My Ears Are Bent

Couldn't get my hands on this book fast enough.The delight of My Ears are Bent lies in seeing the early output of one of America's best-ever writers. It's a little like watching a great artist in the process of creation. All of the elements are there - the fascination for the darker sides of human nature, the peaks into odd little corners of old New York, the genesis of some of his recurrent themes.While Mitchell's later New Yorker work contained wit and very subtle, very dark humor, some of the pieces in My Ears are Bent are laugh-out-loud funny. And some of it is positively chilling - his absolutely stone-faced report on witnessing an execution leaves one feeling nothing but creepy.But while there's some great stuff here, the book is uneven. For one thing, Mitchell was working for a newspaper when these stories were written, cranking out text at a ferocious volume, and didn't have the time to create brilliance he was later afforded at The New Yorker (to say nothing of the gem-cutting skill of New Yorker editors). And it's also clear that at the time these stories were written, Mitchell did not yet have the subtlety and flawless control displayed in his later work.One caution: I suspect that some readers may find some of the descriptions of various ethnic groups - particularly African Americans - condescending or worse. These stories clearly reflect a somewhat different ethic than we expect to see today.On a standalone basis, this is NOT a fabulous book. . I gave it the 4 stars because of Mitchell's importance as a writer, the fascination of being able to so clearly see his skills evolving, and because anyone who was touched by Mitchell's later writing MUST read it.--GVI

Mr. Joseph Mitchell can write, and his stories are all based on true characters, places, and of a time that for many will be a treasure of information, plus the unrelenting truth that he can write very well while telling these stories. Is like taking a step back, or two, to an era that can only be discovered by reading this type of book. I would say that he possesses that elusive skill and talent, that most writer only wish they had at their command. Bought another title by this same author, and immediately after, bought this one. In some cases, that would be overkill, but in this writer is just a continuation of very good stories, that if read with an open mind, and heart, will never cease to delight, and even amaze an avid reader like myself. Well worth the price of admission, My Ears are Bent by Mr. Joseph Mitchell, is the kind of book one would probably keep around, for anyone that likes reading is bound to enjoy it very much. 4.5 Stars.

If you're a constant reader, and you haven't read this, read it. Joseph Mitchell was a reporter, first for a New York daily during the depression, and then for the New Yorker for years. He effortlessly entertains and completely informs on a huge variety of subjects.His other collection, Up in the Old Hotel, is as equally well written but doesn't include the newspaper reporter's wiseguy remarks that make this so hilarious. I only wish more of his work was reprinted.While he mostly describes the down and out, he does it with compassion that isn't saccharine. He details the characters of a lost New York, of Fulton Fishmarket, of the Bowery, of bartenders and his own follies as an enthusiastic young reporter from the South. You'll wish you could meet many of the characters he interviews, but Mitchell himself more than anyone.

Joseph Mitchell is an astute and lyrical writer who transports the reader to another magical time and place. The opposite of science fiction: it’s real and true.

This is my first experience with this author, so I am unable to compare it to his other books. I am really enjoying his "up close and personal" style about the way New York was back then. As always, this book arrived on time in the condition described by this seller. Thank you.

Need more Joseph Mitchell now that you've finished "Bottom of the Harbor" and "Joe Gould's Secret"? Of course! Here it is, (almost) the earliest and the last remaining Mitchell: a collection of Mitchell's feature stories from a pair of NYC newspapers. Earliest, because Mitchell wrote these after his job as a reporter and before he started at the New Yorker. Last because they were some of the last to be reprinted.Enjoy them.

Readers who enjoyed the Up in the Old Hotel collection will find the same big-hearted, generous portraits of quirky New Yorkers here. Some stories are not as polished, and some prose is a bit clunky, compared to the later Mitchell (e.g.,a gun fired "smokily"), but that adds to the fun, for this reader.

This romp through old New York through the educated eyes of Joseph Mitchell cites various neighborhoods and some delightful Runyanesque characters not to be missed. Still enjoying this read as I am about half way through. You can pick and choose the different venues which is a treat.

Mitchell was a journalist; he writes like one with a slightly crusty no-nonsense style that sets its own cadence. He writes fondly of the more marginal people of NY, the vaudeville strippers with in stiff competition with others over the "bubble dance", or the bar scenes were crime is conceived in underwhelming circumstances, among a panoply of other characters.

If you read Up in the Old Hotel, this is a fun read.

Fantastic stories of New York in the 1930s. Mitchell is a stunning writer.

It is only recently that I discovered the wonderful talent of Joseph Mitchell. He was a superb wordsmith and it is a pity that his work is not more widely known and appreciated.

Take a walk with Joe through the city he knows is everywhere, inhabited by characters dished up by life and taking hits from value judgements.