<<Somebody mentioned Max Byrd recently on the list. I
wouldn't mind
seeing his three Haller novels in one volume. Also, the
Saratoga novels
of Stephen Dobyns.>>
I recall that Knopf did at least two omnibus volumes of Ross
Macdonald's
novels - they were excellent and very economical.
The Byrd omnibus is a great idea, and there are other good
candidates.
Raoul Whitfield's three novels would make a wonderful volume,
as would
Norbert Davis's three. There is also a lot of Joe Gores out
of print,
and his first three novels, say, would make an ideal omnibus
for the
hardboiled fan. But does the man in the street (or in the
supermarket or
supermegastore) know about Byrd, Gores, or the others? It's
easy to make
suggestions when someone else has to finance and hawk these
heavy
tomes...
Let's face it, fine hardboiled literature is like fine
chamber music -
those who like it are very likely to be devoted connoisseurs,
but the
stuff doesn't sell outside of a relatively small circle.
Which is why
you see so much good stuff in the remainder tables, where
cheap but
devoted guys like me are happy to buy them...
Regards,
Mario Taboada
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