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RARA-AVIS: Re: RARA-AVIS-Izzi, Spenser,
Reply to: RE>RARA-AVIS:Izzi, Spenser, etc.
Sandra,
Since you ask, here's my two cents on Izi: A few years back, just after the
critics had discovered him and he was achieving his first round of fame, I
picked up one of his books. Unfortunately, I can't recall the title. It was
well written and compelling enough that I kept reading through two more. But
sometime early the third one, I realized that something was troubling me, and
by the middle of the book, I'd figured out what it was: Through all three
books, I never met a single character who I liked or would want to spend time
with. They were all slimeballs of one stripe or another -- even his
protagonists. So while I continue to admire him as a creative and compelling
writer, I haven't read any more of his stuff.
The hb writers I read and reread avidly all create protagonists with
admirable qualities. They are "heroes", if you will: Sam Spade, Philip
Marlowe, Lou Archer, Spenser, even the
comic-booky-but-often-wildly-entertaining Mike Hammer.
Re the threat on whether Spenser is hard-boiled: I think not; certainly not
as much as in the earlier novel. But Hawk definitely is, and the best
Spensers are the ones that feature Hawk prominently.
Dave Baurac
--------------------------------------
Date: 1/16/97 5:59 PM
To: Dave Baurac
From: rara-avis@icomm.ca
Happy to join this growing list. I've been a fan of hardboiled writing for
several years. Not sure how my fave authors rank according to your
standards, but I'm a big fan of Jim Thompson, David Goodis, Dashielle
Hammett, Raymond Chandler (just completed the book of his letters), Andrew
Vachss, and Lawrence Block.
During a recent internet search I came up with an article about Eugene Izzi
having hung himself. Vachss mentioned his work as being a favorite of his. I
had never heard of Eugene Izzi...so, natch, I'm curious. Anybody know
anything about him?
Like the owner of this list, I'm hung up on gangster lingo and collect
dictionaries of same. Anyone have anything along those lines they're ready
to let go of, I'd love to hear from you.
Best,
Sandra Hess
shess@sirius.com
who lives on a not so mean street of San Francisco
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To: rara-avis@icomm.ca
From: Sandra Hess <shess@sirius.com>
Subject: RARA-AVIS: New List Member/Eugene Izzi?
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