AUTHOR’S NOTE
FOREWORD: THE CRICKET BENEATH THE HAMMER, BY ROBERT CRAIS
INTRODUCTION: THE LOST SECRETS OF EAST ATLANTIS
INSTALLMENT 1: EVERYTHING I KNOW ABOUT MY FATHER
2: VALERIE, PART ONE
3: VALERIE, PART TWO
4: VALERIE, PART THREE
5: GETTING STIFFED
6: THE TYRANNY OF THE WEAK, AND SOME FORESHADOWING
7: WITH BLOCH AND BORMANN IN BRAZIL
8: THE FIRST OF 3 CULINARY COMMENTS
9: NO OFFENSE INTENDED, BUT FUCK XMAS!
10: THE DAY I DIED
11–20: HARLAN ELLISON’S MOVIE, A COMPLETE SCREENPLAY
21: FAIR WEATHER FRIENDS, SUMMER SOLDIERS, AND SUNSHINE PATRIOTS
22: TROUBLING THOUGHTS ABOUT GODHOOD, PART ONE
23: BLESS THAT PESKY WABBIT
24: TROUBLING THOUGHTS ABOUT GODHOOD, PART TWO
25: WHERE SHADOW COLLIDES WITH REALITY A PREAMBLE
26: WHEN I WAS A HIRED GUN, PART ONE
27: WHEN I WAS A HIRED GUN, PART TWO
28: A RARE, KINDLY THOUGHT
29: 3 SMALL PLEASURES FOR A MORE ENDURABLE EXISTENCE [SECOND OF 3 CULINARY COMMENTS]
30: VARIETIES OF VENUE
31: WHY I FANTASIZE ABOUT USING AN AK-47 ON TEENAGERS
32: IN WHICH THE IMP OF DELIGHT TRIES TO MAKE THE WORLD SMILE
INSTALLMENT 33: I GO TO BED ANGRY EVERY NIGHT, AND WAKE UP ANGRIER THE NEXT MORNING
34: AHBHU
35: DEATH ROW, SAN QUENTIN, PART ONE
36: DEATH ROW, SAN QUENTIN, PART TWO
37: COLLEGE DAYS, PART ONE
38: THE DEATH-WISH OF A GOLDEN IDEA
39: COLLEGE DAYS, PART TWO
40: COLLEGE DAYS, PART THREE
41: THE LAST OF 3 CULINARY COMMENTS, GONZO-STYLE
42: OUT OF THE MAIL BAG
43: OH, DEAR, HE’S NOT GOING TO DO XMAS AGAIN, IS HE?
44: THE DEATH OF MY MOTHER, SERITA R. ELLISON
45: ENORMOUS DUMB
46: REVEALED AT LAST! WHAT KILLED THE DINOSAURS! AND YOU DON’T LOOK SO TERRIFIC YOURSELF.
APPENDIX A: COMIC OF THE ABSURD (1970)
B: DOGGING IT IN THE GREAT AMERICAN HEARTLAND (1974)
C: DARKNESS FALLS IN THE CITY OF THE ANGELS (1988)
D: LENNY BRUCE IS DEAD (1986)
E: DID YOUR MOTHER THROW YOURS OUT? (1988)
F: THE SONG THE SIXTIES SANG ( 1987/1988)
G: THE DINGBAT APPENDIX (1990)
NOTE: MANY OF THE NUMBERED INSTALLMENTS, AND SOME OF THE APPENDIXES, ARE PRECEDED BY INTERIM MEMOS, WRITTEN FOR THIS VOLUME, UPDATING OR PROVIDING BACKGROUND FOR THE SELECTION.