Drive - 2nd Edition by James Sallis (Paperback)

About the Book

""Much later, as he sat with his back against an inside wall of a Motel 6 just north of Phoenix, watching the pool of blood lap toward him, Driver would wonder whether he had made a terrible mistake. Later still, of course, there'd be no doubt. But for now Driver is, as they say, in the moment. And the moment includes this blood lapping toward him, the pressure of dawn's late light at windows and door, traffic sounds from the interstate nearby, the sound of someone weeping in the next room...." Thus begins Drive by one of the nation's most respected and honored authors. Set mostly in Arizona and L.A., the story is, according to Sallis, "about a guy who does stunt driving for movies by day and drives for criminals at night. In classic noir fashion, he is double-crossed and, though never before has he participated in the violence (I drive. That's all.), he goes after the ones who double-crossed and tried to kill him.""--

Book Synopsis

He doesn't talk much. He doesn't look back. But when the job goes wrong, he makes you pay.

Drive by James Sallis is a searing work of neo-noir fiction that redefined the genre--delivering quiet rage, fatalistic beauty, and brutal velocity on every page. It inspired the internationally acclaimed film starring Ryan Gosling and still grips readers with its stark elegance and cinematic intensity.

Driver is a man of precision and control. By day, he performs car stunts for Hollywood. By night, he gets criminals out fast--no questions asked. But when a job turns deadly, the rules no longer apply. Now hunted, he must navigate a world where loyalty is a liability and silence is his only armor.

Minimalist and razor-sharp, Drive is a cult classic praised for its haunting atmosphere, relentless pacing, and unforgettable anti-hero--a lean, mean story that hits with devastating force.

This beautifully reissued edition includes bonus materials: a reading group guide and an exclusive Q&A with the author.

Praise for Drive:

Named Book of the Year by the Washington Post and Entertainment Weekly

"A perfect piece of noir fiction." -- New York Times

"Drive is full of sly humor, poetic details and plenty of rude violence...The novel is a terrific ride." -- Los Angeles Times

"Short and not so sweet, Drive is one lean, mean, masterful machine. " -- Entertainment Weekly

Review Quotes

"Drive is full of sly humor, poetic details and plenty of rude violence...The novel is a terrific ride." -- Los Angeles Times

"A perfect piece of noir fiction." -- New York Times

"Imagine the heart of Jim Thompson beating in the poetic chest of James Sallis and you'll have some idea of the beauty, sadness and power of Drive...[It] has more thought, feeling and murderous energy than books twice its length" -- Chicago Tribune

"One stark and stunning tale of murder, treachery, and deceit . . . [Drive] packs a wallop." -- Boston Globe

"Sallis' riveting novella reads the way a Tarantino or Soderbergh neo-noir plays, artfully weaving through Driver's haunted memory and fueled by confident storytelling and keen observations about moviemaking, low-life living, and, yes, driving. Short and not so sweet, Drive is one lean, mean, masterful machine. " -- Entertainment Weekly

"Sallis's lean mystery and flat-voiced prose are refreshing, even startling. A lovely piece of work." -- Washington Post