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The Last Cigarette of the Night,
The Last Cigarette of the Night is the first book in the series "AMERICAN NOVELLA", a collection of award winning stories by Michael Xavier. These stories first appeared in The Chiron Review, The Paris Review, and are housed at Yale University.
Only 500, signed, numbered copies will be printed.
Only 500, signed, numbered copies will be printed.
238 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
July 23, 2025
“it looked as though God was fishing. he liked how it looked. it added to the oddness of the morning.” (p150)
tragic that a signed first edition found its way into such a pessimist’s hands… a lot of this reads like baby’s first prose poetry, playing into the same tropes repeatedly without substance. it feels as though xavier discovered the concept of a “manic pixie dream girl” and decided every single story should be about a hopeless, waxing alcoholic or pitiless child finding one, which would be fine if there was anything else saving the writing but there isn’t!!!!! disappointing, even with a few standout lines in the first part of “lullaby” (which i am not at all mad about never finding out the ending of.)
tragic that a signed first edition found its way into such a pessimist’s hands… a lot of this reads like baby’s first prose poetry, playing into the same tropes repeatedly without substance. it feels as though xavier discovered the concept of a “manic pixie dream girl” and decided every single story should be about a hopeless, waxing alcoholic or pitiless child finding one, which would be fine if there was anything else saving the writing but there isn’t!!!!! disappointing, even with a few standout lines in the first part of “lullaby” (which i am not at all mad about never finding out the ending of.)
February 20, 2020
One of the best writers alive, period. This collection of short stories is diverse, rich and beautiful, from The Good Boy to Lullaby. You'll go through an amalgam of emotions. The Good Boy is heartbreaking and poetic. Mollywood is filled with great dialogues and funny as hell. Do yourself a favor and go read him.
October 22, 2015
Although I preordered the book, I also ordered the ePub version from iBooks. I don't think I will ever get used to feeling like Michael is in front of me, telling his story to me in person. I'm sure its because his writing is so full of passion, it makes it impossible not fully immerse yourself in it. The Good Boy rips my heart to shreds every time I read it. Bland Fathomless Contempt had me speed reading to see what would happen next. Eating Bukowski is always a good read. Mollywood LOVE. Lullaby, first time reading it and a new love. I would and do recommend reading all of Michael's work to people I know.
October 8, 2015
Michael Xavier is amongst the most captivating American authors of our time. The Last Cigarette of the night, his most recent compilation of short stories, is captivating. Each story is its own unique tale, yet shares a common thread that is delicately woven throughout the book. No detail is overlooked and every character is so brilliantly developed. You will find yourself so invested in the characters that you will fall in love with them. You may even find yourself shedding a tear or two. Beautifully written. A definite must read.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews