<<This might have been a subject matter I missed on
this list, but who
is William Campbell Gault?>>
Gault (1910-1995) was a prolific writer of mysteries and
books for young
people; in a long career, he wrote some of the most
interesting private
eye novels I have ever read (two series, featuring Brock
Callahan and
Joe Puma, respectively), nonseries novels, and many short
stories for
the pulps. What's remarkable about Gault is the freshness
and
spontaneity of his authorial voice (as fresh as Willeford, if
not on the
same level of literary wizardry), the consistent level of his
work (I am
not aware of any really weak books of his), his sense of
humor and
gentle irony, and his powers of observation of people and
details. I
consider him a master, even though he did not have the
incredible
inventiveness and virtuosity of a Fredric Brown, or the
clockwork
precision of a Howard Browne. I would say that his virtues
are less
visible and therefore his work seems at first sight more
modest than
that of other famous writers. But only at first sight...In
that respect,
he resembles the great Charles Williams.
Regards,
Mario Taboada
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