MrT,
I cannot be more in agreement than with this type of statement.
And pushing a little further I would say that noir (as a wide field, not
restricted as some tend to believe) by its diversity and existential content
is the most relevant of all. And we see more and more authors of real value
using noir to develop first class literature, from Ellroy to David Peace,
from Manchette to Andrew McGahan.
On the other hand, the social criticism, and by this the political analysis
of our times and corruptions, is always present, at least implicitly in the
good and very good HB/noir. A major characteristic of HB/noir- and not
necessarily by proclaiming some political slogans or routines in their
novels, nor by producing those unsubtle "romans à thèse".
Their content in the best noir is not pure entertainment: it's also, and
mainly, literature: besides Kafka, Joyce, Celine
My two cents with the help of G-mail
E.Borgers
POLAR NOIR
http://www.geocities.com/polarnoir/
Your message:
Sayers and Christie are essentially irrelevant today, whereas both the
Hammett-Chandler tradition and the Thompson, Goodis, Woolrich et al
are more relevant than ever. In the case of the noir guys, their work
taps directly into the fearful people that we have become. Just like
Franz Kafka is more relevant than John Galsworthy.. .
mrt
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