An awful lot of writers and titles are mentioned on the list,
and over the years I've noted many books I wanted to pick up.
Some I've found, others I probably never will. Some I've
liked a lot, and I'd be interested in hearing what
recommendations other people have picked up from the list
that they really liked. (This will exclude the people on the
list who've already read everything, but tough.)
Three that I picked up on are:
- The Shell Scott books, by Richard S. Prather. These are a
riot. Shell gets into all manner of scrapes, has women
practically attacking him, takes on all sorts of tough guys
and breezes through it all.
- The Matt Helm books, by Donald Hamilton. Like the Shell
Scott books, these were Gold Medal originals. They're short,
fast, tough thrillers with a no-nonsense hero. Lots of
action.
- The Matt Scudder books, by Lawrence Block. The later ones
get cosier, but Scudder's still a tough hombre, and the
crucial two books in the middle, EIGHT MILLION WAYS TO DIE
and WHEN THE SACRED GINMILL CLOSES, are hard stuff. I
recommend these to lots of people and the few who actually
pay attention and buy them, love them. Block's a fine writer
and a master craftsman. I'm not so big on his other series
characters, but that's personal taste.
The Helm books I'd seen in stores for years, but always
avoided because I thought they were either like those series
such as the Inseminator and Base Force A.L.P.H.A., or like
the Dean Martin movies. Block's books I'd also seen in lots
of stores, new and used, but I stayed away because I hadn't
heard anything about him and I figured anyone with that many
books out, who hadn't been recommended to me by anyone,
probably wasn't much good. Mystery sections of used stores
are usually filled with shelves and shelves of stuff by the
same authors, most of which are bad. I'm glad I found out
about Block, though.
My hardboiled reading was, until the list got going, pretty
much limited to people I'd heard about in HARDBOILED AMERICA
or who were published by Black Lizard. It was hard to find
out about other writers I should look for. I'm glad to have
found so many writers mentioned on the list, and now my
shelves are jammed with stuff to be read.
Bill
-- William Denton : Toronto, Canada : http://www.miskatonic.org/ : Caveat lector.
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