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Sweet Nothing
In these gripping and intense stories, Richard Lange returns to the form that first landed him on the literary map.
These are edge-of-your-seat tales: A prison guard must protect an inmate being tried for heinous crimes. A father and son set out to rescue a young couple trapped during a wildfire. An ex-con trying to make good as a security guard stumbles onto a burglary plot. A young father must submit to blackmail to protect the fragile life he's built.
These are edge-of-your-seat tales: A prison guard must protect an inmate being tried for heinous crimes. A father and son set out to rescue a young couple trapped during a wildfire. An ex-con trying to make good as a security guard stumbles onto a burglary plot. A young father must submit to blackmail to protect the fragile life he's built.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published February 10, 2015
23 people are currently reading
803 people want to read
About the author
Richard Lange
12 books330 followersAuthor of Joe Hustle, Rovers, The Smack, Sweet Nothing, Angel Baby, This Wicked World, and Dead Boys.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
March 12, 2015
Yes, we're all con men at heart.
This is a fantastic collection of short stories about the members of our society who find it hard to fit in, hard to pay the rent and hard to forget the past. There are killers and reluctant snitches, junkies and ex-junkies, criminals and former criminals who struggle with life among the civilians. Here is a gambler who finally wins a bet, but loses a good thing in the process. Here is a man bored to death by his newly domesticated existence. There's even a post-apocalyptic search for buried treasure. The last story, about the human consequences of a fast-moving wildfire, is unforgettable.
I can't say enough wonderful things about this book. Highly recommended and sure to be one of the best reads of 2015.
This is a fantastic collection of short stories about the members of our society who find it hard to fit in, hard to pay the rent and hard to forget the past. There are killers and reluctant snitches, junkies and ex-junkies, criminals and former criminals who struggle with life among the civilians. Here is a gambler who finally wins a bet, but loses a good thing in the process. Here is a man bored to death by his newly domesticated existence. There's even a post-apocalyptic search for buried treasure. The last story, about the human consequences of a fast-moving wildfire, is unforgettable.
I can't say enough wonderful things about this book. Highly recommended and sure to be one of the best reads of 2015.
June 20, 2015
Wear your darkest aviator shades. Richard Lange’s collection of short stories in Sweet Nothing Stories are set under the glare of the California sun, mostly in the concrete jungle of L.A. and surrounding areas.
There’s something about L.A. Must be the cognitive dissonance of smog and heat and the Pacific Ocean and the bullet-riddled ghetto and the golden hills. I went to school in NYC and yet nothing terrified me more than that summer I lived and worked in L.A. The neon-lit freeways, the traffic, the morass of cars and the specter of road rage. There’s something about L.A. I never liked the city on principle. The strip mall feel of it and the car culture have always been a little off-putting. The beautiful people, everywhere, heavily contoured and buffed. Too much lip liner and mascara and sculpted eyebrows and tight yoga pants. L.A. is harder and grittier in a way than New York City ever was. But I respected that. I grew up in SoCal, so L.A. was always orbiting my cultural imagination.
Sweet Nothings is a fantastic distillation of L.A. in all its cultural shorthand. Lange has a wonderful ear for L.A.’s special brand of urban vernacular, especially the thought patterns of its denizens—a motley cast of characters from an ex-con security guard and a recovering drug addict, to a grandmother who witnessed a drive-by shooting and a prison guard. The settings are mostly in L.A. but not all; there are a few stories scattered in the surrounding desert (“To Ashes”) or in a different time (“The Wolf of Bordeaux”).
Lange drew me in—drew me in hard—with this short story collection. There’s something daring about Lange’s unfussy portrayals, too. You won’t find gimmicks or tricks here, just real storytelling. Real writing. Lange sounds like he’s writing from the gutter, from the ground littered with bullet casings and cigarette butts; he writes like he’s been there. So many authors strain to be gritty in order to be edgy in their narrative style, to affect a certain tone and voice, but you can always see the fakery; the words and stories feel too cosseted, seem too much like a facade. Sweet Nothings is old-fashioned and honest, but not safe—it's far from safe. Lange writes with precision, and he writes with a tenderness for his characters but also with a fury, too, that feels authentic. There's a veracity there that feels almost Frontline.
In “Apocrypha,” Lange captures the raw feelings of invincibility and invisibility convincingly:
In the title story, Lange conveys the poignancy of a meaculpa epiphany and gets into the bones of the character’s regret and remorse:
In the “Ashes,” a character regards the sad aftermath of a brush fire and the death of migrants crossing the border:
Sweet Nothings is far from cookie-cutter crime pulp or hard-boiled noir. In many ways, it’s much more nuanced. Echoes of Raymond Carver abound here; it has the same quiet humanity. Stories like these about the urban underclass could devolve into cynical portraits meant to shock and disarm, but Lange steers his short stories with real, visceral empathy.
[Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley for an honest and candid review.]
There’s something about L.A. Must be the cognitive dissonance of smog and heat and the Pacific Ocean and the bullet-riddled ghetto and the golden hills. I went to school in NYC and yet nothing terrified me more than that summer I lived and worked in L.A. The neon-lit freeways, the traffic, the morass of cars and the specter of road rage. There’s something about L.A. I never liked the city on principle. The strip mall feel of it and the car culture have always been a little off-putting. The beautiful people, everywhere, heavily contoured and buffed. Too much lip liner and mascara and sculpted eyebrows and tight yoga pants. L.A. is harder and grittier in a way than New York City ever was. But I respected that. I grew up in SoCal, so L.A. was always orbiting my cultural imagination.
Sweet Nothings is a fantastic distillation of L.A. in all its cultural shorthand. Lange has a wonderful ear for L.A.’s special brand of urban vernacular, especially the thought patterns of its denizens—a motley cast of characters from an ex-con security guard and a recovering drug addict, to a grandmother who witnessed a drive-by shooting and a prison guard. The settings are mostly in L.A. but not all; there are a few stories scattered in the surrounding desert (“To Ashes”) or in a different time (“The Wolf of Bordeaux”).
Lange drew me in—drew me in hard—with this short story collection. There’s something daring about Lange’s unfussy portrayals, too. You won’t find gimmicks or tricks here, just real storytelling. Real writing. Lange sounds like he’s writing from the gutter, from the ground littered with bullet casings and cigarette butts; he writes like he’s been there. So many authors strain to be gritty in order to be edgy in their narrative style, to affect a certain tone and voice, but you can always see the fakery; the words and stories feel too cosseted, seem too much like a facade. Sweet Nothings is old-fashioned and honest, but not safe—it's far from safe. Lange writes with precision, and he writes with a tenderness for his characters but also with a fury, too, that feels authentic. There's a veracity there that feels almost Frontline.
In “Apocrypha,” Lange captures the raw feelings of invincibility and invisibility convincingly:
“I go back and stand next to my chair. I cross my arms over my chest and stare up at the clock on the wall. In prison, there’s a way of being, of making yourself invisible while still holding down your place. I feel like I’m on the yard again or in line for chow. You walk out that gate, but you’re never free. What your time has taught you is a chain that hobbles you for the rest of your days.”
“We don’t say anything to each other as I pass by, I don’t even look at him, but our souls scrape like ships’ hulls, and I shudder from stem to stern.”
In the title story, Lange conveys the poignancy of a meaculpa epiphany and gets into the bones of the character’s regret and remorse:
“My wife? Okay, we married too young and hung on too long. We were casually cruel to each other, and torment became a game for us. But that’s nothing unusual. You see it on TV every day. I can’t blame the kids either, although when they came along I had to divide what love I had in me into smaller portions, and it sounds selfish, but you know who got shorted? Me. […]
“So what, then, spun me out, sent me sliding across the track and into the wall? Maybe I’m not meant to know. Maybe if all of us were suddenly able to peer into our hearts and see all the wildness there, the wanting, the fire and black smoke, we’d forget how to fake it, and the whole rotten world would jerk to a halt. There’s something to be said for the truth, sure, but the truth is, it’s lies that keep us going.”
“But he lived on, and so did I. Jesus fuck, it’s a mystery, all of it. Smoke a cigarette, change the channel, stare into space. Then go to sleep, go to work, and come home again, over and over and over, until all your questions are answered or you forget you ever wondered.”
In the “Ashes,” a character regards the sad aftermath of a brush fire and the death of migrants crossing the border:
“The fire burned hot here. Not even the blackened bones of the trees are still standing. It’s as if a bomb exploded, leaving only scorched sand and bare rock. Brewer concentrates on this, the destruction, the smoke still billowing in the distance. He’ll not pause to lament the cruelty of man. Better to keep running with that as a given.”
Sweet Nothings is far from cookie-cutter crime pulp or hard-boiled noir. In many ways, it’s much more nuanced. Echoes of Raymond Carver abound here; it has the same quiet humanity. Stories like these about the urban underclass could devolve into cynical portraits meant to shock and disarm, but Lange steers his short stories with real, visceral empathy.
[Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley for an honest and candid review.]
May 10, 2015
Richard Lange isn't a big name, but is an author whose books I will always be on the look out for, having enjoyed in particular his 'Dead Boys' short story collection, and debut novel, 'This Wicked World', each inhabiting the lower reaches of LA life and society in their narratives.
This short story collection, with a couple of exceptions, finds Lange on familiar ground, telling the stories of a variety of characters, some more sympathetic than others. From a son in law, who finds that his wife's father isn't the man he thought he was, to a grandmother struggling to keep her granddaughter out of the clutches of local gang members, from a character struggling with gambling addiction to one getting back on his feet after losing all to his addiction to crack, the majority of stories are well crafted, and I as a reader was invested in finding out the fate of those that they featured.
There were a couple of the stories that I didn't like, including one that I took to be post apocalyptic in nature, but all in all, I found this collection easily read and enjoyable. I'll continue to look out for new Lange releases in future.
This short story collection, with a couple of exceptions, finds Lange on familiar ground, telling the stories of a variety of characters, some more sympathetic than others. From a son in law, who finds that his wife's father isn't the man he thought he was, to a grandmother struggling to keep her granddaughter out of the clutches of local gang members, from a character struggling with gambling addiction to one getting back on his feet after losing all to his addiction to crack, the majority of stories are well crafted, and I as a reader was invested in finding out the fate of those that they featured.
There were a couple of the stories that I didn't like, including one that I took to be post apocalyptic in nature, but all in all, I found this collection easily read and enjoyable. I'll continue to look out for new Lange releases in future.
February 26, 2015
One of my New Year Resolutions this year was to return to my once avid love of short stories - this seemed like a good place to begin and I'd say that was a brilliant choice on my part. Hey modesty ain't my thing.
Every story to be found in this collection is, without exception, absolutely compelling and beautifully written...the book travelled around with me and every time there was coffee there was a story. They all have a dark side, a deliciously enticing yet grounded prose that draws you into the lives of a bunch of eclectic people and situations and gives you a snapshot of a particular moment that changes them.
I loved them all, would not give anything away by describing each one in detail, but have to give an honourable mention to "Sweet Nothing" and "Must Come Down" my favouritesof the bunch. There is a whole lot of heart here, quite a bit of soul and they will give you pause for thought on many occasions as some of the characters you meet make decisions you want to yell at them for. I DID yell at them sometimes. It will suck you in.
Terrific stuff. Really captivating. Lets have some more please.
Happy Reading Folks!
Every story to be found in this collection is, without exception, absolutely compelling and beautifully written...the book travelled around with me and every time there was coffee there was a story. They all have a dark side, a deliciously enticing yet grounded prose that draws you into the lives of a bunch of eclectic people and situations and gives you a snapshot of a particular moment that changes them.
I loved them all, would not give anything away by describing each one in detail, but have to give an honourable mention to "Sweet Nothing" and "Must Come Down" my favouritesof the bunch. There is a whole lot of heart here, quite a bit of soul and they will give you pause for thought on many occasions as some of the characters you meet make decisions you want to yell at them for. I DID yell at them sometimes. It will suck you in.
Terrific stuff. Really captivating. Lets have some more please.
Happy Reading Folks!
Want to read
September 9, 2016It's moments like this I am painfully aware of my mortality. I'm relatively young, I am not terminally ill so therefore I have a good chance of being alive for when this book comes out next year. BUT WHAT IF I DIE IN A FREAK ACCIDENT BEFORE THEN. An agoraphobia relapse is looking mighty tempting.
September 20, 2025
The author’s versatility and eye for detail are remarkable. This selection of stories introduces a wide range of characters, places, and storylines, yet manages to engage and convince every time. Brilliant.
April 8, 2015
I don't always have the time or the inclination to review the books that I've read. Sometimes it comes and goes by the time I get to adding my rating. I take the time to point this out as this will be my second review of a Richard Lange book. (And I almost chickened out of it.)
Having previously read Lange's novel Angel Baby and having left with the feeling that things were wrapped up a little too neatly I decided to see if I enjoyed his stories better. I could see from the novel that he was a good writer, but maybe hadn't quite cracked novel writing yet. Well, I think the assessment was probably pretty close to the truth.
Like any collection there was a variance in the quality and this was certainly a book of two halves. The first couple of stories are alright, but Baby Killer is very transparent plot-wise. The Wolf of Bordeaux unexpectedly transports us from modern day L.A. to 19th century France and it's hardly a pleasant shock.
The 100 to 1 Club is the first story that really took my interest and it perhaps made the others dull a little in its presence. It's an almost Bukowski-esque tale of a chronic gambler taking a woman on a first date to a race course. From there the quality seems to stay fairly consistent with stories about drug addicts and general douchiness.
Apocrypha is the story that is probably closest to a straight crime story. It tells the tale of an ex-con security guard who is unwittingly dragged into a heist on his work place. This was the type of story I expected going into this one, but Lange surpassed my expectations with a lot of the work on show.
There's another slight blip with After All, which feels like a poor relation to Cormac McCarthy's The Road. It's perhaps an easy comparison, but Lange's story just feels too vague and unfulfilling. Initially I thought the story was some sort of Wild West thing.
The highlight comes second from last with the title story, Sweet Nothing, imbued with everyday sadness and some amazing passages. A drug addict goes about reforming his life and the events of the story are heart breaking and inspiring in equal measure. It's subtle, but effecting.
By halfway I was at the point where I wouldn't read Lange again, but by the end I was ready for whatever he has for us next.
Having previously read Lange's novel Angel Baby and having left with the feeling that things were wrapped up a little too neatly I decided to see if I enjoyed his stories better. I could see from the novel that he was a good writer, but maybe hadn't quite cracked novel writing yet. Well, I think the assessment was probably pretty close to the truth.
Like any collection there was a variance in the quality and this was certainly a book of two halves. The first couple of stories are alright, but Baby Killer is very transparent plot-wise. The Wolf of Bordeaux unexpectedly transports us from modern day L.A. to 19th century France and it's hardly a pleasant shock.
The 100 to 1 Club is the first story that really took my interest and it perhaps made the others dull a little in its presence. It's an almost Bukowski-esque tale of a chronic gambler taking a woman on a first date to a race course. From there the quality seems to stay fairly consistent with stories about drug addicts and general douchiness.
Apocrypha is the story that is probably closest to a straight crime story. It tells the tale of an ex-con security guard who is unwittingly dragged into a heist on his work place. This was the type of story I expected going into this one, but Lange surpassed my expectations with a lot of the work on show.
There's another slight blip with After All, which feels like a poor relation to Cormac McCarthy's The Road. It's perhaps an easy comparison, but Lange's story just feels too vague and unfulfilling. Initially I thought the story was some sort of Wild West thing.
The highlight comes second from last with the title story, Sweet Nothing, imbued with everyday sadness and some amazing passages. A drug addict goes about reforming his life and the events of the story are heart breaking and inspiring in equal measure. It's subtle, but effecting.
By halfway I was at the point where I wouldn't read Lange again, but by the end I was ready for whatever he has for us next.
March 18, 2015
So I just posted a status update two hours ago of feeling conflicted for not liking the few stories that didn't stick to Richard Lange's strength (being: grifters, gamblers, convicts in contemporary LA). I didn't want to go to 19th century France or post-apocalypse with him. I wanted to keep living in his quietly tragic world of garden variety petty criminals.
And then, the final two stories: "Sweet Nothing" and "To Ashes". Both snuck up on me and completely broke my heart. Both made me cry, of the suddenly you're growing a lump in your throat & tears are rolling down your cheek before you realize it variety. Both made me feel like an asshole for being critical of Lange when there are so few authors anymore who can stick that knife in my guts and twist so effectively. And with him, the best part is...it's not even obvious that he's doing that.
I'm sure you've heard that saying that most of us are just a few decisions away from living on the street ("living on the street" of course being figurative language for all sorts of destitution, from a life of incurable discontent to being targeted for death out of revenge to actual homelessness). This concept is exactly what Richard Lange appears to live to write about. Lives made destitute by a decision or two, or just plain dumb luck, and then what comes next. He does this with the greatest compassion.
Read Sweet Nothing. Be amazed by the deep sadness he brings up in you with his deceptively simple style and antiheroes fallen hard from grace. Put on some Tom Waits and reflect. And when you're done, go read Angel Baby too.
Highlights: "Apocrypha," "The 100-to-1 Club," "Sweet Nothing," "To Ashes," "Baby Killer".
And then, the final two stories: "Sweet Nothing" and "To Ashes". Both snuck up on me and completely broke my heart. Both made me cry, of the suddenly you're growing a lump in your throat & tears are rolling down your cheek before you realize it variety. Both made me feel like an asshole for being critical of Lange when there are so few authors anymore who can stick that knife in my guts and twist so effectively. And with him, the best part is...it's not even obvious that he's doing that.
I'm sure you've heard that saying that most of us are just a few decisions away from living on the street ("living on the street" of course being figurative language for all sorts of destitution, from a life of incurable discontent to being targeted for death out of revenge to actual homelessness). This concept is exactly what Richard Lange appears to live to write about. Lives made destitute by a decision or two, or just plain dumb luck, and then what comes next. He does this with the greatest compassion.
Read Sweet Nothing. Be amazed by the deep sadness he brings up in you with his deceptively simple style and antiheroes fallen hard from grace. Put on some Tom Waits and reflect. And when you're done, go read Angel Baby too.
Highlights: "Apocrypha," "The 100-to-1 Club," "Sweet Nothing," "To Ashes," "Baby Killer".
March 30, 2019
4.5 stars
Amazing collection!
Amazing collection!
January 2, 2024
would have given this 3 stars but it’s a little racist and obviously written by a middle aged white man
March 29, 2015
I semi-liked Sweet Nothing, with its brutal reality and gutty characters, stuck in the middle between right and wrong like we really are, not like those fictitious, flawless protagonists. The writing was all right, I suppose, lyrical sometimes and staccato at others but nothing remarkably beautiful.
These short stories, however, did not strike me as anything special. I got bored during some of them; they were all too similar and it's almost like you read one and you've read them all. I guess another issue I had with this book is simply that the endings didn't hit me. Nor did the middle, or beginnings. It's more or less just a general reflection on life in the slums of L.A., offering a realistic portrayal of those who haven't done much good in their lives.
I wasn't ecstatic over this book, but it appears I am in the minority. So give it a shot, but if you're interested in short stories, there's plenty of better ones out there.
2 stars | 9 Mar. 2015
These short stories, however, did not strike me as anything special. I got bored during some of them; they were all too similar and it's almost like you read one and you've read them all. I guess another issue I had with this book is simply that the endings didn't hit me. Nor did the middle, or beginnings. It's more or less just a general reflection on life in the slums of L.A., offering a realistic portrayal of those who haven't done much good in their lives.
I wasn't ecstatic over this book, but it appears I am in the minority. So give it a shot, but if you're interested in short stories, there's plenty of better ones out there.
2 stars | 9 Mar. 2015
February 1, 2015
I received a free advance copy of this book as part of a GoodReads First Reads giveaway. This short story collection takes the reader into the gritty side of L.A. Much is pointed out today of the shrinking middle class, and the 1%. This collection focuses on the other 1%, bringing you into their lives, understanding their struggles and, yes, makes you want to root for their success amid all their struggles. If you think you have it bad, there are others who have it worse, and by drawing us into their lives, Richard Lange illustrates to us, of the vanishing middle class, that we are much more alike to these one-per enters, than the other. I'll definitely put Richard Lange on my list of authors to follow, and his prior works will go on my Want to Read shelf.
March 3, 2016
stars
In compliance with FTC guidelines, I have won this book through the Goodreads Giveaways.
Must Come Down
Baby Killer
the Wolf of Bordeaux
the 100-to-1 Club
Gather Darkness
Instinctive Drowning Response
Apocrypha
After All
Sweet Nothing
To Ashes
My Rating System:
* couldn't finish, ** wouldn't recommend, *** would recommend, **** would read again, ***** have read again.
In compliance with FTC guidelines, I have won this book through the Goodreads Giveaways.
Must Come Down
Baby Killer
the Wolf of Bordeaux
the 100-to-1 Club
Gather Darkness
Instinctive Drowning Response
Apocrypha
After All
Sweet Nothing
To Ashes
My Rating System:
* couldn't finish, ** wouldn't recommend, *** would recommend, **** would read again, ***** have read again.
December 27, 2014
As I was telling my dad: "Most short stories I encounter are really precious. These ones are gritty and real."
March 5, 2021
Really great stories. I want to read more Richard Lange.
December 5, 2021
Although I generally enjoyed the stories in Lange's debut collection, Dead Boys, they felt a little too one note to me, and I went on to enjoy the three crime novels of his slightly more. Like most of his writing, this collection of ten stories -- all previously published in various literary quarterlies and the like -- are almost all set in and around LA, with first-person narration by a 25-45 year-old man who is generally deeply alienated from his surroundings. And similarly in keeping with Lange's work, these are guys stuck in dead-end jobs and even deader-end lives, some of whom are dreaming and scheming for something just slightly better, and others who have given into the weight of the world.
The opening story, "Must Come Down" ticks a lot of the boxes, narrated by an aimless unemployed young man living in a crappy apartment with his pregnant wife, supported by monthly checks from her father. When her parents visit, his appetite for keeping up the smiling son-in-law facade quickly wanes. But the next two stories lie a little outside Lange's normal boundaries. "Baby Killer" is narrated by a Latina nurse who knows who killed a kid down the block the other day, but isn't inclined to tell, until events closer to home steer her in another direction. The use of a female voice is rare, but it works well in this crisp little revenge story. Less successful is "The Wolf of Bordeaux", narrated by a prison guard in turn of the 20th-century France, whose exchanges with an accused serial killer of children linger on after the guillotine has fallen. It's a weird outlier and has the feel of something that was written to fit a particular theme.
"The 100-to-1 Club" is a great version of the gambler's tale, as a gambling addict takes a date and her kid to the tracks. His attempt to be the kind of nice guy that could have a nice life with a nice woman and kid seems possible, until his addiction steps in. Another guy trying to ambivalently hang on to his married middle-class life is at the heart of "Gather Darkness", in which a married 30-something has to deal with the fallout from his lone one-night stand affair. "Instinctive Drowning Response" is a junkie tale -- girlfriend ODs, kicked out of apartment, couhc-surfing, luck turns for a while, and then back to the streets. It's nothing surprising or spectacular, just the banality of the junkie hustle, well told.
"Apocrypha" is a rare non-white narrator, as an African-American ex-con seeks to live a quite life moving back and forth between his slum appartment and his job as a security guard in a jewlery shop. When some local hoods go to make a move, he has to make some choices. This is a classic, old-fashioned kind of crime story, but again, well told (and one of the only stories with some uplift at the end). "After All" is another outlier from Lange's usual settings, as it follows two scavengers in a post-apocalyptic future. But like so many of his characters, regardless of setting, in their hunt for a supposed cache of buried gold, they are just more desperate down-and-outers, grasping for hope at long odds.
The title story features another recovering junkie, this one a 30ish guy whose addiction cost him his family and his lucrative sales job. Now he shares an apartment with an obese roommate and works at an all-night Subway. Last is "To Ashes," a kind of morality tale that combines SoCal wildfires with migrants trying to cross, their relatives in the States, a desert loner, and some ex-military border vigilantes. It's well told, but doesn't go anywhere unexpected, but is well-told. Taken as a whole, the collection presents an ambivalent take on themes of redemption and responsibility -- recommended for readers willing to grant some grace to chronic SoCal screwups.
The opening story, "Must Come Down" ticks a lot of the boxes, narrated by an aimless unemployed young man living in a crappy apartment with his pregnant wife, supported by monthly checks from her father. When her parents visit, his appetite for keeping up the smiling son-in-law facade quickly wanes. But the next two stories lie a little outside Lange's normal boundaries. "Baby Killer" is narrated by a Latina nurse who knows who killed a kid down the block the other day, but isn't inclined to tell, until events closer to home steer her in another direction. The use of a female voice is rare, but it works well in this crisp little revenge story. Less successful is "The Wolf of Bordeaux", narrated by a prison guard in turn of the 20th-century France, whose exchanges with an accused serial killer of children linger on after the guillotine has fallen. It's a weird outlier and has the feel of something that was written to fit a particular theme.
"The 100-to-1 Club" is a great version of the gambler's tale, as a gambling addict takes a date and her kid to the tracks. His attempt to be the kind of nice guy that could have a nice life with a nice woman and kid seems possible, until his addiction steps in. Another guy trying to ambivalently hang on to his married middle-class life is at the heart of "Gather Darkness", in which a married 30-something has to deal with the fallout from his lone one-night stand affair. "Instinctive Drowning Response" is a junkie tale -- girlfriend ODs, kicked out of apartment, couhc-surfing, luck turns for a while, and then back to the streets. It's nothing surprising or spectacular, just the banality of the junkie hustle, well told.
"Apocrypha" is a rare non-white narrator, as an African-American ex-con seeks to live a quite life moving back and forth between his slum appartment and his job as a security guard in a jewlery shop. When some local hoods go to make a move, he has to make some choices. This is a classic, old-fashioned kind of crime story, but again, well told (and one of the only stories with some uplift at the end). "After All" is another outlier from Lange's usual settings, as it follows two scavengers in a post-apocalyptic future. But like so many of his characters, regardless of setting, in their hunt for a supposed cache of buried gold, they are just more desperate down-and-outers, grasping for hope at long odds.
The title story features another recovering junkie, this one a 30ish guy whose addiction cost him his family and his lucrative sales job. Now he shares an apartment with an obese roommate and works at an all-night Subway. Last is "To Ashes," a kind of morality tale that combines SoCal wildfires with migrants trying to cross, their relatives in the States, a desert loner, and some ex-military border vigilantes. It's well told, but doesn't go anywhere unexpected, but is well-told. Taken as a whole, the collection presents an ambivalent take on themes of redemption and responsibility -- recommended for readers willing to grant some grace to chronic SoCal screwups.
June 20, 2020
Richard Lange is quite possibly the reigning king of Los Angeles-based fiction, and his second collection of stories, "Sweet Nothing," takes the reader into complicated worlds of relatable characters, each one on a winding road to redemption.
Having used this collection for several semesters in college composition courses, my students of various ages have expressed appreciation for Lange's razor-sharp prose, and his remarkable sense of setting. "Thank you for choosing a book that is relevant to our lives," one student said after turning in her final exam. Lange truly cares about his characters, and possesses a uniquely high level of empathy for the downtrodden, characters that are down on their luck or waiting for a lucky break. This book is five years old and perhaps as relevant as ever. Lange's characters are trying to survive in the same world as rest of us.
The subject matter isn't always pretty. The pages will turning and one story is never enough. "Baby Killer" draws the reader in from the title, and then we are taken on a heart-wrenching journey in the life of Blanca, a good-hearted mother and grandmother who witnesses a deadly drive-by shooting in her own neighborhood, and she's afraid to speak up. This brilliantly rendered internal conflict is juxtaposed with a relentless world where everyone looks out for themselves, and Blanca is torn on how she can protect her family, and society at large, but without bringing further danger into their lives. "Sweet Nothing" the title story, deals with Dennis's fall from grace and how he redeems himself by learning to be there for others.
Lange has carved out his own unique genre: he is, quite simply, L.A. to the core. His writing voice is casual and accessible, his prose straightforward and to-the-point, his outlook worldly yet highly localized. The author, who has mastered the novel and the story, has a way of presenting his characters so that the reader may readily step into their shoes. Richard Lange will take you to the dark side of Los Angeles, but there is plenty of light along the way; it all depends on how you look at it. Each of these ten stories offers readers a chance at another life. With exception to the Wolf of Bordeaux (set in the turn of the 20th century South of France), "Sweet Nothing" is entirely set in So Cal. Golden State residents, as well as out-of-state aficionados, will appreciate Lange's sense of setting right down to the street level. This collection is packed with more hooks than Burlington Coat Factory or a Foofighters album. The poetic simplicity of Richard Lange's lucid prose will never disappoint.
Having used this collection for several semesters in college composition courses, my students of various ages have expressed appreciation for Lange's razor-sharp prose, and his remarkable sense of setting. "Thank you for choosing a book that is relevant to our lives," one student said after turning in her final exam. Lange truly cares about his characters, and possesses a uniquely high level of empathy for the downtrodden, characters that are down on their luck or waiting for a lucky break. This book is five years old and perhaps as relevant as ever. Lange's characters are trying to survive in the same world as rest of us.
The subject matter isn't always pretty. The pages will turning and one story is never enough. "Baby Killer" draws the reader in from the title, and then we are taken on a heart-wrenching journey in the life of Blanca, a good-hearted mother and grandmother who witnesses a deadly drive-by shooting in her own neighborhood, and she's afraid to speak up. This brilliantly rendered internal conflict is juxtaposed with a relentless world where everyone looks out for themselves, and Blanca is torn on how she can protect her family, and society at large, but without bringing further danger into their lives. "Sweet Nothing" the title story, deals with Dennis's fall from grace and how he redeems himself by learning to be there for others.
Lange has carved out his own unique genre: he is, quite simply, L.A. to the core. His writing voice is casual and accessible, his prose straightforward and to-the-point, his outlook worldly yet highly localized. The author, who has mastered the novel and the story, has a way of presenting his characters so that the reader may readily step into their shoes. Richard Lange will take you to the dark side of Los Angeles, but there is plenty of light along the way; it all depends on how you look at it. Each of these ten stories offers readers a chance at another life. With exception to the Wolf of Bordeaux (set in the turn of the 20th century South of France), "Sweet Nothing" is entirely set in So Cal. Golden State residents, as well as out-of-state aficionados, will appreciate Lange's sense of setting right down to the street level. This collection is packed with more hooks than Burlington Coat Factory or a Foofighters album. The poetic simplicity of Richard Lange's lucid prose will never disappoint.
October 2, 2021
Sweet Nothing’s L.A. neo-noir is 10 stories littered with conmen, castoffs, gamblers, and junkies operating in oft-ignored societies that exist all around us, if we’d only choose to look. The stories are almost relentlessly bleak and punishing, but never nihilistic. They’re filled with characters trying to care for their families and loved ones, make a little money, find a little peace. Lange’s camera eye never wavers, he holds it steady on the harshest moments of suffering, zeroes in on the worst decisions taking place at the worst possible times. But he never gawks or casts judgement; every story feels almost effortlessly humane. And that’s the real achievement here: to show the reader that not only do we all do bad things in the service of something better, the distance between the top and the bottom is far more narrow than we’re ever willing to admit.
October 17, 2023
Richard Lange’s Sweet Nothing is reminiscent of his earlier short story collection Dead Boys, though there is slightly more experimentation when it comes to story length, narration and time zone/setting.
Having enjoyed Dead Boys allot, I enjoyed this collection also, though there is one story that seemed completely disconnected from the others in this collection and Dead Boys which whilst I thought it was well written, as Lange’s work tends to be, was slightly jarring due to the extent it was different(the story I’m referring to is “The Wolf
of Bordeaux”. I won’t go into detail as to why it’s different, that will be obvious to any reader or this collection or Lange’s earlier collection Dead Boys).
Nevertheless, this is a solid collection and arguably contains my favourite short story out of both collections, “Baby Killer”. Would recommend to those who have enjoyed Dead Boys.
Having enjoyed Dead Boys allot, I enjoyed this collection also, though there is one story that seemed completely disconnected from the others in this collection and Dead Boys which whilst I thought it was well written, as Lange’s work tends to be, was slightly jarring due to the extent it was different(the story I’m referring to is “The Wolf
of Bordeaux”. I won’t go into detail as to why it’s different, that will be obvious to any reader or this collection or Lange’s earlier collection Dead Boys).
Nevertheless, this is a solid collection and arguably contains my favourite short story out of both collections, “Baby Killer”. Would recommend to those who have enjoyed Dead Boys.
September 22, 2025
Amazingly vivid and immediate from the start, and it gains variety and power as it goes. Almost all of the first half is about insufficient men, gladly insufficient men, flagrantly insufficient men, self-aware insufficient men...and sure enough, they f&*! up in exactly the ways they expected to. This is the all-time book for women sick and tired of men who keep rehearsing the same lines and falling for the same old self-delusions....though given the volume of such men in the first half, you definitely have to calculate your tolerance. Standout is the first story, where the failure, and source of failure, sneak up on you and the narrator, whose father-in-law takes him on one of those escalating, or descending, journeys you really wish you'd never embarked on. That's followed by a few more of same, and about 150 pages in, I was thinking, OK, but also this is the same well-constructed story, every time. It's no surprise to see him in the Q&A appreciating Denis Johnson, since essentially all of these felt like glosses on that canonical last line of "Car Crash While Hitchhiking": "And you, you ridiculous people, you expect me to help you."
Which is why the glints of hope in the second half feel so warming and cheering. It's nice to see the occasional failed protagonist making the right choice and possibly even finding a glint of redemption, even if temporary and extremely contingent. It's not as if any of these have anything approaching a "happy ending," more something like "an ending that contains at least some sense of balance and perspective on how much worse life could be, possibly as exemplified by a supporting character." I was especially taken by the one with the security guard, as well as the trader who bottomed out and is maybe coming back up a little bit, and who's excited to level up to overseeing the computer department at Best Buy. These are dark, funny, self-knowing, and fluid--not a great time, but structuring the collection the way he does drops you some bits of hope every so often.
Which is why the glints of hope in the second half feel so warming and cheering. It's nice to see the occasional failed protagonist making the right choice and possibly even finding a glint of redemption, even if temporary and extremely contingent. It's not as if any of these have anything approaching a "happy ending," more something like "an ending that contains at least some sense of balance and perspective on how much worse life could be, possibly as exemplified by a supporting character." I was especially taken by the one with the security guard, as well as the trader who bottomed out and is maybe coming back up a little bit, and who's excited to level up to overseeing the computer department at Best Buy. These are dark, funny, self-knowing, and fluid--not a great time, but structuring the collection the way he does drops you some bits of hope every so often.
June 10, 2023
If I were to describe this collection, it's crime fiction by way of Denis Johnson. Stories about down-and-out people doing their best to survive, and/or suffering for the weight of their accumulated problems. These are great stories about broken people, that feels unsettlingly realistic, and I like Lange's focusing most of it in one geographical location. His style is spare but the imagery is intense, and a lot of these have great emotional heft to them. I'd love to teach them in my classes one day.
October 11, 2017
All of the characters in Lange's bleak, tender stories are losers, men with questionable pasts and limited futures and yet the author's gift is making them appear sympathetic as they try to negotiate the here and now in their own clumsy ways. There are no wasted words, no throwaways, all of the stories are worth reading, but I found 'Sweet Nothing',the title story about a former drug addict trying to find his way back to a more balanced world the most touching.
October 13, 2020
"Sweet Nothing" by Richard Lange is a collection of short stories centred around folks in lower socio-economic/quasi-criminal circles, mostly set in California. The stories are powerful, relatable and brilliantly written. This was a joy to read and I hope that I can develop my writing skills to this level. Brilliant.
June 2, 2018
I will confess, I gave up after only a few of the stories. I think Lange is a good writer and has great pacing and all the technical skills. He's just hanging around in subject matter I'm not a fan of.
April 12, 2020
Another short story collection which I enjoyed.
My favourites were The Wolf of Bordeaux, The 100-to-1 Club, and Sweet Nothing. Lange has a talent for writing slice of life stories that capture a world and a life so real just in a brief number of pages.
My favourites were The Wolf of Bordeaux, The 100-to-1 Club, and Sweet Nothing. Lange has a talent for writing slice of life stories that capture a world and a life so real just in a brief number of pages.
December 13, 2022
『彼女は水曜日に死んだ』
ISBN978-4-488-01119-2
吉野弘人訳
翻訳小説って読みづらい印象があるけどこの本はすごく読みやすかった。そしておもしろい。どの話もなんらかの形で犯罪に関わりを持ってしまった人の話なので決して明るくはないんだけどすごく引きこまれた。
どれも良かったけど一番好きなのは「甘いささやき(Sweet Nothing)」かな。あとポストアポカリプス的な世界が舞台になっていてこの中では異色だけど「すべてのあとに(After All)」も好きだった。
ISBN978-4-488-01119-2
吉野弘人訳
翻訳小説って読みづらい印象があるけどこの本はすごく読みやすかった。そしておもしろい。どの話もなんらかの形で犯罪に関わりを持ってしまった人の話なので決して明るくはないんだけどすごく引きこまれた。
どれも良かったけど一番好きなのは「甘いささやき(Sweet Nothing)」かな。あとポストアポカリプス的な世界が舞台になっていてこの中では異色だけど「すべてのあとに(After All)」も好きだった。
June 22, 2018
Very talented author. I cannot wait to read his other books!
October 13, 2020
One of my favorite author discoveries of the past few years. Excels at novels and now, short stories as well.
May 11, 2021
Short story collections so often disappoint.
This one did not.
L
This one did not.
L
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