RARA-AVIS: _Hollywood Nocturnes_ and other rants...

Roger Dowdy (rdowdy@sprintmail.com)
Wed, 13 May 1998 17:17:28 -0700 Whew. Just returned for my trip to Boston and Minneapolis to visit
friends and am trying to get caught up with my email (more on the trip
later).

Great discussion on Ellroy's _Hollywood Nocturnes_. I'm afraid I have to
add my distaste for "DC's Blues." I simply got bored with it and moved
on after about 25 pages. Really enjoyed the other stories however. I
remembered "Gravy Train" from our first reading as a group (i.e.
_Hardboiled: An Anthology of American Crime Stories_ for those who may be
new to rara-avis) and actually enjoyed the story more than I had the
first time.

Thanks to all who suggested spots to check out in Boston and Minneapolis.
Spenser's in Boston is a decent store with a pretty knowledgable owner
(I'm blanking on his name). Somewhat limited selection however primarily
due, I suspect, to his lack of square footage. Once Upon A Crime in
Minneapolis was also pretty small but carried a pretty good selection of
even lesser-known hardboiled authors. Uncle Edgars in Minneapolis was
definately heads and tails above the rest and probably one of the better
mystery bookstores I've had the pleasure of visting [Disclaimer -- mind
you my exposeure has been relatively limited having lived in Seattle most
of my life; I wouldn't want to upset any of the bookstore owners on the
list] ;) I found several great buys at Edgars and even discovered they
had a couple of the "Robicheaux's Fish and Baitshop" t-shirts in stock.
All in all well worth the trip. Read Michael Stone's _The Low End of
Nowhere_ during all of the airplane travel and enjoyed it a great deal.
Looking forward to starting _A Long Reach_.

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