Sure. I like Jason's work too, and a number of other contemporary noir writers. And there are new readers discovering the genre all the time. My comment isn't a knock on the quality of current writers.
I've never considered the genre a gimmick, though I'm sure there are amusement bucks to be wrung from its pages yet. But when reality surpasses fiction, the fiction is no longer producing relevant ideas, new directions. It is journalism's job to report the past.
Best,
Kerry
----- Original Message -----
From: jacquesdebierue
To: rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wednesday, November 12, 2008 11:27 AM
Subject: Re: RARA-AVIS: Existential and all that
--- In rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com, "gsp.schoo@..." <gsp.schoo@...> wrote:
>
> Regarding retro noir: yes, I too feel that after the summation of
"No Country for Old Men" in text and film, there's room for little
more than rehash and pastiche. An ending.
>
On the other hand, contemporary noir should continue to thrive, as the
work of Jason Starr and several other raravian favorites shows. The
genre at its best is hardly a gimmick, and it will be even less so now
that reality is surpassing fiction. My point is that you can remove
practically all the artificiality and still have great noir stories in
totally realistic settings.
Best,
mrt
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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