The Luckbox Bookshelf
What we are reading, and why
The Last Taxi Driver
By Lee Durkee
Lee Durkee’s novels draw upon his own hip but hardscrabble life, combining the working-class realism of Charles Bukowski with the counter-cultural flamboyance of Hunter S. Thompson. But Durkee’s timing has been simply awful. Let’s look at some highlights that became low points.
When Durkee’s first book, Rides of the Midway, was published 19 years ago, the reviews ranged from good to glowing. But then came 9/11. “After the dust from the towers had settled, nobody seemed particularly interested in coming-of-age novels set in Mississippi,” he laments.
Hardly anyone bought the book. In fact, its anemic sales made Durkee nearly unpublishable. So he spent the...
