Tales of Woe

In the 25 essays that comprise this grimly fascinating volume, Reed shines a light into some very dark corners. From its opening tale of South African baboons with a taste for human babies (they start with the heads, in case you're wondering) to a thoroughly icky account of a middle-aged woman's seduction of young boys, these are literary snapshots of the world at its worst. Some of the players are familiar – Sarah Palin makes a profoundly odd appearance – while others are victims whose circumstances weren't sensational enough to warrant mainstream media attention. In the hands of a lesser writer, these tales could easily have slipped into the realm of exploitation, but Reed never lets that happen. His prose, by turns terse and lyrical, is accompanied by 45 pages of original full-color art from 11 pop artists. Representing a wide range of styles and often reminiscent of pre-code comic art of the 1930s and ‘40s, the illustrations are perfect companions to Reed's bleak but fiercely compelling tableaux. It's intriguing stuff, but not for the faint-hearted (or weak-stomached). Illustrations. (Aug.)