Initially thinking I had not read it before, I recently picked up a relatively-recently-purchased copy of "No Doors, No Windows" by Harlan Ellison. As I read through it, I noted that I had memories of nearly every story, so I think it is safe to assume I have read it before, but just don't recall when exactly. No matter, though - the book was delightful. I read a volume I bought online a couple of years ago. It looked nice enough - was surprised with the number of typos riddled throughout the book, though. They did not, however, diminish my enjoyment of its contents.
The overall theme of this collection is fear. Fear can be a beast of a sensation and Harlan Ellison explores many facets of the subject in these stories. The characters are often cornered in life or in circumstances - hence the wonderful title "No Doors, No Windows." Being cornered can push one to do extraordinary things and not always necessarily good things.
The first story in the collection, "The Whimper of Whipped Dogs," retells a true story of a woman who was brutally stabbed to death in the courtyard of an apartment complex while fully twenty-six people watched...watched and did nothing. The premise itself is haunting enough and Ellison explores the drivers and outcomes of that situation through the eyes of one of the witnesses. It is stunning and disturbing at the same time. There were a handful of other stories in the collection that were equally disturbing or, in a couple cases, specifically "Eddie, You're My Friend" and "Toe the Line," even more so. Ellison is in his element here as a mature, seasoned author who can tell fantastic stories seemingly effortlessly.
I've noted elsewhere in my blog that I look up to Ellison as an author. He's amazing and his attention to detail and the strength of his imagination pull the reader in. I knocked this book out in basically a single day. It was that good.