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Re: RARA-AVIS: Locale
>AnnyMiddon@aol.com wrote:
>
>>I've been thinking about common elements in hardboiled fiction, and found
>>myself wondering whether an urban environment is a requirement of the genre.
> >My definition of "urban" would include some suburban locales; it seems to
>me
>>that suburbs of older cities are often more urban than the heart of newer
>>cities.
>
>>But what about small towns, farming communities, backcountry? To be sure, a
>>place like the desert outside Las Vegas is a good spot to get rid of a body
>>or hold a "questioning" session without worry about interruptions. But can
>a
>>hardboiled novel take place entirely in a nonurban setting?
>
>>I couldn't think of any examples where it has, but admittedly I'm not that
>>well-read in the genre.
Our library is currently showing a series of noir films (see
http://www.wrl.org/Programs/current.html for info - shameless plug). One
of those is a modern "noir," Red Rock West. It takes place in a small
desert town. Don't know if that fits the urban description. I'm also
thinking of those "hard boiled" westerns that have remote settings,
though I guess Tombstone is pretty urban when viewed against the rest of
19th century Arizona.
Don't forget that no less an urban detective than Sherlock Holmes
believed there was more heinous crime in the country than the city.
Patrick
++ Patrick Golden ++ Program Services Manager ++ pgolden@leo.vsla.edu
++ Williamsburg Regional Library ++ Virginia ++ http://www.wrl.org
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