A review by emckeon1002
Night Dogs by Kent Anderson

4.0

I bought this to read because I read a great review of Green Sun, the book Kent Anderson just released. I wanted a bit of the backstory on the main character (I haven't read Sympathy For the Devil yet). Anderson wrote this more than 20 years ago. Hanson is a well-educated Viet Nam vet who survived the war, but barely. He brings his calloused view of the world, and a bundle of prejudices to his job as a Portland cop. The book is violent, profane, honest to the bone and leaves me wondering if David Simon (or his writers) looked to this book as inspiration for series like The Wire. Anderson is a gifted writer who doesn't bend away from the ugly verities of street life in the city.