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96th out of 409 books
—
476 voters
The Man in My Basement
Hailed as a masterpiece-the finest work yet by an American novelist of the first rank-The Man in My Basement tells the story of Charles Blakey, a young black man who can't find a job, drinks too much, and, worst of all, stands to lose the beautiful home that has belonged to his family for generations. But Charles's fortunes take an odd turn when a stranger offers nearly $5...more
Paperback, 272 pages
Published
February 2nd 2005
by Back Bay Books
(first published 2004)
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Apr 30, 2012
G
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
pulp-detective-spy,
literary
In each of us there is a dormant power waiting to be released. For some of us, the power is evil. For others, the power is more closely attuned to charity or love. If your power were to be unleashed upon humankind today, would it be good or evil?
That is the question you have to ask yourself before reading this book. If a person stumbled upon your doorstep and offered you an immense amount of money to imprison them, without giving you a clue as to why they want to be imprisoned in your basement,...more
That is the question you have to ask yourself before reading this book. If a person stumbled upon your doorstep and offered you an immense amount of money to imprison them, without giving you a clue as to why they want to be imprisoned in your basement,...more
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The last fifty pages of this book was hugely frustrating reading. I just wanted the book to end. The idea for the story is a good one but there wasn't enough suspense or building of the plot. A mysterious, white man rents a basement for the summer from a black man in Easthamptons. He stays in the basement in a cage, a self-imposed prisoner, as punishement for his many "crimes," which he does not consider crimes. He knows secrets about governments, the wealthy and world systems - yet, to me, he n...more
I've read this book twice now and didn't really like it either time. In general, I like Mosley-- at least when he's writing as a crime writer. With this book, he abandons the crime genre to create a more philosophical book, which, unfortunately, failed to satisfy me. What I like about Mosley's other books are his characters and dialog. Easy Rawlins, Fearless Jones and the characters from his other books are likable enough to give you a reason to pull for them. Charles Blakey, the main character...more
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The story and characters are engaging, especially once you buy into the main premise. The characters change, but the changes are logical and well put together.
Much of the book is more complicated than it seems. While there is no explosive climax, the book is well-written to the point that after the story comes to a resolution, you are still hooked into the falling action as the story winds down int he last chapter.
Even the racial currents of the book turn out to be more complicated than they s...more
Much of the book is more complicated than it seems. While there is no explosive climax, the book is well-written to the point that after the story comes to a resolution, you are still hooked into the falling action as the story winds down int he last chapter.
Even the racial currents of the book turn out to be more complicated than they s...more
The premise was intriguing, but not real well-executed. I found the writing to be mediocre. The man in the basement, "Anniston Bennett," waxes on philosophically about his crimes or (not)crimes, causing the main character, Charles (and by extension, the reader) to ponder the meaning of evil, etc. I didn't buy it. The crimes committed by Anniston were too evil, whether ordered or not, for me to believe his theories about non-guilt and the necessity of evil. Moreover, I lost interest in his rambli...more
Plot Summary: Charles Blakey’s life is falling apart at the age of thirty-three. Unemployed, drinking far too much, and estranged from his only friends, he spends his days reading science fiction novels alone in his family’s three-story Sag Harbor home. The Blakey family has a long history in Sag Harbor dating back to the 17th century when they arrived in New York as free blacks. Now, however, Charles is in danger of losing the home his family has owned for seven generations. Nearly penniless, C...more
Walter Mosley was one of the keynote authors at last week's NCIBA conference for independent book stores. I grabbed this book because I wanted to read something by him before the conference. Wow - what an amazing author! Although Mosley is best known as a creator of the Easy Rawlins mystery series, a story like The Man in My Basement really falls into the literary fiction category. We tend to judge mystery authors differently than other authors. Usually, we're looking for a good plot with lots o...more
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The Man In My Basement is an overpowering book. There are numerous suspenseful times leading up to an unimaginable result. This fascinating book kept me involved and curious from the first page to the last. The Man In My Basement should be read by a multitude of people because of the intimate connections and an irresistible ending.
One aspect that makes this book so well liked is the vivid descriptions. The author, Walter Mosley, made it obvious he wanted the readers to be so engaged in the bo...more
One aspect that makes this book so well liked is the vivid descriptions. The author, Walter Mosley, made it obvious he wanted the readers to be so engaged in the bo...more
The writing was terrific, but I found it hard to connect with the main character. I was frustrated by how unhappy he was with his life, and yet how little he seemed willing to change anything at all. I thought that would change by the end because of his experiences in the book, and it did...but not nearly so much as I thought it should. If anything, he was a little *more* unlikable. The plot itself was very basic, and everything happened pretty much as I thought it would. About a third of the wa...more
Apr 09, 2008
Brian
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Everyone
Recommended to Brian by:
No one - I bought it when it came out.
What a fabulous book. Completely different from anything else I've read by Walter Mosely.
It tells the story of a last of the line original black family that came to America, Massachusetts, as free people.
This book is about journeys to find oneself both for the Narrator, and the man who pays him a ton of money to imprison him.
It is one of the most interesting books I have ever read.
It tells the story of a last of the line original black family that came to America, Massachusetts, as free people.
This book is about journeys to find oneself both for the Narrator, and the man who pays him a ton of money to imprison him.
It is one of the most interesting books I have ever read.
Mosley does it again, using speculative fiction to really challenge our concepts of morality on a much larger scale. It’s not a simple thing to do, questioning some of the most simplistic and pragmatic things in life. Surely, it seems quite obvious that a title such as 'The Man in My Basement' doesn't sound at all like an action-packed trip to the circus. However, Mosley doesn't exactly make the novel feel as if it is a boring stroll in the park either.
The story line certainly may not be as thri...more
The story line certainly may not be as thri...more
Interesting conceit, tho not my favorite Mosley. It's a mystery, in a way, but more of a psychological piece than some of his more city-rooted mysteries (like the Easy Rawlins series). But I like Mosley a lot because he's constantly trying out new forms, modes, voices. The sci-fi voice, or the "sexistential" novel, for example.
It's about a black guy, at the end of his financial rope, who is a bit of an autodidact nerd-recluse, and has worn out his welcome in a lot of formerly friendly places, wi...more
It's about a black guy, at the end of his financial rope, who is a bit of an autodidact nerd-recluse, and has worn out his welcome in a lot of formerly friendly places, wi...more
Charles Blakey would best be described by his friends and relatives as a loser. He’s in his thirties, never married, and lives in the home left to him by his parents. He is unable to find a job and has borrowed money from his aunt and his two friends, Clarance and Ricky to pay his mortgage. Charles spends most days drunk or getting there with long stretches of just staring into space. One day a mysterious old white man comes to his door and offers him a lot of money to spend the summer in his ba...more
This relatively short novel asks a lot of its readers--more so, even, than Mosley's Easy Rawlins mysteries or more serious fiction, plays, and essays. His two unlikely (and largely unlikable) heroes are left to tackle such huge questions as the nature of evil and redemption, guilt and punishment, power, ambition, and America's role in the world. Some critics found that the book did not dig deep enough or come close enough to offering any concrete conclusions, and they criticized the overly philo
...more
If you are looking for romance, escape, thrills, lyricism, etc., STOP. This is not the book for you.
There's not even much of a story, and the plot is simple, but those few steps are powerful. The slave becomes the slaver. Refences to black history are made, but not really the essence of the story. The main character is simply a loser, with no redeeming qualities. He keeps himself apart from people by only communicating with lies and fibs. His character is thrown up against another character who...more
There's not even much of a story, and the plot is simple, but those few steps are powerful. The slave becomes the slaver. Refences to black history are made, but not really the essence of the story. The main character is simply a loser, with no redeeming qualities. He keeps himself apart from people by only communicating with lies and fibs. His character is thrown up against another character who...more
What does an unmotivated, poor black man and a highly educated, mysterious white man have in common? At first glance, nothing at all, but as the story progresses it becomes clear that they were destined to meet and learn both empowering and weakening lessons from one another.
Charles Blakey was content to sleep walk through life; blaming his failures and misfortunes on anyone but himself. Anniston Bennet carried the burden of the failures of governments, the ultimate cost of power and wealth, and...more
Charles Blakey was content to sleep walk through life; blaming his failures and misfortunes on anyone but himself. Anniston Bennet carried the burden of the failures of governments, the ultimate cost of power and wealth, and...more
This is the first Mosely I've read, and I'm curious how it compares to other things he's written.
I hate to label it disappointing, but it was. Part of that stems from how it was not at all what I expected. (That in itself is a hazard of reading, and I shrug my shoulders at it.) However, I was expecting a psychological thriller, and I got an extended series of philosophical questions about the nature of evil, necessity, action, and humanity. I haven't the least problem with exploring these ideas...more
I hate to label it disappointing, but it was. Part of that stems from how it was not at all what I expected. (That in itself is a hazard of reading, and I shrug my shoulders at it.) However, I was expecting a psychological thriller, and I got an extended series of philosophical questions about the nature of evil, necessity, action, and humanity. I haven't the least problem with exploring these ideas...more
The author unravels a chilling story, revealing little by little the redemption of a white man. Not only does the story evolve, but so does the protagonist's outlook in life as well as the white man's physical attributes while his true identity is fully exposed.
The first half of the book is fast paced and rich with culture and it had a balanced feel with character development and relationship boundaries. I enjoyed the exchanges and dialogue. The reading experience was smooth and nothing jarred m...more
The first half of the book is fast paced and rich with culture and it had a balanced feel with character development and relationship boundaries. I enjoyed the exchanges and dialogue. The reading experience was smooth and nothing jarred m...more
My mother introduced me to the novels of Walter Mosley many years ago. The first book of his I read was "Gone Fishin'" which I really liked. The Man in My Basement is unlike any of the Mosley books I've read in the past. But if you like this author you should definitely read this one!
It's the story of a black man living in his family's historical home. He is unemployed and running out of money with no plan on how to provide for himself when a small white man appears on his porch offering to pay...more
It's the story of a black man living in his family's historical home. He is unemployed and running out of money with no plan on how to provide for himself when a small white man appears on his porch offering to pay...more
I've mixed feeling about this book. I found this book interesting enough to finish reading in one sitting. But I could not understand the whole concept fully. Bennet's character was hard for me to understand. To the extent he did evil things in his life, it was difficult for me to absorb the idea of his repentence. There is a difference between being bad and being evil. He knew in advance he had to die so what was he trying to do in those last days? Being punished for his evil deeds by getting l...more
What happens in the book is interesting and mysterious in a quiet, how-does-this-action-affect-the-character's-psyche kind of way. This book reminded me of a lot two short stories that are popular in anthologies for upper elementary kids--"The Most Dangerous Game" and "The Bet." The story also feels like it could be the plot of an old Twilight Zone episode.
This book helped me admit to myself that Mosley's female characters exist primarily as sex objects. Sure, they do other things--for instance...more
This book helped me admit to myself that Mosley's female characters exist primarily as sex objects. Sure, they do other things--for instance...more
This is a weird-ass book. The premise is that a wealthy man wants to be jailed for his deeds in the basement of a rather average poor man. Roles reverse. The story reminds me of some of the odder sixties and seventies era British films such as PERFORMANCE (1970), THE SERVANT (1963), THE NIGHT PORTER (1974). What seemed brilliant and ground breaking in British films of 40-50 years ago seems a bad fit for an American novel of 2004. Perhaps the problem is the clash of such an unlikely and perverse...more
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Walter Mosley is one of my favorite writers. Most know him as a noir/detective story writer. The Man in My Basement is a departure from that. It is in fact a mystery, but not in the traditional sense. Rather than trying to solve a murder or some other crime, the reader is left to decipher the motives of an elderly well-to-do white man who shows up at the doorstep of a down-on-his-luck black man and asks to rent out the man's basement for the purpose of being imprisoned.
This is an eerie story th...more
This is an eerie story th...more
Charles Blakey, a young black man who has inherited a beautiful old house that has been in his family for generations, is leading a meaningless life and is considered a failure in many ways; he can't keep (or get) a job after stealing petty cash from his bank as an employee; he treats the family home as a bachelor pad; he has relationships w/ women based on lies; he dropped out of college for lack of intersted. Enter Anniston Bennet, a wealthy man from out of town who wants to rent Blakey's base...more
This is my first read of a Walter Mosely book (Mosely is best known as the author of the EASY RAWLINS mystery series) and though I enjoyed reading it, I was increasingly disappointed. This is either a short story that got too long, or a slim easy-read novel that needed to go deeper; much deeper.
The title had me intrigued; the basement; the underground; the whole Jungian shadow self...so much potential darkness to explore. I think Mosely either chickened-out or got tired.
I DO recommend this book...more
The title had me intrigued; the basement; the underground; the whole Jungian shadow self...so much potential darkness to explore. I think Mosely either chickened-out or got tired.
I DO recommend this book...more
This is a philosophical novel. It tells the story of a young, unemployed and broke black man (Charles Blakey) who rent's his basement to a wealthy, white man (Anniston Bennet) who pays an outrageous sum of money to serve a few months of self-imposed imprisonment in Charles' basement. In the process of finding out why Mr. Bennet is willing to pay $50,000 to be imprisoned in his basement, Charles engages Mr. Bennet in a series of conversations in which they explore ideas such as good and evil, cri...more
Not sure why the idea of "captivity" in fiction sucks me in, but it does. I'm talking about all kinds of things - from having your body locked in while the brain still functions (Diving Bell and the Butterfly) to Robinson Crusoe (I wonder how many hours I've spent thinking about being stranded on an island) to "A Lesson Before Dying" and the hostage novel "Bel Canto."
When a twist is added - being paid to surrender yourself to a basement for two months? Had to read it. Also, it's the only Mosley...more
When a twist is added - being paid to surrender yourself to a basement for two months? Had to read it. Also, it's the only Mosley...more
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This book was disappointing to me, as I can't help but develop the ending in my head as I read, and this book didn't get there. I may have missed the underlying point of the story (perhaps likely I missed it). It is about a mysterious white man who persuades an aimless black man, who lives in a treasure of an old victorian filled with three generations of his family's history, to live in his basement for three months. The circumstances of the arrangement, and their affect on both of these men ar...more
I wanted to read a Walter Mosley book, and this one was crazy relevant. It involves a white man who has committed unspeakable crimes (sort of) as a tool for money and governments, who aims to punish himself by constructing a prison cell and being in it for a few months under the watch of a very unsuspecting and unrelated black man who is sort of in a midlife crisis. Points on Rwandan genocide, and people seeing what they need in you or seeing what they want to see in you spoke to my recent brain...more
This book is weird, discombobulating and tense. While it may lack traditional suspense in a "Alex Cross/Michael Crighton" kinda way, it harkens back to the sultry writing of Ralph Ellison and Richard Wright, while taking on a conversational philosophic tone of Daniel Quinn's "Ishmael". I was completely engrossed and kept struggling to make sense of what was happening (and not happening), but the sort of eerie dreaminess kept luring me back in. I think the main character isn't fully realized, at...more
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Walter Mosley (b. 1952) is the author of the bestselling mystery series featuring Easy Rawlins, as well as numerous other works, from literary fiction and science fiction to a young adult novel and political monographs. His short fiction has been widely published, and his nonfiction has appeared in the New York Times Magazine and the Nation, among other publications. Mosley is the winner of numero...more
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“Love, as the poet says, is like the spring. It grows on you and seduces you slowly and gently, but it holds tight like the roots of a tree. You don't know until you're ready to go that you can't move, that you would have to mutilate yourself in order to be free. That's the feeling. It doesn't last, at least it doesn't have to. But it holds on like a steel claw in your chest. Even if the tree dies, the roots cling to you. I've seen men and women give up everything for love that once was.”
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5 people liked it
“The government isn't real," he replied. He might have been talking about Santa Claus or God. "I don't owe anything to anyone who in themselves are lies and liars.”
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3 people liked it
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