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Violent Candy
NEWLY REMASTERED IN 4K! Experience these sixteen stories that explore the violence people do to themselves and others in their search for love and purpose. There’s a man whose only cure for self-hate is drinking weed killer, a woman who loses her daughter at Disneyland, an elderly man who falls in love with an ostrich, a frat boy looking to do a big bad thing, and many more. Take a bite and break your teeth on some VIOLENT CANDY.
Advanced Praise for Violent Candy:
“The characters in these sixteen stories experience isolation as intensely as anyone in Polanski’s filmography, and sorrow as interleaved with the modern world as anyone in Cronenberg’s. Twanging notes of the bizarre keep the reader’s eyebrows up, even as her heart aches. Throughout, Gresham digs relentlessly and fearlessly at a primary node of American literature: regret.”—KATHARINE COLDIRON, author of Junk Film
“Incredibly fucked. I loved it.”—TROY JAMES WEAVER, author of Marigold
“Some of these stories are the worst thing I’ve ever read (content and subject matter). Most of these stories are the best thing I’ve ever read (style and substance). Tex Gresham is monstrous(ly talented). Still uncertain if I’ll emotionally recover from reading this. Violent Candy is a must-have for the misanthropic.”—KKUURRTT, author of Good At Drugs
Advanced Praise for Violent Candy:
“The characters in these sixteen stories experience isolation as intensely as anyone in Polanski’s filmography, and sorrow as interleaved with the modern world as anyone in Cronenberg’s. Twanging notes of the bizarre keep the reader’s eyebrows up, even as her heart aches. Throughout, Gresham digs relentlessly and fearlessly at a primary node of American literature: regret.”—KATHARINE COLDIRON, author of Junk Film
“Incredibly fucked. I loved it.”—TROY JAMES WEAVER, author of Marigold
“Some of these stories are the worst thing I’ve ever read (content and subject matter). Most of these stories are the best thing I’ve ever read (style and substance). Tex Gresham is monstrous(ly talented). Still uncertain if I’ll emotionally recover from reading this. Violent Candy is a must-have for the misanthropic.”—KKUURRTT, author of Good At Drugs
- GenresShort StoriesFiction
220 pages, Paperback
Published October 1, 2023
7 people are currently reading
154 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
November 24, 2023
I was not expecting to like this as much as I did... like this was really, really fucking great. I try to read as little short story collections as possible, but I'm happy that I stumbled upon this one. Thanks House of Vlad!
As usual when short story collections are involved, not all of them are a home run but those who did really worked a number on me. Inside Joke was such a sucker punch of masculinity and grief. Hurt People Hurt People was one of the best allegories for suffering I've ever read. Lovebird was a fantastic exploration of loneliness and death. There's something wayward about Tex Gresham's writing that's very endearing, like that friend you hang out with and have these crazy bar adventures with.
I think he's one of my new favorite writers.
As usual when short story collections are involved, not all of them are a home run but those who did really worked a number on me. Inside Joke was such a sucker punch of masculinity and grief. Hurt People Hurt People was one of the best allegories for suffering I've ever read. Lovebird was a fantastic exploration of loneliness and death. There's something wayward about Tex Gresham's writing that's very endearing, like that friend you hang out with and have these crazy bar adventures with.
I think he's one of my new favorite writers.
September 25, 2023
I will read anything that Tex puts out there. Let’s get that part out of the way now. Also, I do talk about some of the premises of the stories, so you’ve been warned.
I think the Criterion book cover (a nice added touch that I LOVE) is more fitting than just a great design choice because for me these stories in "Violent Candy" felt a bit like a series of short films. I mean that as a compliment and I think for my money, Tex writes fiction that I could easily imagine on the screen in my living room better than most authors I've read. That being said, the stories toe the line between science fiction, horror, surrealism/absurdism – all those fun to read genre labels but really, I’d ground it in the camp of speculative fiction. Does that matter? Nah. And if you say to yourself, hey, I don’t really like those genres I would ask you if you liked to be entertained when you read a book (you’ll say yes) and then I’ll tell you, well, these are some of the most enjoyable short stories I read this year.
This is where I’ll go back to movies for a moment. To me a lot of these stories have the feel of watching a Yorgos Lanthimos film or maybe even some of Charlie Kaufman's filmography. I love when the situations of life are amplified and twisted to push right up against reality - a few steps away from what a conventional (whatever that means) life might be like. Tex does this so well. I think it’s also important to note that the level of absurdity is ramped up by his satirical viewpoint – some really solid satirical writing in here too. I’m not here to spoil anything completely, and really these stories are hard to do that with, but maybe you’ll see a contemporary version of the Pied Piper in an amusement park, or loneliness and isolation so debilitating that you’ll yearn for love from anyone or anything, maybe a genealogical twist on what we pass down from generation to generation, and, yes, a Kubrick film makes an appearance (if Tex wants to just write a novel, collection of stories, poems, a play, anything with Kubrick as the focus I’m in).
Tex is a master of endings, too. Each story, once you approach the final few sentences, gives you that feeling where you say “damnit” or “what the hell” under your breath. Not out of disappointment or confusion but out of jealousy because you didn’t think of it. A gut punch that you’ll welcome. As a huge fan of Tex’s work, I’m glad I haven’t read all of it (still have Sunflower) and I’m also very happy knowing that he’s still churning stuff out on a pretty regular basis. His work deserves to be read and if you haven’t picked up something yet, this is a great place to start.
P.S. Tex is also a filmmaker, a really talented one. Go to his website and watch MUSTARD. And if you’ve already seen it, watch it again.
I think the Criterion book cover (a nice added touch that I LOVE) is more fitting than just a great design choice because for me these stories in "Violent Candy" felt a bit like a series of short films. I mean that as a compliment and I think for my money, Tex writes fiction that I could easily imagine on the screen in my living room better than most authors I've read. That being said, the stories toe the line between science fiction, horror, surrealism/absurdism – all those fun to read genre labels but really, I’d ground it in the camp of speculative fiction. Does that matter? Nah. And if you say to yourself, hey, I don’t really like those genres I would ask you if you liked to be entertained when you read a book (you’ll say yes) and then I’ll tell you, well, these are some of the most enjoyable short stories I read this year.
This is where I’ll go back to movies for a moment. To me a lot of these stories have the feel of watching a Yorgos Lanthimos film or maybe even some of Charlie Kaufman's filmography. I love when the situations of life are amplified and twisted to push right up against reality - a few steps away from what a conventional (whatever that means) life might be like. Tex does this so well. I think it’s also important to note that the level of absurdity is ramped up by his satirical viewpoint – some really solid satirical writing in here too. I’m not here to spoil anything completely, and really these stories are hard to do that with, but maybe you’ll see a contemporary version of the Pied Piper in an amusement park, or loneliness and isolation so debilitating that you’ll yearn for love from anyone or anything, maybe a genealogical twist on what we pass down from generation to generation, and, yes, a Kubrick film makes an appearance (if Tex wants to just write a novel, collection of stories, poems, a play, anything with Kubrick as the focus I’m in).
Tex is a master of endings, too. Each story, once you approach the final few sentences, gives you that feeling where you say “damnit” or “what the hell” under your breath. Not out of disappointment or confusion but out of jealousy because you didn’t think of it. A gut punch that you’ll welcome. As a huge fan of Tex’s work, I’m glad I haven’t read all of it (still have Sunflower) and I’m also very happy knowing that he’s still churning stuff out on a pretty regular basis. His work deserves to be read and if you haven’t picked up something yet, this is a great place to start.
P.S. Tex is also a filmmaker, a really talented one. Go to his website and watch MUSTARD. And if you’ve already seen it, watch it again.
May 3, 2025
Pretty good stuff. The title story, “Stain,” and “Lovebird” will probably live in my head forever.
September 19, 2023
In the labyrinthine landscape of contemporary literature, where voices vie for distinction, emerges Violent Candy, an arresting anthology of short stories penned by the enigmatic Tex Gresham. With an audacious narrative finesse akin to Hunter S. Thompson's audacity, Don DeLillo's introspection, Alissa Nutting's provocativeness, and Bret Easton Ellis's unapologetic candor, Gresham carves a niche for himself as a literary prodigy and, undoubtedly, a new voice to reckon with.
Each narrative gem within Violent Candy shines with a singular brilliance, a microcosm of Gresham's incandescent talent. They are, each in its own right, captivating vessels transporting readers into the intricate web of emotions that define the human experience. What distinguishes Gresham's collection is its willingness to dive headlong into the murkier waters of existence, exploring themes of violence, regret, purpose, and love with an unflinching gaze.
Gresham proves a master weaver, crafting stories that are at once dark and unsettling, yet ultimately, profoundly rewarding. This paradoxical tension permeates the collection, each narrative an exploration of the human psyche that leaves an indelible mark. As one journeys through the pages of Violent Candy, one traverses the hinterlands of the soul, grappling with the nuances of life's most complex emotions.
It is the sheer multiplicity of voices, themes, and emotions that renders Violent Candy a veritable treasury of literary delight. Gresham orchestrates an exquisite symphony of human experiences that transcend conventional boundaries, ultimately leaving readers with a visceral understanding of what it means to be human.
For the discerning reader, Violent Candy assumes a hallowed status, a testament to literary excellence that warrants its presence on the shelf of any serious bibliophile. Gresham's kaleidoscopic narratives beckon us to confront our own humanity, sparking conversations that resonate beyond the pages of the book.
Notably, this collection distinguishes itself from Gresham's earlier offerings—Sunflower, Heck Texas, and This Is Strange June. While those works danced on the edge of unconventional, Violent Candy marks a refined shift in Gresham's narrative approach. It operates with more straightforward literary intentions, yet possesses that signature demented bend that has become synonymous with his name.
As readers delve into Violent Candy, they are not merely reading stories; they are embarking on an odyssey through the tapestry of the human soul. It is this profound exploration that makes Violent Candy not only a remarkable collection, but a prospective cult hit that will echo through the corridors of literary history for years to come.
However, in Gresham's prose, a resolute narrative thread weaves through, yet it leans heavily on the second person, creating a recurring echo. But as characters take form, each narrative finds its own resonance. There lies promise in Gresham's craft, yet it hungers for a wider canvass of life's hues. His evolution as a wordsmith hinges on venturing beyond the familiar, plunging into diverse viewpoints. This metamorphosis is poised to imbue his storytelling with newfound depth, granting readers a tapestry of experiences both varied and enthralling. Hence the removal of one star.
In a literary landscape often fraught with homogeneity, Tex Gresham's emergence as a new literary voice cannot be overstated. With Violent Candy, he ascends the pantheon of contemporary masters, taking his place alongside the literary giants who have paved the way down the discomfort of the American outsider. This collection, an amalgamation of darkness and illumination, is destined to remain a luminous beacon, casting its glow far into the future—a future undoubtedly shaped by Gresham's singular genius.
Each narrative gem within Violent Candy shines with a singular brilliance, a microcosm of Gresham's incandescent talent. They are, each in its own right, captivating vessels transporting readers into the intricate web of emotions that define the human experience. What distinguishes Gresham's collection is its willingness to dive headlong into the murkier waters of existence, exploring themes of violence, regret, purpose, and love with an unflinching gaze.
Gresham proves a master weaver, crafting stories that are at once dark and unsettling, yet ultimately, profoundly rewarding. This paradoxical tension permeates the collection, each narrative an exploration of the human psyche that leaves an indelible mark. As one journeys through the pages of Violent Candy, one traverses the hinterlands of the soul, grappling with the nuances of life's most complex emotions.
It is the sheer multiplicity of voices, themes, and emotions that renders Violent Candy a veritable treasury of literary delight. Gresham orchestrates an exquisite symphony of human experiences that transcend conventional boundaries, ultimately leaving readers with a visceral understanding of what it means to be human.
For the discerning reader, Violent Candy assumes a hallowed status, a testament to literary excellence that warrants its presence on the shelf of any serious bibliophile. Gresham's kaleidoscopic narratives beckon us to confront our own humanity, sparking conversations that resonate beyond the pages of the book.
Notably, this collection distinguishes itself from Gresham's earlier offerings—Sunflower, Heck Texas, and This Is Strange June. While those works danced on the edge of unconventional, Violent Candy marks a refined shift in Gresham's narrative approach. It operates with more straightforward literary intentions, yet possesses that signature demented bend that has become synonymous with his name.
As readers delve into Violent Candy, they are not merely reading stories; they are embarking on an odyssey through the tapestry of the human soul. It is this profound exploration that makes Violent Candy not only a remarkable collection, but a prospective cult hit that will echo through the corridors of literary history for years to come.
However, in Gresham's prose, a resolute narrative thread weaves through, yet it leans heavily on the second person, creating a recurring echo. But as characters take form, each narrative finds its own resonance. There lies promise in Gresham's craft, yet it hungers for a wider canvass of life's hues. His evolution as a wordsmith hinges on venturing beyond the familiar, plunging into diverse viewpoints. This metamorphosis is poised to imbue his storytelling with newfound depth, granting readers a tapestry of experiences both varied and enthralling. Hence the removal of one star.
In a literary landscape often fraught with homogeneity, Tex Gresham's emergence as a new literary voice cannot be overstated. With Violent Candy, he ascends the pantheon of contemporary masters, taking his place alongside the literary giants who have paved the way down the discomfort of the American outsider. This collection, an amalgamation of darkness and illumination, is destined to remain a luminous beacon, casting its glow far into the future—a future undoubtedly shaped by Gresham's singular genius.
September 18, 2023
Tex Gresham has such a beautifully, hauntingly, powerful voice. His latest collection of short stories, “Violent Candy,” is a grand exhibition of Gresham’s ability to craft tales.
As the pages unfold Gresham reveals characters who are multifaceted, relatable, and flawed. Their struggles, fears, and desires resonate with the reader on a deeply human level. He seamlessly adapts his voice to each character, resulting in a deeply disturbing yet strikingly relatable reading experience.
Readers are taken on a ride through a landscape of profound introspection. Each story acts as a haunting mirror, reflecting truths, unapologetically revealing the grim realities we so often choose to ignore.
A notable strength of this collection lies in the brevity and accessibility of its stories. While addressing weighty subjects, Gresham skillfully condenses their narratives into easily digestible portions, ensuring that readers can absorb the stories' essence without becoming overwhelmed. This approach not only keeps readers engaged, but also enables them to reflect upon the dark themes at their own pace, opening up opportunities for personal interpretation.
What truly sets Gresham apart is their unyielding commitment to providing social and political commentary throughout the collection with unflinching honesty. Throughout their stories, Gresham masterfully peels back the layers of complacency and reveals the deeply ingrained prejudices, injustices, and power imbalances that perpetuate our troubled world. The impact of these tales lingers long after the final page is turned, compelling readers to confront the uncomfortable truths that lie beneath the surface.
“Violent Candy,” is not a collection for the faint of heart. The stories are steeped in darkness, and their disturbing nature might unsettle some readers. Yet, it is precisely this discomfort that underscores the power of the collection, for it forces us to confront the uncomfortable realities we often prefer to ignore.
"Violent Candy" is an exceptional collection that sits among the the great new additions to our current political climate and conversation. Gresham's strong and versatile voice creates a seamless narrative tapestry, threading together stories that coalesce into a powerful commentary on the human condition. This book challenges readers to confront the shadows within themselves and society at large, offering an unsettling yet necessary journey that leaves an indelible mark on the reader's consciousness. I for one, will be thinking about it for the indeterminable future.
August 12, 2024
Few small presses operating today have a clearer unifying vision than House of Vlad. Operating out of Florida (and more specifically, out of what I've always assumed to be the back room of one of those strip clubs you can see from the interstate), they traffic in beach reads for people who just woke up there, hungover and waterlogged at low tide. Horror stories from people who understand that their best stories are horrifying, but tell them anyway, cause they're all they've got. You always know when you're reading a House of Vlad joint. They feel sticky. Glandular. As though they've not been written so much as sweated out in the night.
The sixteen tales that comprise Tex Gresham's Violent Candy cut a wide swath across the human experience, and maintain a tearaway pace from the crack of "Iris"'s dentist office starting gun. In the expertly paced "It's a Small World" we are thrust, via the second-person voice, into the catastrophizing mind of a mother separated from her child at Disney World as she spins out with the nauseating ferocity of the Alice in Wonderland teacup ride. In "Footage of the Aftermath" we are forced into dark complicity with a lazy stepdad suddenly confronted by an agonizing ethical dilemma. The three-page gut-punch of "Hurt People Hurt People" is as concise a dissection of the human will to self-destruction as you'll read all year, and the heartbreaking idiocy and ankle-breaking turns of both "Stain" and the titular "Violent Candy" may well make you weep for the country in which our youth are currently stewing.
And if all that's not enough, there's some wild shit with an ostrich near the end that you just have to read to believe.
I think the thing I like most about the work House of Vlad is doing is that it is almost militantly unpretentious. Even their most outlandish books read like something you might overhear at a particularly seedy bar pretty much anywhere below the Mason Dixon, where people are more prone to get peculiar and rowdy on account of the heat. At their best, and I would absolutely count Tex Gresham among that number, they make you look around and wonder what it really means to live in the world. And if you've ever actually done it much yourself. At their worst (and Gresham might well have a claim to that belt too) they make you question how much you even want to. And just how long you'd be liable to make it if you tried.
The sixteen tales that comprise Tex Gresham's Violent Candy cut a wide swath across the human experience, and maintain a tearaway pace from the crack of "Iris"'s dentist office starting gun. In the expertly paced "It's a Small World" we are thrust, via the second-person voice, into the catastrophizing mind of a mother separated from her child at Disney World as she spins out with the nauseating ferocity of the Alice in Wonderland teacup ride. In "Footage of the Aftermath" we are forced into dark complicity with a lazy stepdad suddenly confronted by an agonizing ethical dilemma. The three-page gut-punch of "Hurt People Hurt People" is as concise a dissection of the human will to self-destruction as you'll read all year, and the heartbreaking idiocy and ankle-breaking turns of both "Stain" and the titular "Violent Candy" may well make you weep for the country in which our youth are currently stewing.
And if all that's not enough, there's some wild shit with an ostrich near the end that you just have to read to believe.
I think the thing I like most about the work House of Vlad is doing is that it is almost militantly unpretentious. Even their most outlandish books read like something you might overhear at a particularly seedy bar pretty much anywhere below the Mason Dixon, where people are more prone to get peculiar and rowdy on account of the heat. At their best, and I would absolutely count Tex Gresham among that number, they make you look around and wonder what it really means to live in the world. And if you've ever actually done it much yourself. At their worst (and Gresham might well have a claim to that belt too) they make you question how much you even want to. And just how long you'd be liable to make it if you tried.
Read
October 24, 2023I refuse to give a less than a five star rating to a book by an author I’d like to see reach a wider audience. So this review comes without a rating, but this collection of stories exists somewhere between three and four stars for me.
Gresham is clearly an incredibly talented writer, but I find him to be careless at times. Inconsistent? There are occasional hiccups that take me out of the story. For instance, in one of the stories the narrator phrases a situation as something occurring habitually, but follows it with dialogue that would only take place if it were a first time for said situation. Stuff like this—I felt the flow being disrupted fairly often. That being said, Gresham has a really strong literary voice that is perfect for his unique brand of pulpy gross-out fiction. Lots of nice little witticisms and insights scattered throughout as well that make this worth reading beyond the plain entertainment value.
I’d say maybe a quarter of the stories really did something for me. Some of them were a little overly silly or a bit aimless. All of them are interesting, but maybe print isn’t the most ideal medium for them. For example, In the Rough would be really great as an oral story but it doesn’t resolve very well which made it strange to read. The titular story, Violent Candy, was too rooted in coincidence to make a meaningful reading experience, but I could see it working great in visual media.
The few stories I did enjoy knocked it out of the park. Lovebird comes to mind. Man, what a story. Saunders level insane-o goofiness but with tons of heart. Footage of the Aftermath was amazing, however I found the whole Ritalin rage thing a little pointless.
Oh oh okay so in the story Inside Joke, the kid shatters the other kid’s mom’s dildo, but then somehow is able to show the dildo to the sex store clerk? Another example of carelessness that took me out of it.
What else? Hurt People Hurt People was great, at 4 pages long this is the story I would show people to get them to check Gresham out.
I was really blown away by Iris, the introductory story, so much so that I immediately went and ordered Sunflower by Gresham after reading it.
Hm yea that’s about it. Entertaining and promising but not everything I’d hoped it would be, but still worth reading. Tex Gresham shows tons of promise.
Gresham is clearly an incredibly talented writer, but I find him to be careless at times. Inconsistent? There are occasional hiccups that take me out of the story. For instance, in one of the stories the narrator phrases a situation as something occurring habitually, but follows it with dialogue that would only take place if it were a first time for said situation. Stuff like this—I felt the flow being disrupted fairly often. That being said, Gresham has a really strong literary voice that is perfect for his unique brand of pulpy gross-out fiction. Lots of nice little witticisms and insights scattered throughout as well that make this worth reading beyond the plain entertainment value.
I’d say maybe a quarter of the stories really did something for me. Some of them were a little overly silly or a bit aimless. All of them are interesting, but maybe print isn’t the most ideal medium for them. For example, In the Rough would be really great as an oral story but it doesn’t resolve very well which made it strange to read. The titular story, Violent Candy, was too rooted in coincidence to make a meaningful reading experience, but I could see it working great in visual media.
The few stories I did enjoy knocked it out of the park. Lovebird comes to mind. Man, what a story. Saunders level insane-o goofiness but with tons of heart. Footage of the Aftermath was amazing, however I found the whole Ritalin rage thing a little pointless.
Oh oh okay so in the story Inside Joke, the kid shatters the other kid’s mom’s dildo, but then somehow is able to show the dildo to the sex store clerk? Another example of carelessness that took me out of it.
What else? Hurt People Hurt People was great, at 4 pages long this is the story I would show people to get them to check Gresham out.
I was really blown away by Iris, the introductory story, so much so that I immediately went and ordered Sunflower by Gresham after reading it.
Hm yea that’s about it. Entertaining and promising but not everything I’d hoped it would be, but still worth reading. Tex Gresham shows tons of promise.
September 18, 2023
Violent Candy is a crazy ride. One that feels like being on a first-class section of a tour where you've been given the superpower of invisibility and you're free to enter the lives of people who share their most vulnerable and intimate memories; nostalgia, secrets, unspoken deep buried thoughts, flirting with danger cause humans are silly and wild at some point. Tex Gresham's humans are. Nothing manicured and nauseatingly "nice" and bourgeois there. Story after story, you will find yourself in a funhouse, and the mirror the writer plants in front of you speaks to your soul, memories, and secrets. But this remains between you and your imagination of each story's characters and their lives. Instead of a traveling carnival, you get a pass to experience many lives, and Gresham's cinematic storytelling gifts you with an unforgettable literary joyride. Take the ticket. Wear the invisibility suit. Look inside the peep box. The show is freaking amazing.
January 2, 2026
Tex Gresham’s Violent Candy is fully inventive and original. There isn’t a single story that won’t leave you a bit twisted up inside. At no point will you expect what comes next, or find patterns, or unifying themes. Every part of this collection is built to discomfit as much as it entertains. There isn’t a single identifying, autofiction-y part of Violent Candy that pins Tex on the page; and yet, every story is very relentlessly, singularly his. By the time you get to the one where the guy falls in love with—like, really falls in love with—an ostrich, you’re like, yeah, sure, fuck me up. You are absolutely in for the ride.
September 18, 2023
this book is upsetting(ly good).
September 19, 2023
The stories in Violent Candy are visceral, disturbing, and arresting. In other words, they're perfect. Gresham proves once again that his storytelling is unmatched and his voice irreplicable.
October 10, 2023
Hit damn we got some good stories here!
October 23, 2024
Solidly misanthropic collection of fucked up ass stories
Favs: 1. Violent Candy 2. Hurt people, Hurt people 3. Footage of the aftermath
Favs: 1. Violent Candy 2. Hurt people, Hurt people 3. Footage of the aftermath
December 26, 2024
lots to digest here
January 12, 2026
Decent, for a book I bought on a whim at urban outfitters
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews