Iceberg Slim, (Robert Beck) one of the first popular black
"street"
authors, is due for a major rediscovery. His voice is so
authentic,
since he was a pimp himself, and he knew the life. His slang
and
language are incomparable, and his characters are truly
dripping with
oil. Very different from Chester Himes, who, believe it or
not, is a
helluvalot more literary. Iceberg Slim, (or at least his
publisher
Hollaway House touted) was read widely by blacks in the
fifties and
sixties.
The heir to Slim was Donald Goines, a pimp and junkie who
churned out a
remarkable amount of grim and gripping street novels. The
first were
autobiographical -- "Dopefiend" and "Whoreson," which are
without a
doubt more hardboiled and hardcore than anything ever
mentioned on this
list. Yeah, they're sordid -- but their craft, economy and
authenticity
are undeniable. Believe me, they'll keep you up at night. One
of my
favorites is "White Man's Justice, Black Man's Grief,"
Goines
"indictment" of the prison system. Goines was murdered
mysteriously,
(drug related) around '74.
One of the things I love about the whole experience of Slim
and Goines
is that for years, you could only buy them at your local
NEWSTAND, which
were always well stocked with these Hollaway House editions!
They were
truly "street," virtually unknown by book retailers. Now, I'm
sure you
can order them through Amazon.
Maybe we all should read one of these. I guarantee you, they
make
Chandler, Hammett and the rest of the boys read like
candy.
Dave
#
# To unsubscribe, say "unsubscribe rara-avis" to
majordomo@icomm.ca.
# The web pages for the list are at http://www.vex.net/~buff/rara-avis/.