Just finally catching up on my summer reading list, also
wrapping up a couple of writing commitments, and have a spare
few minutes to drop a line to the list about a book I
finished a while back: Al Guthrie's HARD MAN.
This book has been kicked around this list a few times, and
I'm not prepared to add much, except for a few overarching
comments. First, I don't usually find it productive to
disagree with Eddie Muller on things noir-related, but I must
respectfully disagree with his harsh review of Al's latest
book.
During the 1970s they said that "Only Nixon can go to China,"
with the implication that only an old hard-line
anti-communist like Nixon had the credentials to deal with
the communists without appearing to either kow-tow to, or
collaborate with them. I'd like to think that in a similar
vein, my own oft-chronicled dislike for some of the sadism
and gratuitous, cartoony violence that is current en vogue
among many of the genre's current crop of Young Turks would
give me a bit of credibility in saying that I quite liked
this book.
Perhaps it's because I know Al. Perhaps it's because he's a
far more skilled writer than many of the other Young Turks
currently in the business, maybe it's some combination of the
two, but it takes a deft touch to pull off truly
unadulterated black comedy, and I think that our Mr. Guthrie
does so masterfully. I laughed my way through this book,
including that crucifiction scene. No other writer in the
genre not named Ken Bruen could have pulled that scene
off.
So take this for what it's worth, but I heartily recommen
HARD MAN to any Rara Avian who cares to take a chance on
it.
All the Best-
Brian Thornton
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