Someone asked what happened at the end of "High Darktown."
Well, I'd
like to know, too, if anyone wants to put something forth.
Seems like
the voodoo guy just started chopping with his tommy gun, for
no apparent
reason.
On Tue, 5 May 1998 03:13:10 EDT, Upliftr wrote:
[snip]
>Back to Ellroy, I think the purest way to 'get' him is
to hear him read it.
>Once heard him read the first chapter of "American
Tabloid" and it rocked.
>Made white hot sense.
I couldn't agree more. If you get a chance to see him
perform, do so. I
heard him perform his shtick of the prologue and first
chapter of
"American Tabloid" at Kansas City's "Writers' Place" a couple
of years
ago. It was hilarious. He called himself "The Boss Dog with
the hog
log," and made a gesture that would indicate he favored his
father's
side of the family in physical attributes (see: "My Dark
Places"). There
was a Q&A afterwards, and a gentle old lady asked why he
used so many
dirty words. He just said that was the way he talked, and he
called
himself the best "fuck" man in the business. He's kind of
hulking guy
with a Nazi moustache and haircut. I got an autographed copy
of "LA
Confidential" and asked him to inscribe something Dud Smith
might say.
He wrote: THIS BOOK RAGES! Nah, Dud Smith wouldn't say that.
He writes
his books long-hand and faxes them to some lady in New York
to type up.
She must be good because his handwriting -- ALL CAPS -- is
terrible.
I'd recommend reading the LA quartet in order, to see his
style progress
if for no other reason, if anyone is interested in further
Ellroy
readings. I think each one is better than the one previous. I
can't say
I really liked "American Tabloid," simply because I don't
believe all
that conspiracy crap about the JFK assassination.
-- Ned Fleming # # To unsubscribe, say "unsubscribe rara-avis" to majordomo@icomm.ca. # The web pages for the list are at http://www.vex.net/~buff/rara-avis/.