We Can Get Them For You Wholesale
Encyclopedia
"We Can Get Them For You Wholesale" is a short story
by Neil Gaiman
written in 1989
. The story was first published in the British magazine Knave
, and has also been included in his short story collections Angels and Visitations
(1993
) and Smoke and Mirrors
(1998
), and in the anthology Bangs & Whimpers: Stories About the End of the World. It is a lighthearted tale of morbid irony and one man's weakness for a bargain.
The story is about Peter Pinter, a mild-mannered city-dweller who finds his fiancée unfaithful, and so, in the spirit of revenge, searches the phone book for an assassin
. To his surprise, he finds just what he is looking for, and, to his curiosity, the company offers special deals and discounts for large orders. Of course Peter happens to be a sucker for bargains, and soon finds himself in over his head.
in 1995.
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
by Neil Gaiman
Neil Gaiman
Neil Richard Gaiman born 10 November 1960)is an English author of short fiction, novels, comic books, graphic novels, audio theatre and films. His notable works include the comic book series The Sandman and novels Stardust, American Gods, Coraline, and The Graveyard Book...
written in 1989
1989 in literature
The year 1989 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:* February 24 - Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini places a US$3 million bounty for the death of The Satanic Verses author Salman Rushdie.-Literature:...
. The story was first published in the British magazine Knave
Knave (magazine)
Knave magazine is a long-established British pornographic magazine, published by Galaxy Publications. It is the upmarket sister publication of Fiesta magazine....
, and has also been included in his short story collections Angels and Visitations
Angels and Visitations
Angels and Visitations is a collection of short fiction and nonfiction by Neil Gaiman. It was first published in the US in 1993 by DreamHaven Books.It is illustrated by Steve Bissette, Randy Broecker, Dave McKean, P...
(1993
1993 in literature
The year 1993 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*Professor Stephen Hawking's book, A Brief History of Time, becomes the longest running book on the bestseller list of The Sunday Times....
) and Smoke and Mirrors
Smoke and Mirrors (book)
Smoke and Mirrors: Short Fictions and Illusions is a collection of short stories and poems by Neil Gaiman. It was first published in the US in 1998, and in the UK in 1999....
(1998
1998 in literature
The year 1998 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*March 5 - Tennessee Williams' 1938 play, Not About Nightingales, receives its stage première....
), and in the anthology Bangs & Whimpers: Stories About the End of the World. It is a lighthearted tale of morbid irony and one man's weakness for a bargain.
The story is about Peter Pinter, a mild-mannered city-dweller who finds his fiancée unfaithful, and so, in the spirit of revenge, searches the phone book for an assassin
Assassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
. To his surprise, he finds just what he is looking for, and, to his curiosity, the company offers special deals and discounts for large orders. Of course Peter happens to be a sucker for bargains, and soon finds himself in over his head.
Adaptations
We Can Get Them For You Wholesale has been adapted into several independent short films, including "four or five [student films] a year". It has also been adapted into a comic that was nominated for the Eisner AwardEisner Award
The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, commonly shortened to the Eisner Awards, and sometimes referred to as the Oscar Awards of the Comics Industry, are prizes given for creative achievement in American comic books. The Eisner Awards were first conferred in 1988, created in response to the...
in 1995.