Mr. Sullivan asked about THE RAYMOND CHANDLER PAPERS (2000),
the collection edited by Tom Hiney and Frank MacShane (who
died in 1998). Hiney's introduction says MacShane's "valiant
work lives on in this selection, which expands on, and bases
itself on, his 1981 selection." He also says, "I believe I
have found some interesting new material.... Readers familiar
with the two earlier selections will therefore find plenty of
new material to enjoy here In addition to that retrieved from
existing papers (including never previously seen journalism)
several new letters have come to light in the last ten
years--notably Chandler's two-year correspondence with a
fan-turned-lover named Louise Loughner."
Collections of letters aren't easy to read (or so I find) but
there's some good stuff in here, and enough new stuff for a
Chandler afficionado with some spare simoleons to head for
the bookstore.
Here's a letter to one Paul Brooks, joking about a Chandler
cookbook, 28 November 1957. "It will have headlines such as
HOW TO BROIL A STEAK - DON'T. HOW TO MAKE A DINNER IN TEN
MINUTES. HOW TO MAKE COFFEE THAT DOESN'T TASTE LIKE COLORED
WATER OT A STEWED SLIPPER. DISHES THAT TAKE ALL DAY AND THE
HELL WITH THEM. REALLY GOOD MASHED POTATOES ARE AS RARE AS
VIRGINS, BUT ANY FOOL CAN MAKE THEM IF HE TRIES."
Here's the last line from the last letter in the book, to
Maurice Guinness, 21 February 1959, about Marlowe: "I see him
always in a lonely street, in lonely rooms, puzzled but never
quite defeated." Beautiful.
Bill
-- William Denton : Toronto, Canada : http://www.miskatonic.org/ : Caveat lector.
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