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Don't Push the Button
LOVE IS THE ONLY SHOCKING ACT LEFT
We all know horror. It's in our face every day. You can try to negotiate the nightmare but total chaos and destruction is just one button-push away.
Horror legend John Skipp walks you through the light and the dark with an unflinching eye. Revealing both the best and worst of us, one laugh and scream at a time.
It ain't pretty. But it's beautiful. Once you go all the way.
We all know horror. It's in our face every day. You can try to negotiate the nightmare but total chaos and destruction is just one button-push away.
Horror legend John Skipp walks you through the light and the dark with an unflinching eye. Revealing both the best and worst of us, one laugh and scream at a time.
It ain't pretty. But it's beautiful. Once you go all the way.
- GenresHorrorShort Stories
294 pages, Paperback
First published October 26, 2021
88 people want to read
About the author
John Skipp
106 books287 followersJohn Skipp is a splatterpunk horror and fantasy author and anthology editor, as well as a songwriter, screenwriter, film director, and film producer. He collaborated with Craig Spector on multiple novels, and has also collaborated with Marc Levinthal and Cody Goodfellow.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
September 5, 2023
This is an excellent and very well-balanced collection of stories, screenplays, essays, and even a poem that showcase the talents of splatterpunk legend John Skipp in a wide range of humorous to horrific, hopeful to gloomy, bizzarro to traditional venues. His many observations of the Covid pandemic are particularly prescient ("U is for Universal Health Care: Under the present circumstances, this shouldn't even be a fucking question anymore.", for example, from Skipp's Self-Isolating ABC's of the Covid-19 (Stage One)), and despite the gruesome ends many of his characters find, he maintains a friendly and positive attitude towards humanity. Many of the pieces feel somewhat autobiographical, and the tone is more of a friend telling you a story than of a distant lecturer making pronouncements. My favorite pieces were the two teleplays, which would be great to see on screen. It's a fun and surprisingly good book.
October 25, 2021
Firstly huge thanks to Clash Books for the ARC!! Can you believe this was my first book by Skipp? What a place to start!
It's equal parts righteous anger and a deep love for humanity, flaws and all. Felt like I needed a cigarette after some stories and I don't even smoke! Skipp has a undeniably distinct voice that is both intimidating and inspiring. I'd be sitting hands on my chin happy as a clam to hear him recounting a dude who he met once at a bar 20 years ago.
It's also the first book I've read that directly talks about how much the pandemic absolutely sucks. It's refreshing and validating (I had a pretty bad experience with it earlier this year). Feels like a difficult topic to cover even though it's now an everyday reality.
Anyway I'm off to read his other books ASAP.
It's equal parts righteous anger and a deep love for humanity, flaws and all. Felt like I needed a cigarette after some stories and I don't even smoke! Skipp has a undeniably distinct voice that is both intimidating and inspiring. I'd be sitting hands on my chin happy as a clam to hear him recounting a dude who he met once at a bar 20 years ago.
It's also the first book I've read that directly talks about how much the pandemic absolutely sucks. It's refreshing and validating (I had a pretty bad experience with it earlier this year). Feels like a difficult topic to cover even though it's now an everyday reality.
Anyway I'm off to read his other books ASAP.
January 27, 2022
I don't really know what cosmic cockup or oversight resulted in me getting this far along as a horror reader without ever encountering John Skipp prior, but I've sure as hell found him now.
Bought his most recent collection on a whim, based on a faint inkling that I was missing something by having never read him before. No idea if DON'T PUSH THE BUTTON is the best place to start with his catalog, but it was my boarding point to the rocket-sled-on-rails that is John Skipp's psyche and dammit, it was one hell of a ride. Just closed the final page and I am still lit from the experience of reading it.
The book is something of a chimera, with formats ranging from short fiction to poetry, screenplays, and a couple of essays as well. Each piece is preceded by a couple of spoiler-free liner notes to give some sort of personal context to the work. And believe me, personal context lies at the dark, beating heart of this deeply-engaging collection of madcap, punk-as-fuck horror.
There's plenty of grue on display here. Sordid goings on of all varieties. Horror yarns of the highest and lowest degree. But what is abundantly clear from the opening story onward is just how much of his heart Skipp is smearing all over these pages. Pen in one hand, jagged, rusting blade in the other, you can practically hear him opening himself up and giving you a peek of what's inside. And some of these cuts feel agonizingly deep. But every slash and every stroke are delivered with a crooked grin that's part sneer and part pathos. There's blood on his choppers from the depth of the cuts, but you see it through a grin nonetheless.
I think that's what surprised me the most. Whatever expectations I had going in were based on a very brief perusal of Skipp's CV and a few peripheral Facebook posts. I was expecting an embittered, crusty old punk spinning nihilistic tales of horror and pages wet with gore. What DON'T PUSH THE BUTTON delivered was something so earnestly human and strong of spirit that it might have come across as incongruous in less deft hands.
Don't get me wrong. There's a plenitude of splat and retribution and darkness in these pages. But so many of them are underscored with compassion and soul. Even when the delivery is painful, as it so clearly was in a few of the pieces, Skipp masterfully pulls you into his own catharsis. You feel the sense of loss and sorrow that he conveys because, in many cases, he lived it. He survived it. And in sharing it with you, he's allowing you to soak up a little piece of that pain, but you can also revel in the profound feeling of resolution. And just to prove just how many facets he can cover in one three-page story, you'll spend as much time laughing your ass off as you will cringing in revulsion or wincing through the tears.
Humor is a keynote here as much as the horror or the pathos. There's a sardonic irreverence to Skipp's insightful humor that truly embraces the punk ideal. Or whatever I have always conceived it to be, anyway. A twinkle in his gimlet eye, as it were. He delivers the laughs with that same level of high-octane energy that he delivers the dismemberments and depravity.
There's also a world-weary wisdom that permeates this entire body of work. Skipp's seen a lot. Weathered his share of storms and maybe a few other folks' shares, as well. This translates to some pretty bleak depictions of humankind on these pages, but tempered with the wisdom and patience and compassion of someone who's seen a lot of shit and really just wants things to work out for the whole damned race.
All in all, this is one hell of a collection. I can't imagine having started from a better place in my burgeoning exploration of John Skipp's many decades of work in my favorite field. Okay, I can. I really wish we'd met over drinks and conversation. I'll definitely be looking for more of his writing in the interim between this review and a glass of whiskey at a Con somewhere. For the moment, however, please consider picking up a copy of DON'T PUSH THE BUTTON, published by Clash books.
I don't know where you park your car, but if it's anywhere near the same garage as me, you're going to hang on every page this book has to offer.
Bought his most recent collection on a whim, based on a faint inkling that I was missing something by having never read him before. No idea if DON'T PUSH THE BUTTON is the best place to start with his catalog, but it was my boarding point to the rocket-sled-on-rails that is John Skipp's psyche and dammit, it was one hell of a ride. Just closed the final page and I am still lit from the experience of reading it.
The book is something of a chimera, with formats ranging from short fiction to poetry, screenplays, and a couple of essays as well. Each piece is preceded by a couple of spoiler-free liner notes to give some sort of personal context to the work. And believe me, personal context lies at the dark, beating heart of this deeply-engaging collection of madcap, punk-as-fuck horror.
There's plenty of grue on display here. Sordid goings on of all varieties. Horror yarns of the highest and lowest degree. But what is abundantly clear from the opening story onward is just how much of his heart Skipp is smearing all over these pages. Pen in one hand, jagged, rusting blade in the other, you can practically hear him opening himself up and giving you a peek of what's inside. And some of these cuts feel agonizingly deep. But every slash and every stroke are delivered with a crooked grin that's part sneer and part pathos. There's blood on his choppers from the depth of the cuts, but you see it through a grin nonetheless.
I think that's what surprised me the most. Whatever expectations I had going in were based on a very brief perusal of Skipp's CV and a few peripheral Facebook posts. I was expecting an embittered, crusty old punk spinning nihilistic tales of horror and pages wet with gore. What DON'T PUSH THE BUTTON delivered was something so earnestly human and strong of spirit that it might have come across as incongruous in less deft hands.
Don't get me wrong. There's a plenitude of splat and retribution and darkness in these pages. But so many of them are underscored with compassion and soul. Even when the delivery is painful, as it so clearly was in a few of the pieces, Skipp masterfully pulls you into his own catharsis. You feel the sense of loss and sorrow that he conveys because, in many cases, he lived it. He survived it. And in sharing it with you, he's allowing you to soak up a little piece of that pain, but you can also revel in the profound feeling of resolution. And just to prove just how many facets he can cover in one three-page story, you'll spend as much time laughing your ass off as you will cringing in revulsion or wincing through the tears.
Humor is a keynote here as much as the horror or the pathos. There's a sardonic irreverence to Skipp's insightful humor that truly embraces the punk ideal. Or whatever I have always conceived it to be, anyway. A twinkle in his gimlet eye, as it were. He delivers the laughs with that same level of high-octane energy that he delivers the dismemberments and depravity.
There's also a world-weary wisdom that permeates this entire body of work. Skipp's seen a lot. Weathered his share of storms and maybe a few other folks' shares, as well. This translates to some pretty bleak depictions of humankind on these pages, but tempered with the wisdom and patience and compassion of someone who's seen a lot of shit and really just wants things to work out for the whole damned race.
All in all, this is one hell of a collection. I can't imagine having started from a better place in my burgeoning exploration of John Skipp's many decades of work in my favorite field. Okay, I can. I really wish we'd met over drinks and conversation. I'll definitely be looking for more of his writing in the interim between this review and a glass of whiskey at a Con somewhere. For the moment, however, please consider picking up a copy of DON'T PUSH THE BUTTON, published by Clash books.
I don't know where you park your car, but if it's anywhere near the same garage as me, you're going to hang on every page this book has to offer.
August 1, 2022
I love Skipp's novels so this is a bit different. It's a lot of shorter pieces so while I didn't find it as satisfying as his longer works I'm certainly glad I read it. His essays at the end are probably my favorite pieces.
June 8, 2024
Signore e signori, stavolta ci troviamo davanti ad un libro molto particolare. "Don't Push the Button" del leggendario John Skipp (fondatore del movimento letterario denominato “splatterpunk”) è una raccolta eclettica che unisce racconti, saggi ed esperimenti di scrittura realizzati durante la pandemia da Covid-19. Questa struttura ibrida offre una finestra affascinante sul processo creativo di Skipp, rendendo il libro una lettura variegata, stimolante, e risultando ben più della semplice somma delle sue parti.
I racconti presenti nella raccolta sono caratterizzati da una scrittura graffiante e incisiva, tipica di Skipp, e ogni storia è un piccolo gioiello intriso di humor nero e colpi di scena inaspettati che creano un mix unico, tanto grottesco quanto divertente. L'autore esplora con maestria temi come la solitudine, la follia, le dipendenze e le conseguenze delle nostre azioni, mantenendo sempre un tono irriverente e provocatorio. I personaggi sono vividi e complessi, spesso intrappolati in situazioni surreali e disturbanti che sfidano le convenzioni del genere.
Intervallati tra i racconti, i saggi e gli esperimenti di scrittura offrono un contrasto interessante e un ulteriore livello di profondità. Questi segmenti esplorano le riflessioni personali di Skipp e la sua esperienza durante la sua vita e durante la pandemia, aggiungendo una dimensione autobiografica che arricchisce l'opera. La scrittura di Skipp in questi pezzi è altrettanto graffiante, ma anche più introspettiva, rivelando le sue preoccupazioni, speranze e visioni del mondo in un periodo di grande incertezza.
Questo libro è una testimonianza del talento versatile di John Skipp, che riesce a navigare tra generi e forme letterarie diverse con facilità. Sebbene la natura sperimentale del libro o lo stile splatterpunk possano non piacere a tutti, chi è aperto a un'esperienza di lettura diversa e provocatoria troverà molto da apprezzare.
"Don't Push the Button" è un'opera sorprendente che mostra il lato più audace e creativo di Skipp e che invita i lettori a esplorare nuovi territori della narrativa horror, riflettendo al contempo su temi attuali e universali attraverso la lente di uno degli autori più originali del genere.
CONSIGLIATO a chi cerca una lettura completamente fuori dagli schemi
NON CONSIGLIATO a chi cerca letture tradizionali
COSA MI È PIACIUTO
- Scrittura mordace
- Critica sociale
- Fa riflettere sia su noi stessi che su come ci rapportiamo al mondo
- Esperimento letterario riuscito
COSA NON MI È PIACIUTO
- Due volte tutto l’alfabeto è un po’ troppo
- Molto sperimentale, potrebbe non piacere a tutti
I racconti presenti nella raccolta sono caratterizzati da una scrittura graffiante e incisiva, tipica di Skipp, e ogni storia è un piccolo gioiello intriso di humor nero e colpi di scena inaspettati che creano un mix unico, tanto grottesco quanto divertente. L'autore esplora con maestria temi come la solitudine, la follia, le dipendenze e le conseguenze delle nostre azioni, mantenendo sempre un tono irriverente e provocatorio. I personaggi sono vividi e complessi, spesso intrappolati in situazioni surreali e disturbanti che sfidano le convenzioni del genere.
Intervallati tra i racconti, i saggi e gli esperimenti di scrittura offrono un contrasto interessante e un ulteriore livello di profondità. Questi segmenti esplorano le riflessioni personali di Skipp e la sua esperienza durante la sua vita e durante la pandemia, aggiungendo una dimensione autobiografica che arricchisce l'opera. La scrittura di Skipp in questi pezzi è altrettanto graffiante, ma anche più introspettiva, rivelando le sue preoccupazioni, speranze e visioni del mondo in un periodo di grande incertezza.
Questo libro è una testimonianza del talento versatile di John Skipp, che riesce a navigare tra generi e forme letterarie diverse con facilità. Sebbene la natura sperimentale del libro o lo stile splatterpunk possano non piacere a tutti, chi è aperto a un'esperienza di lettura diversa e provocatoria troverà molto da apprezzare.
"Don't Push the Button" è un'opera sorprendente che mostra il lato più audace e creativo di Skipp e che invita i lettori a esplorare nuovi territori della narrativa horror, riflettendo al contempo su temi attuali e universali attraverso la lente di uno degli autori più originali del genere.
Quando ero bambino, pensavo come un bambino. Ed era davvero divertente. Non avevo idea di quanto fossi libero, perché non sapevo che mi avrebbero mai imposto di soffocare l’immaginazione. E avevo gli occhi spalancati.
CONSIGLIATO a chi cerca una lettura completamente fuori dagli schemi
NON CONSIGLIATO a chi cerca letture tradizionali
COSA MI È PIACIUTO
- Scrittura mordace
- Critica sociale
- Fa riflettere sia su noi stessi che su come ci rapportiamo al mondo
- Esperimento letterario riuscito
COSA NON MI È PIACIUTO
- Due volte tutto l’alfabeto è un po’ troppo
- Molto sperimentale, potrebbe non piacere a tutti
November 28, 2021
The latest and possibly final book from Splatterpunk legend John Skipp? How can you pass this up?
Don't Push the Button doesn't resemble a traditional collection, comprised of mostly short stories but with two screenplays and a couple essays to round things out.
The stories showcase a whole lot of variety and each comes with a short note from the author that often add a bit of context that, I found, only adds to the enjoyment. Case in point here would be "Jimmy Jay Baxter's Last, Best Day on Earth". In true splatterpunk fashion, it reads as a zombie story with a whole lot of gore, but Skipp's intro provides a (I can't think of a better word than) meditation on the idea that everyone is the hero of the their own story, and humans are a gray mash-up of three-dimensional parts.
I really loved the two Skipp's ABC entries, taking us through 26 micro-stories each, one dealing with COVID and the other with splatterpunk. It's a handy pocket encyclopedia introduction to the subgenre. Some other favorites from this part of the book were "Bringing Out Your Demons", "Hopium Den", "The Inward Eye", and "In the Winter of No Love".
Personal opinion, but I could have done without the screenplays. The essays, however, were a great way to wrap up the book. "Happiness Tips For the Profoundly Haunted" in particular should be required readings for aspiring/new/veteran/all fucking authors.
Skipp's mark on the genre is indelible and branded with fire. Even without this entry, it wasn't going anywhere, but if this is the last piece of literature he leaves us with, it's a fitting sendoff.
Don't Push the Button doesn't resemble a traditional collection, comprised of mostly short stories but with two screenplays and a couple essays to round things out.
The stories showcase a whole lot of variety and each comes with a short note from the author that often add a bit of context that, I found, only adds to the enjoyment. Case in point here would be "Jimmy Jay Baxter's Last, Best Day on Earth". In true splatterpunk fashion, it reads as a zombie story with a whole lot of gore, but Skipp's intro provides a (I can't think of a better word than) meditation on the idea that everyone is the hero of the their own story, and humans are a gray mash-up of three-dimensional parts.
I really loved the two Skipp's ABC entries, taking us through 26 micro-stories each, one dealing with COVID and the other with splatterpunk. It's a handy pocket encyclopedia introduction to the subgenre. Some other favorites from this part of the book were "Bringing Out Your Demons", "Hopium Den", "The Inward Eye", and "In the Winter of No Love".
Personal opinion, but I could have done without the screenplays. The essays, however, were a great way to wrap up the book. "Happiness Tips For the Profoundly Haunted" in particular should be required readings for aspiring/new/veteran/all fucking authors.
Skipp's mark on the genre is indelible and branded with fire. Even without this entry, it wasn't going anywhere, but if this is the last piece of literature he leaves us with, it's a fitting sendoff.
December 29, 2021
John Skipp should be more famous than he is.
This is not an insult. Not at all. He was a best-selling author in the 80s and should be a household name now. His most recent release is a collection that includes short stories, essays, poems and screenplays. It's a literary catchall. Not every entry knocks it out of the park. But it isn't supposed to. What this is, more than anything else, is a tour de force of words. Skipp has a way of simultaneously stimulating your mind while repulsing you with his descriptive prowess. He has a way with words, to say the least. He manipulates language unlike any other author I have ever read. He is simultaneously deep and childish. Simple and complex. He is both biographical and trapped in a fantasy. More than anything, his writing flows. It draws you in and forces you to turn the page. When you are finished, you wish there was more. This is exactly what good writing should do. Thank you for this journey.
This is not an insult. Not at all. He was a best-selling author in the 80s and should be a household name now. His most recent release is a collection that includes short stories, essays, poems and screenplays. It's a literary catchall. Not every entry knocks it out of the park. But it isn't supposed to. What this is, more than anything else, is a tour de force of words. Skipp has a way of simultaneously stimulating your mind while repulsing you with his descriptive prowess. He has a way with words, to say the least. He manipulates language unlike any other author I have ever read. He is simultaneously deep and childish. Simple and complex. He is both biographical and trapped in a fantasy. More than anything, his writing flows. It draws you in and forces you to turn the page. When you are finished, you wish there was more. This is exactly what good writing should do. Thank you for this journey.
August 4, 2025
John Skipp's short stories waver between Barker-esq and Burrows-esq - that's William S, not Edgar Rice. Some absurd, some deeply personal, some shocking grotesque. Don't Push the Button could serve as a pastiche of the splatterpunk genre. Perfectly crafted as a guided tour through the gates and only mildly plumbing its depths, Skipp's great gift, like Barker's, is his disarming humanity, which he himself describes as a vital element of splatterpunk within these pages.
There are also some screenplays and essays which are not really necessary but don't adversely impact the reader's experience with these unique, quirky, disgusting, and oddly touching tales.
There are also some screenplays and essays which are not really necessary but don't adversely impact the reader's experience with these unique, quirky, disgusting, and oddly touching tales.
August 14, 2023
I hadn't read any John Skipp before this book, and I was amazed. Skipp's stories affected me deeply, making me question things about my life and the way I live. I'd never heard the idea that happiness was a skill to be developed and I love it. I expected to be scared, and I was, but the book inspired me too.
May 15, 2025
Not my cup of tea.
Comprendo la qualità della scrittura anche attraverso la traduzione, ma sono proprio i temi e le idee che mi sembrano come visti attraverso un vetro sporco. Sì, magari è proprio il suo bello, ma.
Comprendo la qualità della scrittura anche attraverso la traduzione, ma sono proprio i temi e le idee che mi sembrano come visti attraverso un vetro sporco. Sì, magari è proprio il suo bello, ma.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 17, 2021
Great collection of short stories, screenplays, and essays by John Skipp. The Godfather of Splatterpunk. I’ve loved everything that I’ve read by him.
February 11, 2022
I really enjoyed this anthology. So much to offer from an amazing writer. I suggest you buy this from clash books now!!. Also, Josh malerman started the book off! How cool is that? Way cool.
May 28, 2024
Antologia di racconti in pieno stile Splatterpunk, e per i racconti darei 4 stelle. La stella aggiuntiva è data da quel "saggio" autobiografico: "consigli di felicità per chi è profondamente tormentato", che vale la pena di leggere anche se non si è appassionati di horror, ma che tutti potrebbero leggere traendone beneficio.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews