Except "I'll Be Waiting" wasn't published in one of the
pulps.... It was Chandler's one foray into the "slicks,"
appearing in the Saturday Evening Post (October 1939).
Chandler apparently did not really like the story, saying in
a 1957 letter that he wrote it under pressure from his agent.
Chandler said, "[. . .] I didn't like it very much. It was
too studied, too careful. I just don't take to that sort of
writing. The story was all right, but I could have written it
better in my own way, without trying to be smooth and
polished, because that is not my talent. I'm an improviser,
and perhaps at times an innovator."
Besides, this story came out seven months after THE BIG
SLEEP, so he had already turned to the novel....
Still, I agree with MrT about the story. I think Chandler is
a bit too harsh in judging it.
~Marc
----- Original Message ----- From: "Mario Taboada"
> I actually prefer the early, unadorned Chandler.
This
> particular story is a fine example of the quality
pulp
> style of Hammett and Whitfield. An even finer
example is
> "I'll be waiting". Not a lot of wisecracking, few
and
> well-chosen similes, a tense and exciting piece of
work.
> Even before Chandler turned to the novel, he was one
of the
> best writers of pulp mystery shorts and
novelettes.
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