Blood in the Desert: The T. J. English Reader

Description

“English is such a vivid and skillful storyteller that it becomes impossible to resist the urge to turn the page.”–CrimeReads

An essential collection of T. J. English’s finest literary journalism, spanning true crime, jazz, boxing, police corruption, the desert Southwest, and George Carlin.

The world of print journalism may be waning, but the art of reporting is anything but dead. A former New York City taxi driver turned acclaimed chronicler of crime, corruption, and the American underworld, T. J. English has spent four decades practicing a form of literary journalism that is as vital as ever. The author of classic works such as The Westies, Havana Nocturne, and The Corporation, English has earned a place alongside legends like Jimmy Breslin, Pete Hamill, and Gay Talese.

Blood in the Desert: The T. J. English Reader collects, for the first time, the finest of English’s published essays and reporting alongside new work, including the haunting title piece, which has never before appeared in print. Spanning subjects as varied as jazz, boxing, police corruption, violence in the desert Southwest, and the comedy of George Carlin, this book showcases a scribe drawn toward the fault lines of American life.

With a foreword by bestselling novelist Dennis Lehane, Blood in the Desert stands as both a celebration of a tireless truth-teller and a reminder that great writing never loses its power.

Binding Type: Paperback
Contributors: T. J. English,Dennis Lehane (Foreword by)
Published: 09/01/2026
Publisher: Hamilcar Publications
ISBN: 9781949590951
Pages: 322
Weight: 0.95lbs
Size: 0.72″ H x 9.00″ L x 6.00″ W

About the Author
English, T. J.: – T. J. ENGLISH is a journalist and author whose work has chronicled organized crime, boxing, race, music, politics, and American subcultures for more than forty years. His books have been translated into multiple languages and praised for their combination of rigorous reporting and literary power.Lehane, Dennis: – DENNIS LEHANE is a New York Times bestselling author of fifteen novels and an award-winning screenwriter. Widely regarded as one of America’s leading crime novelists, Lehane is the author of Mystic River, Shutter Island, Gone Baby Gone, and Live by Night, all of which were adapted into major motion pictures. He has also written for the acclaimed television series The Wire and Boardwalk Empire.