Rum, Sodomy, and False Eyelashes

by Scott Phillips

One night you’re walking past an old hotel, a run-down place you see every day. You thought it was abandoned but inside it looks like there’s a party going on. Lots of drugs—fast, slow, deadly. Plenty of sex—good, bad, funny. And firearms? Yes lots of guns. The doors to all the rooms are open—there’s a frisky LA waitress in one, the Eggman in another, Babs the dancer is there, plus plenty of cranky old people, and a dead cat or two. Are you walking into a funhouse or madhouse?You’ve stumbled into the world of Scott Phillips and Rum, Sodomy, and False Eyelashes—an inventive and wildly creative collection of twelve stories from one of America’s most original writers. Phillips isn’t out to impress—doesn’t have to. He’s here to entertain, to provoke, and to send you into painful fits of laughter and self-recognition. Prepare yourself.Scott Phillips is the author of many novels, including The Ice Harvest, The Walkway, Cottonwood, The Adjustment, Nocturne le Vendredi, and Rut (published by Concord ePress). John Cusack and Billy Bob Thornton starred in the 2005 feature film of The Ice Harvest, which was adapted by Richard Russo and Robert Benton and directed by Harold Ramis. Phillips lives in St. Louis, Missouri.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction

144 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 29, 2011

Reviews

[Shawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think it's strange it took me this long to discover a collection of "bar stories". I don't mean "bar stories" as in the stories are about bars, or even "bar stories" about the "bar life" such as Bukowski writes. Everyone has their own "bar stories" and has heard at least one or two in their life in the confines of a bar or not. They are straight and to the point lacking any point in most cases and a morally dubious one in the rest. "Bar stories" exist for the teller to boast and to entertain. The teller is allowed to indulge in some downscaled personalized myth making and the listener will frequently interject with disbelief or a sort of laughy snort before taking a snort. These myths are punctuated by the piss breaks and the ordering of next rounds. A good "bar story" teller will gauge the number of listeners and adjust the hyperbole to appropriate levels. I have yet to truly hear one amazing "bar story" of my own and hope to before I die. But it of course has to be in a bar.

The perfect "bar story" is not written down in any book, this one included. It is entertaining enough though.

[Paul McBride · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rum Sodomy and False Eyelashes- Scott Phillips. How can you not pick up a book with a title like this?
A book of short stories, only one or two were not really interesting, the rest were good to very good. The author is still better when writing a traditional length novel.

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good, rollicking collection of hard boiled noir stories. Many stories are interlinked by shared characters and I understand many appear in the novels of the author. Phillips is a new author to me and one I'll be checking out in the future.
A good, solid 4.

[Joshua · Rating 2 out of 5]

sketches of seaminess.

[AnnMarie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75-4

[Theo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my second time reading this book. It was just as enthralling and entertaining as my virgin read. The imagery and gift for word is very high. There is realness in Phillip's imagination...

[Liam · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5*

[Tom · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoy his novels more.

[Miriam · Rating 4 out of 5]

attracted by both title and author. liked the story.