Tooth and Claw

by T.C. Boyle
Tooth and Claw cover
Good Books rating 4.1
Short Story Collections
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  • ID: 10189
  • Added: 2026-01-16
  • Updated: 2026-01-16
  • ISBN: 9781408826744
  • Publisher: A&C Black
  • Published: 2011-07-01
  • Reviews: 3

T.C. Boyle's new collection of short stories showcases his mercurial talent, offering a mix of inventive, humorous, and sometimes disturbing tales. These stories delve into the lives of drop-outs, deadbeats, and kooks, exploring the bizarre and often dark underbelly of America. From a man sharing his apartment with a wildcat to a suburban woman joining a pack of dogs, Boyle's keen eye for detail and deft touch bring these eccentric characters to life. /n/n Each story is a unique exploration of the unusual and the unsettling, with Boyle's signature style making the strange feel eerily familiar. Whether it's a drive-time shock jock hallucinating from sleep deprivation or a woman embracing her primal instincts, these tales are a testament to Boyle's ability to capture the oddities of human behavior and the world around us.

Reviews
The Independent · 2006-01-22
provocative 4.50

This collection is praised as one of Boyle's best, showcasing his unique blend of gritty realism and imaginative storytelling. The stories are described as provocative and boundary-blurring.

The reviewer highlights that this book is one of Boyle's most compelling collections, with stories that are both shocking and thought-provoking. They appreciate the author's ability to blend the natural world with human experiences in a way that is both disturbing and captivating. The writing style is commended for its muscularity and the way it blurs the lines between the funny and the horrifying.

Quick quotes

    This is his sixth book of stories, and one of the best.

    The stories are both shocking and thought-provoking.

    Boyle's ability to blend the natural world with human experiences is captivating.

Goodreads · 2005-01-01
provocative 3.80

The collection is described as muscular and provocative, with stories that blur the boundaries between humans and nature. The reviewer appreciates the blend of the funny and the shocking in Boyle's writing.

Goodreads reviewers highlight the muscular and provocative nature of Boyle's stories, which blur the boundaries between humans and nature. They appreciate the unique blend of humor and shock that Boyle brings to his narratives. The writing style is praised for its ability to engage and provoke the reader, making this collection a standout in Boyle's body of work.

Quick quotes

    Muscular, provocative, and blurring the boundaries between humans and nature.

    The funny and the shocking in Boyle's writing.

    A standout in Boyle's body of work.

The New Yorker · 2003-11-03
inventive 4.00

The collection is noted for its inventive and sometimes disturbing stories, with a writing style that is both vivid and immediate. The reviewer appreciates the author's ability to create intimate and engaging narratives.

The reviewer from The New Yorker praises Boyle's new collection for its inventive and sometimes disturbing stories. They highlight the author's trademark taut writing and vivid language, which creates an immediate intimacy with the reader. The stories are described as meaty and engaging, with a blend of humor and horror that keeps the reader hooked.

Quick quotes

    Inventive, wickedly funny, sometimes disturbing, these are stories that linger.

    Boyle's trademark taut writing and immediate intimacy.

    Vivid language and meaty words and phrases.

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