Fractured Humorous

by Edwin Torres

Poetry. Latino/a Studies. This is the newest volume of poetry from the SUBPRESS COLLECTIVE, a group of poets who have pledged a portion of their income each year to support the eventual publication of all poets in the collective. Torres's poems are visually striking, using a variety of layout and design strategies, but they are equally interesting for the way seemingly-autobiographical moments filter into and through the formal fractures. And Torres does, in fact, have a wicked sense of humor-ous.

78 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

Edwin Torres is a former New York State Supreme Court judge and author, who wrote the 1975 novel Carlito's Way. His book was the basis for the 1993 movie of the same name, starring Al Pacino, and for the 1979 book After Hours, the sequel to Carlito's Way.

In 1958, Torres was admitted to the New York State Bar. In 1959, as an assistant district attorney, Torres participated in the prosecution of Sal "the Capeman" Agron. Shortly thereafter he became a criminal defense attorney.

In 1977, Torres was appointed to the New York State Criminal Court. In 1980 he was selected to the State Supreme Court, where he served as a justice in the Twelfth Judicial District in New York City. The Supreme Court has jurisdiction over felony cases, and Torres presided over a number of high-profile murder cases.

He retired from the bench in 2008 and since then has served on the New York State Athletic Commission.

A film adaptation of Q & A was released in 1990, directed by Sidney Lumet, and it starred Nick Nolte and Armand Assante. "After Hours" was filmed in 1993, but used the title Carlito's Way to avoid being confused with Martin Scorsese's 1985 film After Hours.

Reviews

[Mitch · Rating 3 out of 5]

If only Edwin could capture on the page what wondrousness he is on stage. These works are great, but to see & hear them performed is greater still...