that takes us from gang polkas to tour-rash to the truly disturbing snack bar at Auschwitz. Strap in for a raw, surreal, and redemptively hilarious trip. Get on the bus."-- Jacket page ii

An ex-cop and struggling addict, Manny Rupert takes on an undercover mission to investigate whether a California inmate is the notorious war criminal Josef Mengele, who allegedly faked his death. As Manny delves deeper, he uncovers a disturbing conspiracy tied to genocide, drugs, eugenics, and human experimentation, revealing dark connections between America and Nazi atrocities. The narrative navigates through intense and harrowing themes, juxtaposing Manny's personal battles with the chilling legacy of historical horrors.

Set against a backdrop of dark humor and crime, the story follows two hapless thieves who unwittingly steal a compromising photo of George W. Bush and plan to blackmail the Republican Party. Their scheme is interrupted by Nurse Tina, a cunning woman with a deadly secret involving her late husband. As ex-junkie detective Manny Rubert investigates the suspicious death, he finds himself entangled in a chaotic mix of love and danger, leading to unexpected twists in their intertwined fates.

Set against the backdrop of 1970's counterculture, the story follows sixteen-year-old Bobby Stark as he navigates the chaotic landscape of desire and angst. Amidst the fading ideals of the hippie movement, Bobby grapples with his identity and sanity in a vibrant yet tumultuous world. The narrative explores themes of love, youth, and the search for meaning in a society that feels increasingly disjointed.

The collection features a range of short stories that explore themes of eccentric romance, the struggles of adolescence, mid-life crises, and family dysfunction. With a blend of perverse humor and poignant moments, the author delves into the complexities of human relationships, presenting a unique perspective on life's challenges and quirks.

Lloyd's expertise lies in crafting the fine print for various products, including prescription drugs and marital aids. Tasked with presenting potential side effects, he cleverly manipulates language to downplay risks, often employing rapid recitation or creative phrasing. His ingenious yet morally questionable methods highlight the ethical dilemmas in advertising and consumer protection, revealing the darker side of marketing practices in a world driven by profit.

From Cocaine, the most troubling and fascinating of substances; through Speed, an oft demonized and misunderstood drug; and on to Heroin, long seen as the most 'literary' of narcotics - the contributors to this all-new original anthology reveal that those who partake are forever changed, but the price of paradise is often steep. The Hard Drug Chronicles runs to over 700 pages and contains more than 40 all new stories from Lee Child, Jerry Stahl, Ken Bruen, Laura Lippman, Nina Revoyr, James Franco, Sherman Alexie, William T. Vollmann, Megan Abbott, James Greer and more.