Set in New York City and delta Mississippi in 2005, "Othello Blues" features Othello (called Otis) on guitar, Cassio on bass and Iago on harmonica and jew's harp. Desdemona is the guileless, white wife of Otis and advocate of Cassio. All three are fatally victimized by the treacherous Iago, who has to be one of the most captivating villains in recent literature.

Though rooted in Shakespeare's tragedy and subtly adhering to fundamental aspects of that drama, "Othello Blues" is at the same time a parable of lust, racism, delta blues and lean, syncopated prose.

Known equally for his dazzling literary technique and passionate social commitment, Harold Jaffe cunningly interfaces high tragedy, cyberpunk and raunchy comedy into a compellingly readable book. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

Harold Jaffe is the critically-acclaimed author of five fiction collections and three novels, including "Straight Razor" (1995), "Eros Anti-Eros" (1990), "Madonna and Other Spectacles" (1988), "Beasts" (1986), and "Dos Indios" (1983). Jaffe's fiction has appeared in numerous journals and has been anthologized in "Pushcart Prize," "Best American Stories," "Best American Humor," "Storming the Reality Studio," "American Made," "Avant Pop: Fiction for a Daydreaming Nation," and "After Yesterday's Crash." His novels and stories have been translated into seven languages. Jaffe is editor of "Fiction International."

EXCERPT

Gillette Gillette answered the phone on the third ring. Iago said:
--This is Jim Bob. Did you get my letter, sir?
--Look here. Who is this Crawford?
--He's a big tall black bluesman about forty-years old with very long fingers, Mr. Gillette. He--
--What does he have to do with my daughter?
--I'm afraid what he has to do he done done. And gotten your daughter to do him as well. But there's still time.
--I'm not following you. Why would Desdemona become involved with such a person?
--With respect, Mr. Gillette, why does any female do what she does?
--You obviously don't know my daughter. She is as shy as she is attractive. When she was at Smith she regularly refused to go out with handsome young men. Young men with firm backgrounds. She has always been independent-minded.
--There's other ways, Iago said.
--What do you mean?
--You're a cultivated man, Mr. Gillette. And I expect you listen to cultivated music. Bach and Mozart, Gustave Mahler. Blues is something else. Big Otis Crawford is a delta bluesman. He plays bottleneck guitar and his weepy black heart flows right out through his long black fingers. And you know how he keeps it going, Mr. Gillette? Drugs. Drugs and liquor, but especially drugs. That's what black soul blues is all about, sir.
--Are you suggesting that my daughter... 
--Let me put it this way, Mr. G. How else would a shy, lovely, cultivated young miss like Desdemona end up hanging out in a smoky blues joint in a treacherous corner of the city lapping up every moaning chord comes out of Big Otis' bottleneck?
No response from Gillette Gillette, but Iago heard his breathing.
--Like I wrote you in the letter, Mr. Gillette, your daughter ain't living alone anymore. She got herself a new roommate. Big Otis done shacked up with her, Mr. G.