FICTWRI@aol.com
Sun, 29 Aug 1999 08:00:07 EDT
In a message dated 99-08-29 04:07:03 EDT, you write:
<< I was disappointed by the last line of Willeford's
Pick-Up,
thought it was a cheap and gimmicky end to an otherwise
top-rate first
novel. >> <<In 1967, when the story was
written, I'm certain that the point was even more
startling.>>
It's been awhile since I read PICK UP by C. Willeford but
what I remember it was very clever . I liked the ending which
was an eye opener especially when it was written 1955 and not
1967. A common theme in Noir is 'The Fresh' start and PICK UP
is an up and down of new beginnings and the gloom is never
interrupted.
If you'll go back and re-read the book you'll see some cool
and crafty word play that you probably missed the first time
around -- like ("Few men in the art world knew as much as I
did about color." and on the very first page --
""Yes, you do," I agreed, "and you need it black.") This was
in the first few chapters which shed some light on that eye
popping ending and Wiilleford played this game all the way
through the book.. Excellent read!
Another favorite of mine by Willeford is MIAMI BLUES.
John Weaver, www.pageonelit.com
-- # To unsubscribe, say "unsubscribe rara-avis" to # To unsubscribe, say "unsubscribe rara-avis" to majordomo@icomm.ca. # The web pages for the list are at http://www.miskatonic.org/rara-avis/.
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.0b3 on Sun 29 Aug 1999 - 08:01:07 EDT