Re: RARA-AVIS: INTERFACE, Joe Gores

From: Mark Sullivan ( DJ-Anonyme@webtv.net)
Date: 28 Mar 2004


Bill wrote:

"I agree about INTERFACE. I thought it was absolutely top notch."

I had an English professor who taught a course in film as literature. He found out I was into mysteries. We were both fans of Fletch. He asked me about Gores, was curious about him after having seen something about his book Hammett. I gave him Interface, told him it was a much better book. He gave it back shortly thereafter. He told me he had read a chapter or two and "couldn't be bothered." I lost all respect for his taste at that moment.

Luckily, the hardboiled literature course in the department was taught by another, CC Mish, or Pelecanos would never havebeen inspired to write. (The general mystery course was taught by a third, Ian Ousby.)

"Aside from the DKA stories, Mr. Robison might want to try MENACED ASSASSIN (1994), which is another masterpiece of narrative structure. It's like the entire story is there, laid out in front of you, and Gores is trying to tell it all at once, except that's impossible, so he has to pick bits from here and there, and the way he picks them is the most suspenseful arrangement possible."

Wow, Bill, that's a great definition for Literary Cubism (and a good description of the book).

Mark

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