Read more
Mixing outlaw humor, sci-fi adventure, and cutting social criticism, this collection draws upon John Shirley's entire arsenal. The title essay, New Taboos is his prescription for a radical revisioning of America. A new short story, State of Imprisonment, is a horrifying and hilarious look at the privatization of the prison industry.
About the author
John Shirley is one of the original "Dread Lords" of Cyberpunk who brought a new noir sensibility to SF and Fantasy in the nineties. Still associated with his literary compatriots Gibson, Rucker, and Sterling, Shirley has expanded his work into comics, film, TV, and music, bringing his legions of fans along with him. He is the author of numerous books and many, many short stories. His novels include
Bleak History,
Crawlers,
Demons,
In Darkness Waiting, and seminal cyberpunk works
City Come A-Walkin’ as well as the A Song Called Youth trilogy of
Eclipse,
Eclipse Penumbra, and
Eclipse Corona. His collections include the Bram Stoker and International Horror Guild award-winning
Black Butterflies,
Living Shadows: Stories New & Pre-owned, and
In Extremis: The Most Extreme Short Stories of John Shirley. He also writes for screen (
The Crow) and television. As a musician Shirley has fronted his own bands and written lyrics for Blue Öyster Cult and others.
Summary
Mixing outlaw humor, SF adventure, and cutting social criticism, Shirley draws upon his entire arsenal of narrative and commentary. The title essay, “New Taboos” is his prescription for a radical revisioning of America. A new novella, A State of Imprisonment, is a horrifying and grimly hilarious look at the privatization of the prison industry. “Why We Need Forty Years of Hell,” Shirley’s 2011 TEDx address, presents his proudly contrarian view of the near future.
Also featured is our Outspoken Interview showcasing the author’s transgressive sensibility, deep humanity, and mordant wit.
