It's hard to pinpoint a common reaction to Rob Bingham's short stories. There are those who find them strange and dark and funny; some who find them disturbing, even off-putting; some who see their own lives reflected on the page; and some who find them terribly sad. That a fiction writer's first effort can push so many buttons is no small feat. Rob's is one of the most original voices we've come across in a long while. His agent pitches Rob as Scott Fitzgerald for the millennium's end; we think there are overtones of Cheever, Gaitskill, and even "transgressive" writers like Dennis Cooper, as well. In this issue of Bold Type, Bingham offers a hilarious essay on his idea of summer and a short story from his new collection, Pure Slaughter Value, that is indicative of his striking brand of unsettling realism. Photo of Robert Bingham copyright © Stephen MacGillivray. Send us comments