> What do the fedoras and fedorettes think of
Burke?
>
> Regards,
>
> MrT
Well, I agree and I disagree, MrT. I think Burke is
fantastic--in fact, I think he's the best currect
practitioner of the hardboiled genre. And that, of course, is
where I disagree. I don't think he's descended from the
Southern school so much as influenced by it--the themes of
the hardboiled genre are all present, but he has added an
element of magical realism and a southern mindset to his
work. Honestly, I think he's the most original practitioner
since, oh, Ross MacDonald. (Incidentally, he's not my
favorite; but I think he's more worthly of critical attention
than anyone else currently writing.)
As far as his quest for literary significance, I also have to
disagree...I think he's already acheived it. In fact, he did
it with his earliest work, before he'd even begun working
with detective fiction. I am surprised that he has received
so little literary attention, actually--although I think that
is coming to an end. I know at least two minor critical
pieces were published about him last year, and more are
coming.
However, I think his best work (in the detective field,
anyway) is either _In Electric Mist with Confederate Dead_ or
_Purple Cane Road_ (the latter is not yet out in paperback, I
don't believe).
And finally, let me say how happy I am to have stumbled upon
Rara-Avis this afternoon. I am a grad student in English,
writing one of my thesis papers on
(you'll never guess) Burke, as well as Poe, Carroll John
Daly, and John D. MacDonald.
G.
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