----- Original Message ----- From: <
tieresias@att.net>
> I think it interesting to note how Leonard said he
didn't "learn" anything
> from Chandler/Hammmett. It's semantics to
me.
>
> Seminal works in any genre are those which influence
future writers,
period.
> This subject has been brought up on this list
before, but I think it is
still
> relevant (particularly to this
discussion).
It's highly debatable that Leonard writes in the same genre
as Chandler.
> Although writers (and critics) are quick to note
those worthies who came
> before and influenced them in a positive manner, it
is a more difficult
> proposition to asssess which authors one has read
that might influence one
in
> a negative manner.
>
> For instance, my disdain for the majority of the
writings of James Ellroy
is
> well-documented on this list, and speaking as an
heretofore unpublished
author
> of at least one full-length mystery novel, I can
honestly say that the
crawl-
> in-your-own-filth-both-real-and-metaphorical style
of Ellroy's writing has
in
> fact had a negative influence on my own work (such
as it is). In other
words,
> I have been pushed away from writing things that
might be hailed
> as "Ellroyesque", etc.
Well, yes, I can see that. But that's unusual. Although
Leonard doesn't particularly enjoy Chandler's writing, he
doesn't appear to manifest the extreme reaction towards his
predecessor that you do towards Ellroy. Leonard simply
doesn't see what all the fuss is about.
> I think that seminal books do that. They influence
either positively or
> negatively, based upon any possible combination of
power and originality.
> Thus, although Leonard (a man I consider to be a
brilliant writer) may not
> have 'learned' anything from Chandler, I don't
consider it much of a
stretch
> to say that there can be little question that he has
been influenced by
> reading his work, even if he rejects it as
"instructive."
Sorry to disagree, but I can think of a number of so-called
"seminal" books that provoked little more reaction than
yawning and, on occasion, even profound slumber. Here's the
real test, then. In a parallel universe where Chandler was
never born, would Elmore Leonard still have written THE
SWITCH?
Al
-- # To unsubscribe from the regular list, say "unsubscribe rara-avis" to # majordomo@icomm.ca. This will not work for the digest version. # The web pages for the list are at http://www.miskatonic.org/rara-avis/ .
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : 30 Mar 2003 EST