Re: RARA-AVIS: DeLillo, Murakami, Kafka, hard-boiled definition

From: a.n.smith ( ansmith@netdoor.com)
Date: 20 Apr 2000


> As for Haruki Murakami, I certainly wouldn't argue him as hardboiled
> either, although, as Doug notes, he does clearly worship Chandler,

Look, it's a literary game, taking all these authors and asking "Are they hardboiled? Somewhat?" And I end up not caring.

I have people to talk to about literary writers and criticism all day. That's why I work at a university, why I work for a literary magazine. And of course, any label can be applied if you rationalize enough (Shakespeare as Noir?) with critical theory.

But not here.

I go back to my question: Does everything have to be hard-boiled? Can't we leave some literature alone and not try to push it into the category? Boring. There's enough tough-as-nails, break-a-tooth writing to talk about without pushing Isherwood's BERLIN STORIES into the hardboiled world.

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