The Public Hating: A Collection of Short Stories

by Steve Allen

Twenty-three stories deal with a recent widower, a religious fanatic, a compulsive gambler, murder, autograph seekers, an alcoholic, religious broadcasters, a troubled marriage and city life

Genres: Fiction

202 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 1990

About the author

Stephen Valentine Patrick William "Steve" Allen was an American television personality, musician, actor, comedian, and writer. Though he got his start in radio, Allen is best-known for his television career. He first gained national attention as a guest host on Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts. He graduated to become the first host of The Tonight Show, where he was instrumental in innovating the concept of the television talk show. Thereafter, he hosted numerous game and variety shows, including The Steve Allen Show, I've Got a Secret, The New Steve Allen Show, and was a regular panel member on CBS' What's My Line?

Allen was a "creditable" pianist, and a prolific composer, having penned over 14,000 songs, one of which was recorded by Perry Como and Margaret Whiting, others by Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme, Les Brown, and Gloria Lynne. Allen won a Grammy award in 1963 for best jazz composition, with his song The Gravy Waltz. Allen wrote more than 50 books and has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Reviews

[Chris Aldridge · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mindwebs audiobook ##10 Part 2 is the title story in this collection. “Public Hating” combines the concept of weak teleportational abilities (discovered to be present in everyone), with the multiplication of that power by the size of the mob. The trials verdict having been a foregone conclusion, the 65K strong mob gather in a stadium, exhibiting displacement activity to assuage their collective guilt before concentrating on searing the flesh from the political prisoner (a Professor) displayed before them.

10 Mindwebs-770304_Winter Housekeeping / Public Hating Molly Daniel / Steve Allen