The Man in My Basement

by Walter Mosley

Book Overview

This masterpiece by celebrated New York Times bestselling author Walter Mosley is the mysterious story of a young Black man who agrees to an unusual bargain to save the home that has belonged to his... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0316570826
• ISBN13: 9780965913478
• Release Date: January 2004
• Publisher: SERPENTS TAIL +
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 7.0" x 0.8" x 5.0"

Customer Reviews

Mosley is brilliant. The deep understanding and showcase of human nature and all it's good and bad are exposed and explored. Great writing and a riveting story.

And Now for Something Completely Different from Mosley

Walter Mosley as a writer is hard to pin down. He's written mystery novels, featuring Easy Rawlins, and at least one science fiction novel, 'Blue Light.' He's written about one of the most interesting characters in American fiction, Socrates Fortlow, in a group of short stories, 'Always Outnumbered, Always Outgunned' and 'Walkin' the Dog.' And now he's written a novel set on Long Island, far from his usual Los Angeles scene, in a community of African-Americans who have been there since before the Revolution (that's the American Revolution, folks!). And he's concocted a wildly improbable plot that if nothing else convinces that Mosley has a wickedly inventive and creative mind. But most of all, and true in all of Mosley's writing, there is an undercurrent of subtly examined moral and ethical issues. Not the kind that clobbers you over the head with preachiness, but the kind that draws you in and makes you start thinking hard about things that are deep and disturbing, issues like 'good' and 'evil.' This novel, which I've now read twice, has stayed with me long after most books are distant memories. There is something profoundly disturbing and yet profoundly moving in this short book. So, in spite of there already being 30+ reviews of 'The Man in My Basement,' I felt I had to add my endorsement. Urgently recommended. Scott Morrison

I should have bought it

Walter Mosely has always been rather hit or miss with me. His Easy Rawlins mysteries are good reads yet a bit forgetable after a few months. The Fearless Jones books are entertaining but not much more. Blue Light just sucked and I didn't finish it. But he's always been a good enough writer to make me take notice when he has something new out. I saw Man in My Basement at the bookstore last week and read the synopsis. Sounded interesting but not enough for me to pay $22 for a 250 page book. So I got it from the library.After finishing it, I think I should have just bought the thing because I know I'll be reading it again and passing it on to all my friends. First of all, this is the best writing Mosley has done so far. Miles ahead of all his other stuff in terms of pace, tone, theme and overall prose. Second, it's original. I don't recall ever reading a story quite like it. Third, it's unpredictible (unlike some of his "mysteries"). I thought I had an idea where the story was going and was even dreading some heavy-handed sermonizing and lectures about race relations. Fortunately, it's not about any of that. The themes examined in the book are way more universal and I even found myself rethinking a few things about my own day-to-day living.The Man in My Basement is Mosely in prime form and I hope he continues to push the envelope like this.

excellent...nuff said

unlike many of the other reviewers, I'll leave a brief REVIEW and not a BOOK REPORT that hits all the major plot points and gives away the flow of the novel. (god bless the internet and its accesibility) the writing is excellent, pulls you in from page one. the writer has a way of drawing flawed characters and making them human and makes the reader empathize with their plight, even if they are characters, for the most part, we wouldn't want to spend time with in the real world. Walter Mosley gets to the heart and soul of his characters, something that many writers fail to do. He's not afraid to show you the unprettiness of his characters and this country. What amazes me is how many reviewers are genre-stuck and not able to grade a story on its on merit. "it's not a mystery.." DUH. This novel is another expample that shows why Mosley is great. it's not about race or genre. He's an excellent writer, period.

Bizarre But Brilliant!

Charles Blakey is so far down he is about to hit bottom. A smart man who reads science fiction, he is not able to get a job, drinks all day, and is down to his last dollar. Then the mysterious small white man appears, Anniston Bennet, with a bizarre proposition. Bennet will pay an enormous sum of money just to stay in Blakey's basement for two months. Actually, it gets stranger, for what Bennet really wants is to be imprisoned in that basement in a specially constructed steel cage. He has--let's say--issues he needs to work out. Not much happens after that except the increasingly stormy relationship between these two very different men, their dialogue, and Blakey's desperate attempts to maintain his sanity. The experience will shake Charles Blakey's world to its foundations, and it may change yours as well. This is a bizarre story, but a powerful one, beautifully written. Author Mosley is a master writer. His characterizations are brilliant. His portrayal of Charles Blakey's downfall, confusion, struggles and redemption is a work of genius. Even the sex scenes are worth reading--earthy and unsettling. If you don't read anything else this year, read The Man In My Basement. In other words, I recommend it highly! Reviewed by Louis N. Gruber.

BASEMENT TENANT LEAVES READERS ON THE EDGE OF OUR SEATS

I received Mr. Mosley's recent novel (Man in My Basement) to do a review for Booking Matters Magazine. I was actually standing in the post office Christmas holiday lines when I received the novel and I immediately started reading it, initially to pass the time while waiting in a very long line. The storyline grabbed me from page one and didn't let me go until the very last page. The book itself is small in size...but has left me thirsty for more by Mr. Mosley. There are many authors out there now who can really write...I'd like to add that Mr. Mosley can not only write..but can tell a story that leaves any reader in deep thought. The Man in my Basement (while fiction) will challenge the reader to look at the issue of "guilt" and how powerful it can be in a person's life. The main characters were some I will NEVER forget and I actually even read parts of the story to my husband and we've discussed the book (and I am the one who really read it). Mr. Mosley, I do hope you check on line reviews because I want you to know that you have fans out here who absolutely adore your work. You really have set another standard for authors. The Man in My Basement is a very powerful, thought provoking, thought challenging novel that is highly recommended to ALL. This story will stay with me for a very long time. And as stated in my title of this review...this novel leaves you...ON THE EDGE OF YOUR SEAT! Buy it and read it today!!!!