What: The stories in Guys and Dolls are so much more than the musical that took the collection's name. If you are familiar with the show, then the stylistic dialogue of Damon Runyon's number-runners, chorus girls, gamblers, and hustlers will seem familiar, but you might be surprised at some of the situations they get themselves into.
Comparable to: Think of Runyon as P.G. Wodehouse for 1930s New York mobsters.
Representative quote: "If a guy keeps yessing a doll long enough, she is bound to figure him a bright guy, and worth looking into." (from "The Delegates at Large")
You might not like if it: You don't develop a liking for Runyon's distinctive vernacular.
How to get it: There are several different collections of Runyon's stories, including Guys and Dolls and Other Writings, The Damon Runyon Omnibus, Damon Runyon: Favorites, A Treasury of Damon Runyon, and Runyon on Broadway. You're bound to run into one of them. Consider this recommendation applicable to all of them.
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