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A Red Death, Walter Mosley (cont)

Really enjoying this book.  A very plain, straightforward style.  Easy Rawlins is an interesting character. Just when you think you've got him pegged as the "tough guy who really has a heart of gold," he doesn't have such a heart of gold.  Great basic plot. To get out of a serious problem with the IRS, Easy agrees to spy on Chaim Wenzler, a Jewish communist who is doing charity work, organizing work, and probably espionage. Easy quickly realizes he likes Chaim, so he's in the position of being a traitor.  "Chaim and I were partners working for the poor and elderly.  Of course, I was trying to hang him, too." The basic plot is augmented by a number of subplots:  infidelities, poor parenting, theft--no glamorizing the underclass here.  Mouse is a great character.  "You talk to my boy for me, get him on my good side, and I'll kill your enemies for you.  Deal?"

Particularly interesting book for a white guy to read.  Every once in awhile, there's a passage that just jumps out.

Office worker with Easy in waiting room "freshens up."  --I wonder if she would have been performing her toilet like that in front of a white taxpayer.

Little Boy -- "He was jumping up and down on my couch. Up and down, over and over, like a little madman, or a little boy."

Tax Man -- All her cared about was that some numbers made up zero on a piece of paper.

"If you can't pay the rent, you die."

"Part of the powerful feeling that black people have for Jesus comes from understanding his plight.  He was innocent and they crucified him; he lifted his head to tell the truth and he died."

W. Mosley on library. "So how do you know, if they don't teach it?" ""Lib'ary got its do' open, man. Ain't nobody tellin' you not to go."

Subverting the man: "Sometime I get drunk an' take a shit on a white man's doorstep. Big ole stinky crap."

Blacklisted movie stars and scientiests: "They gonna need some movie star or some new bomb an' they gonna th'ow that list away. Mosta these guys gonna have work again," he said, then he winked at me. "But you still gonna be a blick niggah, Easy. An' niggah ain't got no union he could count on, an' niggah ain't got no politician gonna work fo' him. All he got is a do'step t'shit in and a black hand t'wipe his black ass."

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