Hap and Leonard: Blood and Lemonade

Hap and Leonard

By: Joe R. Lansdale

Narrated by: JD Jackson

The iconic Texan crime-fighting, bigot-bashing duo meet in this companion to the breakout Hap and Leonard TV series

As a liberal young man in East Texas, Hap Collins is discovering his passion for two-fisted justice in a redneck world. Leonard Pine - black, gay, and the ultimate outsider - is already fighting his own battles against racists and bullies. So when Hap sees Leonard demolishing an angry mob with his fists (and taunts), it’s immediately clear that these two young men have a lot in common.

Discover Joe R. Lansdale's compelling coming-of-age manifesto alongside the second season of the Sundance TV Hap and Leonard series starring Michael K. Williams (The Wire), and James Purefoy (The Following).

“Parable of the Stick” © 2016, 2017 by Joe R. Lansdale. An earlier version appeared in Miracles Ain’t What They Used to Be (PM Press: Oakland, California). “Tire Fire” © 2015, 2017 by Joe R. Lansdale. An earlier version appeared in Fender Lizards (Subterranean Press: Burton, Michigan). “Not Our Kind” © 2016, 2017 by Joe R. Lansdale. An earlier version appeared in Hap and Leonard (Tachyon Publications: San Francisco, California). “Down by the River Side” © 2015, 2017 by Joe R. Lansdale. An earlier version appeared in Fender Lizards (Subterranean Press: Burton, Michigan). “Short Night” © 2016, 2017 by Joe R. Lansdale. An earlier version appeared in Miracles Ain’t What They Used to Be (PM Press: Oakland, California). “The Boy Who Became Invisible” © 2009, 2017 by Joe R. Lansdale. An earlier version appeared in The Bleeding Edge: Dark Barriers, Dark Frontiers, edited by William F. Nolan and Jason V. Brock (Cycatrix Press: Vancouver, Washington). “Blood and Lemonade”, “In the River of the Dead”, “Stopping for Coffee” © 2017 Joe R. Lansdale. First appearance. “Apollo Red” © 2016, 2017 by Joe R. Lansdale. An earlier version appeared in Miracles Ain’t What They Used to Be (PM Press: Oakland, California). “Coach Whip” © 2017 by Joe R. Lansdale. First appearance. “The Bottom of the World” © 2015, 2017 by Joe R. Lansdale. An earlier version appeared in Fender Lizards (Subterranean Press: Burton, Michigan). “Squirrel Hunt” © 2017 by Joe R. Lansdale. First appearance. “The Oak and the Pond” © 2016, 2017 by Joe R. Lansdale. An earlier version appeared in Hap and Leonard Ride Again (Tachyon Publications: San Francisco, California)."

©2017 Joe R. Lansdale. (P)2020 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

“Showcases some of Lansdale’s most personal and reflective writing to date.”—Publishers Weekly, (starred review)

“Everything here is written in Lansdale's inimitable style of down-home East Texas storytelling, and everything is eminently readable and enjoyable. There's humor, there's sadness, there's blood, and there's lemonade. And some cussing, too. Great stuff, irresistible reading.”—Bill Crider, Pop Culture Magazine

“The reason Lansdale can get away with outrageous literary behavior the way he does is because at the center of his every story lie the beating hearts of characters who are as true and honest a reflection of a real person as Lansdale can make them . . . Highly recommended.”—Fantasy & Science Fiction

Great collection of mahem.

Loved the backstory of these two.
Great narration, great bit of info.
Fantastic, thought provoking writing.

Pulitzer

The Hap and Leonard series in its entirety is a work of art. This one has been, probably, my favorite so far.

The character development is impressive

I like how the friendship between the two grows through out the novel even though they are very different from each other

Grindhouse style short stories from H & L

Current day Hap and Leonard and kid reminisce, introducing tales from Hap and Leonard’s past. Some follow Hap and Leonard. Others are tales of their parents. All are saturated with 60s-70s racism, along with a fair bit of seedy (and perverted) violence. His writing reminds me a lot of Q Tarantino without the over-speechifying. Lansdale’s shorts are at once more nuanced and more raw than the glossy Hollywood treatment of racism, anti-gay sentiment and small town life.

I love Hap and Leonard but

The story with August made truly sad to be a human being. It was really really something I wish I hadn't read and hope that it never gets that bad again. pop bottles? really?