Kip's comment about John D. MacDonald's personal life not
being as compelling as his works reminds me that I, too, have
recently read THE RED-HOT TYPEWRITER. (Terrible title, by the
way.) I was left with the feeling that MacDonald might have
been pretty interesting but that Hugh Merrill didn't make him
seem that way. There's evidence of lots of research in the
book, but for some reason, there are no interviews with
anyone who knew MacDonald. His son, who might have something
to offer, is quoted only very briefly. There's no insight at
all into MacDonald's writing or research methods, nothing
about how the books were written. One chapter is even written
sort on in a "he had the flu and then he wrote; he got
pneumonia and then he wrote, etc." And there are some really
bad errors as well, the main one maybe where Merrill calls
Halliday's Mike Shayne an imitation of Mike Hammer. I thought
the book was an opportunity missed.
That said, I think A FRIENDSHIP is worth reading. I bought
mine from a big stack of remainders a few years ago, and I
wish I'd bought the whole stack.
Maybe I could sell 'em to Terrill for his new store.
Congratulations on becoming a dealer, Terrill!
Bill Crider
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