Thom Jones

Joness stories are high-octane, prose-drunk entertainment. His characters are grifters and drifters, rogues and neer-do-wells - some lovable, some not - but each with a voice that never fails to grab you by the collar. They include Vietnam soldiers, amateur boxers, psych ward veterans and an unforgettable adolescent DJ radio host, among others.Perfectly capturing the essence of this iconic American master, Night Train showcases the sheer breadth and power of his inimitable stories.

Faber Stories, a landmark series of individual volumes, presents masters of the short story form at work in a range of genres and styles. He met Listons gaze but found it almost impossible to sustain eye contact. Soon it became an exercise in the control of fear. Sonny Liston gave Kid Dynamite the slightest hint of a smile and winked.In the build-up to a fight, Kid Dynamites head swirls - with thoughts of his estranged father, his difficult relationship with his stepfather, the time he met his hero, and the sense that his own life is reaching a moment of change. A masterclass in tone, atmosphere and control, Sonny Liston Was a Friend of Mine pays testimony to Thom Joness unique talent for the short-story form.

He met Liston's gaze but found it almost impossible to sustain eye contact. Soon it became an exercise in the control of fear. Sonny Liston gave Kid Dynamite the slightest hint of a smile and winked. In the build-up to a fight, Kid Dynamite's head swirls - with thoughts of his estranged father, his difficult relationship with his stepfather, the time he met his hero, and the sense that his own life is reaching a moment of change. A masterclass in tone, atmosphere and control, 'Sonny Liston Was a Friend of Mine' pays testimony to Thom Jones's unique talent for the short-story form

A collection of taut and violent stories. Whether set in the combat zones of Vietnam or the intellectual milieu of an elite New England college, they reflect an almost brutal vision of the human condition in a world without mercy or redemption