The Man in my Basement by Walter Mosley

"If suicide meant giving up, then I'd be dead by now."

I got chills from reading. I don't know whether it was because of the book's dark theme, or because never had I identified this much with a book character -- and he was a grown black man who was also a drunk unemployed thief. It was as if someone has found the words for me to articulate not just my thoughts, but my angry musings.

And to think I almost passed this book up. Powerbooks was having a sale, and although I've never heard of the title nor of the author, the premise was promising, so I spared 99 bucks. 99 bucks for this surprise whack in the head. sweet.

I also liked the part wherein the lead was asked the quintessential question, 'Have you ever been in love?'. He did not pretend to stare off deeply and say 'yes'; for him, if others described love as like gravity for its unexplicable but irrefutable attraction, then he was a floating astronaut. ditto.

thumbs up for walter mosley.