Knockemstiff

"A lot of people get the wrong impression, think there's something romantic or tragic about hitting bottom."

Donald Ray Pollock

Knockemstiff

I started this collection of short stories by Donald Ray Pollock because I loved his book Devil All the Time. And they didn't disappoint. Set in the small town of Knockemstiff, Ohio, they were a wonderfully gritty set of stories. And when I say dark and gritty, I mean dark and gritty. The stories are violent, and they take a look at subjects like domestic violence, drug addiction, discrimination, crime. It was a very frank assessment at what rock bottom really can be and how, even when you pull yourself up, it can be scarring. 

I really liked this book, but I felt guilty for liking it because the subject matter was so gritty and violent. It's kind of like the guilty feeling that comes from ruins porn, or bad reality shows. It looked at what it's like to try to make ends meet, to exist, when there is no one in your corner, and no where you can turn to. Wonderful american noir.