A highly successful example of an underexploited genre, the biography of a book. The adventures of Candy have been related before, but never as fully and sympathetic as here. ... Southern is uniquely placed to do justice to the story. ... Thoroughly enjoyable.

A revealing behind-the-scenes look ... Nile has recounted the novel's bumpy and adventurous journey in a magnificent epistolary style ... Raucous and voyeuristic, this biography of a book offers valuable insight into the Beat scenes of Paris and New York, as well as into the publishing world during an era of shifting attitudes toward censorship. Perhaps most importantly, it also offers a window into the lives and minds of two wildly creative literary characters: the authors Southern and Hoffenberg themselves.

At times more fascinating and readable than the original novel, the Candy saga constitutes an important chapter in the history of popular culture and a worthy second look at one of the now largely forgotten masterpieces of erotic literature.

The Candy Men offers the pleasure of a generous selection of Southern and Hoffenberg's correspondence. We are in the realm of the hipster here, in the company of men who push a joke as far as it can go for the sheer pleasure of seeing what they can get away with.

A ribald story of a book and its authors, who thumbed their noses at the sexual mores of their time.

An engaging chronicle ... Southern's book crystallizes the triumphs and tribulations that went into the realization of this '60s counterculture classic. ... Insightful dialogues are supplemented by rarely seen photographs (Hoffenberg with Bob Dylan in 1963 and Southern saluting a wheelchair-bound Lenny Bruce) ... Flawlessly detailed and presented with verve, THE CANDY MEN is a captivating biography of the milestone novel and its furiously original writers.

[Terry Southern’s] ideas never got stale, and he’s the best guy to read (or watch) for an honest, empowering laugh when the world seems to be collapsing around you.

The Candy Menis a great read for any fan of the era of Candy as well as for any lover of “Hollywood downfall” type stories. It’s true, but it’s hard to believe it’s true, especially in today’s world of copyright protection and litigation.

An engaging chronicle … Southern’s book crystallizes the triumphs and tribulations that went into the realization of this ‘60s counterculture classic. … Insightful dialogues are supplemented by rarely seen photos (Hoffenberg with Bob Dylan in 1963 and Southern saluting a wheelchair-bound Lenny Bruce) … Flawlessly detailed and presented with verve, The Candy Men is a captivating biography of the milestone novel and its furiously original writers.

'Rollicking' is the perfect adjective to descrive the odyssey of Candy ... Nile Southern makes wonderful use of his father's and Hoffenberg's letters, as well as the mountains of legal documents generated by their war with publisher Maurice Girodias ... [Southern's] affectionate retelling of the wild ride they took with Candy to become counterculture celebrities makes it clear that they had an awfully good time before it all went sour.

Terry Southern doesn't need any hype or revisionism or academic rediscovery. Once you've read him, you'll never forget him. ... To his immense credit, Nile Southern stands out of the way and tells the story largely through letters and interviews. ... Though Hoffenberg viciously turned on his former collaborator, Nile Southern doesn't rush in to take his father's side. He lets the facts -- and the letters and the interviews -- speak for themselves. It's a wonderful, stirring and ultimately tragic book.

Well-written, an engaging study. ... As the narrative starts gaining momentum, the reader is definitely taken in by the sense of pacing and overall structuring that spins the material out with valid suspense and solid dramatic import.

Anyone who values Candy will be fascinated with this complicated biography of the novel.

Doggedly researched and engrossing ... entertaining.

An entertaining history of a literary sideshow that played out against the new culture that was aborning during the period we now know as the ’60s. Southern makes good and extensive use of a trove of letters written by the three principal players in this comedy of ill manners. His book profits handsomely from this correspondence and the availability of excerpts from the various drafts of the novel. . . . Southern uses the exchanges between the writers to excellent effect. . . . The correspondence proves most valuable in providing a running account of how the novel got written, and through it all, the constant contest over money.

Highly entertaining . . . Another important piece of the puzzle has been put in place. . . . Southern charts the dizzying legal maneuverings with deft skill, making a smooth, coherent, and linear saga out of an enormously complicated affair. . . . A good story well told.

Terrific . . . A real inside look at some of our most infamous scribes and the fertile time that will never come again. If you’ve read Candy, you must read this.