miker wrote:
>
> many moons ago i read a book by anne rice, a
prominent contemporary
> horror writer. the narrative stated that a girl is
charmed by a
> witty and wise conversation with some guy (i think
the book was _the
> mummy_). i remember getting a bad feeling about that
right off the
> bat. my feeling was, "tell me what he said and i'll
decide for
> myself." i got the distinct feeling that she wasn't
capable of
> writing it and was sidestepping the real
work.
Show, don't tell. Isn't that supposed to be one of the
cardinal rules of good writing?
> i've only
> read chandler's _big sleep_, and i hesitate (not
really) to dis
> the master, but i'd say that crumley does a better
job with women
> than chandler. rosie, catherine, betty sue, and even
trahearne's
> mother come thru as distinct and believable and more
convincing
> characters than either of the sternwood
sisters.
>
As wonderful a writer as Chandler was, like most of my
favourite writers, he was extremely flawed - and his
portrayal of female characters would have to be one of his
greatest flaws. This is not at all unusual amongst the HB
writers both of his time &, perhaps to a lesser extent,
many of the HB writers of the 1950's also.
Rene
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