Generally Speaking

All 33 Columns, plus a few philatelic words from Keller

By: Lawrence Block

Narrated by: Robert Fass

For almost three years, novelist and short-story writer Lawrence Block's monthly column, "Generally Speaking," was one of the most popular features in Linn's Stamp News. A general collector of pre-1940 issues, Block had the entire world of stamps as his subject, and he turned in 33 columns before he decided it was time to stop.

But Keller, the author's fictional character, never lost his enthusiasm for philately. A wistful and introspective killer for hire, Keller rekindled a boyhood passion for stamps at the end of Hit Man, the first of a series of books about him. Like Block, Keller collects the whole world through philately's first century. (How's that for coincidence?) And the nature of his profession gives Keller more discretionary income than Block - and a lot more money to spend on stamps.

©2019 Lawrence Block (P)2020 Tantor

Good for philatelists

Not recommended for those without stamp collecting interests, but not a surprise if you read the description. Not a big fan of the narrator’s voices for characters, especially in the later chapters.

All that said, a good book for the right person. As a new stamp collector I found it really engaging and educational.

BORING - Thought this would be a new Keller story

This is really a story about Lawrence Block and his stamp collection story. Boring. Might have been at least more interesting IF Lawrence himself was the narrator and not this terrible voice. It would be fantastic if Block had continued the Keller series like everyone would have liked.