Re: RARA-AVIS: Best works of criticism and background?

From: Jeff Vorzimmer ( jvorzimmer@austin.rr.com)
Date: 27 Sep 2006


> A question for Mr. Robison before the month ends: If someone wanted to
> buy one (or two) books about hardboiled and noir, and was looking for
> background, criticism, history, interpretation, opinion, etc., what would
> you recommend?
>
> Frank Gruber's PULP JUNGLE sounds like a good one to start with. I
> mentioned Geoffrey O'Brien's HARDBOILED AMERICA a minute ago, but it's out
> of date now. How about THE BIG BOOK OF NOIR? Paul Duncan's little NOIR
> FICTION?

Bill,

I was going to ask this question myself. I agree with Hardboiled America, but I would recommend starting with that rather than Pulp Jungle, I would recommend reading Gruber after reading some of the pulp writers from the thirties, especially some of the pulp collections. I think it's more interesting when you know a little bit about the writers he talks about. Server's Big Book of Noir is a good intro as well.

Jeff

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