Elmore Leonard (Get Shorty) writes characters like no one else. Their reasoning is sometimes opaque, they often act in contradictory ways and they always make a lasting impression.
In "Confession," a priest in an Old West town tries to decide which moral action to take: distribute stolen money for works of the church that would benefit the poor, or return it to its rightful owner, a known criminal. It's a seemingly simple choice, but the holy man must wrestle with his own worldliness before making his decision.
"Evenings Away from Home" could be a movie, it's so sharply drawn, so impeccably moody. A family man and art director from Detroit meets a hip freelance photographer in the warmth of Arizona. Young local airline stewardesses are ready and willing to pose for the photographer, but the married art director's moral fiber is put to the test when he is given a chance to meet one young woman at the pool late at night. How he decides to conduct himself and the repercussions of his connection with the photographer are not what readers might expect .
According to the introduction by Leonard's son Peter, the author wrote these 15 stories in the 1950s while he worked at an advertising agency for Chevrolet. Even before he mastered the dialogue and gritty style he's most known for, he was able to evoke subtle tones and achingly beautiful moods like none other. These are exceptional stories written by an artist at work and at play, learning his craft with each entry. --Rob LeFebvre, freelance writer and editor