Kevin Burton Smith wrote:
>A masters student in the UK contqacted me a few days
ago and said she
>recalls reading a comment by Chandler suggesting that
he appreciated
>Malet and comparing him to Hammett. Any idea where
she might have seen
>this or is she halucinating?
>
>
I think your last hypothesis is correct. As far as I know,
Chandler never commented Malet. Further I do not think that
Malet was even translated into English during Chandler's
lifetime. I'm reasonably well "Malet-educated" and came never
across a citation about a possible Chandler appraisal. Not in
specialist analysis of anything related to Malet, nor in his
autobiography: LA VACHE ENRAGÉ…. Should have Chandler said
something like what you report, believe me it should have
been noted in each reprint of Malet's novels and in each
analyze of his work. Worse than that, the way Malet build his
mystery fictions with his PI Nestor Burma is in a way closer
to Chandler's approach than Hammett's. Burma can be HB but it
is not his only way.
Of course one could argue that Malet is a French prolongation
of a mix between Chandler and Hammett, but he added also in
his works things coming from roots having nothing to do with
anglo-saxon HB/noir. Neither did he pastiche of both Chandler
and Hammett.
On the other hand, "modern" reviewers, lacking mystery
fiction culture, and supported by false pretense issued by
publishers (in press releases or even on the back-cover of
the books), could have at certain moments qualify Malet of
"heir of Hammett and Chandler..." or "the French Hammett..."
or of any bulls...t of the same essence. As you know, today,
publishers -everywhere- qualify writers with these two
authors names that are currently known by the general public
(even if they never read any of them). So this could be the
source of confusion for your student (?).
E.Borgers HARD-BOILED MYSTERIES http://www.geocities.com/Athens/6384
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This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : 17 Jan 2006 EST