So Jeff, since you didn't address it, does that mean that you
accept my assertion that "The Long Goodbye"(1954) is superior
work to "Playback"? Also, I never said "Farewell My Lovely"
was stronger than "The Lady in the Lake." I said it was
stronger than "The High Window." I would also submit that
it's better than "Playback." In fact, for my money, all of
Chandler's previous works are superior to "Playback."
All of this sort of flies in the face of your statement that
his work only got better over time. I think he had peaks and
valleys, like any other writer. "Big Sleep" was pretty good.
"Farewell, My Lovely" was good, too. "The High Window" was a
valley (at least for me). "The Lady in the Lake" was
brilliant, likewise, "The Little Sister." I think "The Long
Goodbye" is positively elegaic at times, and "Playback" is
another valley, signaling a decline brought on by stress, his
wife's death, alcoholism, and failing health.
All the Best-
Brian
----- Original Message -----
From: Jeff Vorzimmer
To:
rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Saturday, July 01, 2006 2:12 PM
Subject: Re: RARA-AVIS: Re: Who don't you
like?
I think it's more obvious with his short stories,
but I don't think all that
highly of Farewell, My Lovely. I don't think it's
as strong a novel as Lady
in the Lake, for instance.
Jeff
> Jeff Vorzimmer wrote about Mike Hammer
books:
>
> "I only felt that about I, the Jury, like
Chandler's novels, they got
progressively better."
>
> Gotta disagree with you here, Jeff.
>
> In my opinion, "Farewell My Lovely," which preceded
"The High Window"/"The
Brasher Doubloon," kicks ass all over it. Also, I
can't see how anyone who
has read the two closely would conclude that
"Playback" (1958), although a
fine enough book, was anywhere near in the league
of "The Long Goodbye."
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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