The definitive biography of the groundbreaking African American author who had an extraordinary legacy on black writers globally.

Explores Himes' middle-class origins, imprisonment, creative experiences during World War II, and eventual escape to Europe, where he became famous for his Harlem detective series and its themes of sexuality, racism, and social injustice.

"For love of fine, wily Imabelle, hapless Jackson surrenders his life savings to a con man who konw the secret of turning ten-dollar bills into hundreds. On top of that, he steals from his boss, only to lose the stolen money at a craps table. But luckly for Jackson, he can turn to his savvy twin brother, Goldy, who earns a living - disguised as a Sister of Mercy - by selling tickets to heaven in Harlem. With Goldy on his side, Jackson is ready for payback." -- Back cover.

A golden Cadillac big enough to cross the ocean has been seen sailing along the streets of Harlem. A hit-and-run victim's been hit so hard she got embedded in the wall of a convent. A shootout with three heistmen dressed as cops has left an important politician in a coma - and a lot of money missing. And Grave Digger Jones and Coffin Ed Johnson are the ones who have to piece it all together. "All Shot Up" is chaotic, bloody - and completely unforgettable. Chester Himes wrote detective fiction darker, dirtier and more extreme than anyone else dared

Pursuing two apparently unrelated murders, detectives Coffin ed Johnson and Grave Digger Jones are led into a squalid Harlem ghetto, where they confront the killer in an explosive showdown.

After arriving on the American literary scene with novels of scathing social protest, Chester Himes created a pioneering pair of dangerously charming African American sleuths, Gravedigger Jones and Coffin Ed Johnson, Harlem's toughest detective duo, who must carry the day against an absurdist world of racism and class warfare. --Publisher's description.

Spanning over forty years of Chester Himes' writing career, this provocative collection of short stories uncovers the internal struggles of black individuals caught between rage and resignation in American society. From the earliest stories, written at the time of Himes' term in prison for jewelry theft, to those written at his emigration to France and later to Spain, where he died in 1984, these tales resound with both wit and indignation. This collection includes all of Himes' surviving stories--including some never published before.