<<Occasionally there is praise on the list for Joseph
Hansen. I just
read his first Dave Brandstetter novel and didn't like it too
much. A
little too talky, too many deep feelings, lots of personal
background,
etc. A good time piece in some ways and an interesting window
into one
side of the politics of homsexuality (for lack of a better
phrase)
around the time of Stonewall. I'd like to hear from the
Hansen fans.
Does the series get better, more hardboiled?>>
I am a fan of Hansen and I do remember mentioning his
"Fadeout" in this
list some time ago. As to your question, he is not a typical
hardboiled
author. Brandstetter is not inclined to violence (he is an
insurance
investigator and not a P.I., which precludes certain types of
physical
coercion), and Hansen seems to mine Ross Macdonald's rather
than
Chandler's fictional territory. His virtues, in my opinion,
are his
impeccable, unaffected style and his realistic and observant
portrayal
of people from all walks of like. He was apparently a pioneer
in having
an openly gay investigator who is presented compassionately
and without
any attempt at exploitation of his sexual orientation. This
certainly
adds to the realism of Hansen's stories. It is interesting
that
Brandstetter was created by a straight author.
I think Hansen has ended the Brandstetter series; I don't
know what he
is doing these days - he is no youngster so perhaps he has
simply
retired. Has anyone here had contact with him?
Regards,
Mario Taboada
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