Tyler, Tom (Ttyle@herrick.com)
Thu, 16 Sep 1999 10:34:44 -0400
It's possible
that Ellroy has said all he has to say. "My Dark Places"
seems to me to be the final exhalation of the demon (the
"redhead") which impelled him to write all his previous
works, with the exception of
"American Tabloid."
"Tabloid"
felt like a significant change in direction wherein Ellroy
was no longer drawing artistic energy from the exorcism of
personal demons but attempting to reach outside personal
history to exorcise the USA's demons by telling the true
story of our contemporary political history. I suspect
writing is now more of a struggle for a man who is older,
successful, happily married in Kansas City and no longer
tormented. He must find a new path, and it cannot be
easy.
Because it
attempted to tell the truth and because Ellroy made a strong
effort to change his subject matter, I loved "Tabloid," and
hope Ellroy will not be blocked as he attempts to continue
his Tabloid series. What's his choice, if he wants to
continue being a serious artist? He must find something new,
or else he's condemned to write the same story over and over
in between college stints as the caricatured "demon dog" of
american fiction. (Not that most writers don't write the same
story over and over. See "Single & Single," le Carre's
latest angst-ridden borefest about a bumstead of a
father).
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