miker wrote:
"And by virtue of one great novel brings up a bunch. I
hesitate to say it, but I'd put Willeford in that category
for The Burnt Orange Heresy. Nothing else I've read of his
has measured up."
That is heresy in my book Although I agree Burnt Orange is
his best, almost everything else I've read of his have been
very good indeed. Out of curiosity, have you read Miami
Blues, his cop novel?
And it was James Crumley who wrote Last Good Kiss. Also very
good by him is Dancing Bear.
Back to Gopnik's dichotomy in the subject line, I really see
no need to choose between them, just as I see no need to
choose between Chandler and Cain, an older clash set up by
critics (and the authors themselves; Chandler did not like
Cain's writing ad Cain hated being grouped with the
hardboiled school). I've read all of the Lew Archers and
numerous of Leonard's crime novels (though I kind of let him
lapse, think Rum Punch was the last of his I read). Very
different writers, I'd probably pick Macdonald if I were
forced to choose, but why can't I like both Macdonald and
Leonard, Chandler and Cain, Beatles and the Stones, . .
.?
Mark
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