{"product_id":"the-ice-cream-man-and-other-stories-9781593765934","title":"The Ice Cream Man and Other Stories","description":"\u003ch2\u003eThe Ice Cream Man and Other Stories by Sam Pink\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"Pink is a keen observer of the culture of minimum-wage jobs and low-rent studio apartments that is the reality of life for all those who don't find a cog space in today's hyper-capitalist economy.\" --\u003ci\u003eThe Guardian\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis collection of thirteen short stories captures the raw reality of working-class existence through Sam Pink's distinctive minimalist prose. Each story serves as a window into lives spent punched in, clocking hours, and navigating the margins of hyper-capitalist America.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat's Inside This Collection\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCone dealer, sunshine stealer, alleyway counselor, lunch lady to the homeless, friend to the dead, maker of sandwiches. Metal wrangler. Stag among stags. These characters populate Pink's gritty urban landscapes, where dirty dishes pile up next to dead roaches, and sparkler-lit nights offer brief respites from the grind of minimum-wage reality.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe stories blend blood, death, and violence with the mundane details of service industry work and low-rent living. Pink's observations cut through romantic notions of struggling artist life to reveal the actual texture of days spent in dead-end jobs and nights with no real fate.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eAbout Sam Pink's Writing Style\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSam Pink's minimalist approach strips away unnecessary flourishes to expose the stark beauty and brutal honesty of working-class experience. His black humor and social commentary have earned recognition from \u003ci\u003eThe Guardian\u003c\/i\u003e and positioned him as a vital voice in contemporary alternative fiction.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePrevious works include \u003ci\u003ePerson\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe No Hellos Diet\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eHurt Others\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eRontel\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eWitch Piss\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eThe Garbage Times\/White Ibis\u003c\/i\u003e. His writing has been published widely in print and online, and translated into multiple languages.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWho Should Read This Book\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis collection speaks to readers who appreciate unflinching portrayals of contemporary American life, particularly those familiar with service industry culture, urban living on tight budgets, and the absurdity of late-stage capitalism. Fans of transgressive fiction, minimalist prose, and dark humor will find thirteen delights scooped and served.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePublished by Soft Skull in 2020, this paperback edition delivers Pink's uncompromising vision of life outside the mainstream economy. Let it melt down your hand. Let the sun burn your face.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSam Pink\u003c\/b\u003e's books include \u003ci\u003ePerson\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe No Hellos Diet\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eHurt Others\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eRontel\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eWitch Piss\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eThe Garbage Times\/White Ibis\u003c\/i\u003e. His writing has been published widely in print and on the Internet and translated into other languages. He currently lives in Michigan and sells paintings from instagram.com\/sam_pink_art.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Soft Skull","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50681270927634,"sku":"9781593765934","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_861e5944-c8ff-4575-aae5-8c541475e4ba.jpg?v=1733951097","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/the-ice-cream-man-and-other-stories-9781593765934","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}