The thesis that Chandler imitated Hammett would need more
explanation than the author gives --a lot more, because it's
false.
To me, they are polar opposites and the origins of the two
great schools of hardboiled writing: what we call informally
THH or Twain-Hemingway-Hammett style and the romantic style
loaded with wisecracks and colorful green metaphors pouring
furiously, or RSL-WW&CGMPF for short.
Few US crime writers escape this polarity, the most obvious
ones (to me) being Chester Himes and the group of noir
masters descended from Cain, such as Goodis, Willeford and
Thompson, all the way to Kent Harrington and James
Ellroy.
The other day, I was thinking that Gault is so good because
he combines the best of THH and RSL-WW&CGMPF.
Best, and sorry for the scrambled post. It's dangerous to be
around so many guys high on goldmedal dust.
MrT
=====
"The skill of man is unequal to the formation of a new man
from old materials, but the battered tenement may, with care,
be long sustained by props" -- From Becklard's
Physiology.
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