Re: RARA-AVIS: Ellroy reviewd at Salon; Spillane still not dead

From: jjnevins@ix.netcom.com
Date: 13 Jun 2001


rara-avis@icomm.ca wrote:
> Here's Ellroy's new book reviewed by an idiot at Salon:

> http://www.salon.com/books/review/2001/06/13/ellroy/print.html

> It features such gems as: "Fans of crime thrillers would have
> complained that AMERICAN TABLOID was nearly as impenetrable as
> ULYSSES--that is, if fans of crime thrillers had known what ULYSSES
> is" and "If Ellroy wants to ditch the genre label, it might be time
> for him to ditch the territory. I mean, fuck being a crime novelist
> if you can be a flat-out great novelist." It's one of the
> stupidest book reviews I've read in a long time.

With respect, Bill, that review was written by Allen Barra, who is many things, but not an idiot.

I don't think most fans of crime thrillers know what ULYSSES is. Why should fans of crime thrillers be more literate than most other readers, who don't know who James Joyce is, either?

And the latter quote is from Ellroy himself, so slag Ellroy for the statement, not Barra.

jess

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