http://discuss.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/zforum/00/dirda0110.htm
> DC: Mr. Dirda: What are your thoughts on the
hard-boiled
> genre? And if you have any favorite authors who
write in
> this style? Thanks.
>
> Michael Dirda: Very fond of hard-boiled fiction. One
of the
> best reading experiences of my life took place on a
bus
> trip from DC to Ithaca New York: I lost myself in
The Big
> Knockover and other Continental Op stories, by
Dashiell
> Hammett. A couple of candy bars, a cup of coffee and
this
> terrific collection--may we speak of
bliss?
>
> I've read all of Hammett and Chandler, the twin
gods, and
> particularly like Chandler's letters. He once wrote
"I live
> for syntax." How can you not like a guy like
that?
>
> I've read around most of the people who contibuted
to
> Black Mask -- Lester Dent, Paul Cain et. al. There
are a
> number of good anthologies,the oldest and best
being: The
> Hard-Boiled Dicks. Aong modern descendants of the
masters
> I like Charles Willeford, Richard Stark (aka
Donald
> Westlake) and Chester Himes. For some reason I've
never
> read Jim Thompson and David Goodis, though I keep
meaning
> to.
[ . . . ]
> Somewhere, USA: Lawrence Block is someone working
now whom
> I consider to be near the top of the hard-boiled
game. Try
> When the Sacred Ginmill Closes and Dance at
the
> Slaughterhouse for starters. Any thoughts on
George
> Pelicanos? I've heard he's good. The same with
Estleman and
> Dibdin.
>
> Michael Dirda: I like Block a lot, though I tend to
read
> his comic Bernie Rhodenbarr books rather than the
Matt
> Scudder's. George P is terrific; Estleman I once
read and
> didn't like, but I think I may have chosen a poor
novel.
> Dibdin I admire a great deal, being especially fond
of his
> comic novel about Aurelio Zen, Cosi von
Tutti.
[ . . . ]
> DC: I tried to deduce from context, but must ask:
What is
> hard-boiled fiction?
>
> Michael Dirda: Gritty novels about private
eyes,
> double-crossing dames, and scams that go wrong.
Think
> Philip Marlowe or Mike Hammer. Hemingway doing a
crime
> novel.
[ . . . ]
> Boston, MA: Re: Hard-boiled Masters
>
> How about James Sallis? His Lew Griffin "mysteries"
strike
> me as great modern stuff. Or perhaps James
Ellroy?
>
> Michael Dirda: Yes, of course.
http://discuss.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/zforum/00/dirda0103.htm
> Winston-Salem, NC: You've mentioned Ross Thomas
previously,
> any suggestions for a place to start with his
mysteries?
>
> Michael Dirda: The Cold-War Swap; Chinaman's Chance;
The
> Seersucker Whipsaw; or The Fools in Town are on OUr
Side.
[ . . . ]
> Richmond, VA: I am a fan of the psychological
mystery
> genre--Rendell, James, George, etc. Can you
recommend some
> new or less well-known authors who are worth
reading?
>
> Michael Dirda: Patricia Highsmith--Strangers on a
Train;
> THe Talented Mr. Ripley; Ira Levin, A Kiss Before
Dying.
> Cornell Woolrich, the black series (The Bride Wore
Black,
> Rendezvous in Black); also as GEorge Hopley, Night
Has a
> Thousand Eyes C.S. Forester, Payment
Deferred
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