Although any of the 24 volumes in the series (the most recent having been released last year - THE FACES IN THE POOL) can stand on its own, i.e. you don't have to read them in order, you might as well start at the beginning with THE JUDAS PAIR. It was adapted as a episode in the TV series, but is quite a bit different in its original form. In my opinion it showcases, as well as any of the books, how a noir or noirish character can have absolute faith in something, in this case antiques, while still retaining a rather dim view of the rest of the world.
I hope you enjoy these books as much as I do!
Harry
________________________________________
From: rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com [rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Don Lee [donthepoet@yahoo.com]
Sent: March 3, 2009 3:46 PM
To: rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: RARA-AVIS: RE: Faith and cynicism hand-in-hand in noir and hard-bolied fiction
Y'know, I've never read Jonathan Gash either, though I ought -- I love the British tv show and it introduced me to Ian McShane, later hero of "Deadwood," one of the best tv shows ever. Just for the curious, which Gash book would be a good intro?
Don
--- On Tue, 3/3/09, Ron Clinton <clinton65@comcast.net<mailto:clinton65%40comcast.net>> wrote:
> From: Ron Clinton <clinton65@comcast.net<mailto:clinton65%40comcast.net>>
> Subject: RE: RARA-AVIS: RE: Faith and cynicism hand-in-hand in noir and hard-bolied fiction
> To: rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com<mailto:rara-avis-l%40yahoogroups.com>
> Date: Tuesday, March 3, 2009, 2:37 PM
> Harry, with the presumption that there is a definable
> difference between
> crime fiction and mystery fiction, my experience with this
> list is that
> classic noir and hardboiled writers (Cain, Brewer, Hammett,
> Woolrich,
> Goodis, Thompson, et al) tend to be the most discussed,
> followed by
> modern-day American writers of crime fiction (Pelecanos,
> Block, Westlake,
> Connelly, et al), followed by modern-day English writers of
> crime fiction
> (Guthrie, Bruen, et al), followed by both American writers
> of generic
> mystery fiction (Grafton, Parker, et al), follwed by
> English writers of
> generic mystery fiction. Others may disagree...that's
> simply my personal
> take on the list over the last decade (?) I've been a
> member. Frankly, it's
> a trend I enjoy and appreciate, and the reason I've
> stayed a member for so
> long.
>
> Since as you indicate, Gash is seen by many as "a
> rather more generic
> mystery" writer, the trend of the list is such that he
> is likely to get
> little play around here, deservedly or not -- as evidenced
> by your previous
> three attempts "to start a discussion about Jonathan
> Gash's work without any
> real success." I, for one, have never read him, and
> likely never
> will...that type of of material just doesn't float my
> boat. Regardless of
> whether others here share your affinity for Gash, however,
> it's nice that
> you've latched onto a writer and character that you
> enjoy so much and
> consistently speaks to you in a special manner. I have
> several such authors
> as well, and it's always a pleasure to enter their
> world.
>
> Ron C.
>
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com<mailto:rara-avis-l%40yahoogroups.com>
> > [mailto:rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com<mailto:rara-avis-l%40yahoogroups.com>] On Behalf Of
> Harry Joseph Lerner
> > Sent: Tuesday, March 03, 2009 10:38 AM
> > To: rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com<mailto:rara-avis-l%40yahoogroups.com>
> > Subject: RARA-AVIS: RE: Faith and cynicism
> hand-in-hand in
> > noir and hard-bolied fiction
> >
> > Hello all,
> >
> > My numerous typos aside, was my question too
> confusing, or
> > simply not subject-appropriate for this list? I have
> a great
> > deal of respect for everyone on this list, thus I
> often turn
> > to you for insight and information and am very rarely
> > disappointed as a result. However, this is the third
> time,
> > by my count, that I have tried to start a discussion
> about
> > Jonathan Gash's work without any real success.
> >
> > Just curious...
> >
> > Best,
> > Harry
> > ________________________________________
> > From: rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com<mailto:rara-avis-l%40yahoogroups.com>
> > [rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com<mailto:rara-avis-l%40yahoogroups.com>] On Behalf Of Harry
> Joseph
> > Lerner [harry.joseph.lerner@mail.mcgill.ca<mailto:harry.joseph.lerner%40mail.mcgill.ca>]
> > Sent: March 1, 2009 11:19 AM
> > To: rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com<mailto:rara-avis-l%40yahoogroups.com>
> > Subject: RARA-AVIS: Faith and cynicism hand-in-hand in
> noir
> > and hard-bolied fiction
> >
> > Hello fellow rara-avians,
> >
> > In an effort to start a more on-topic discussion, I
> ask the
> > following question: What are some examples of noir or
> > hard-boiled characters, either in stand-alone novels
> or
> > series characters, that have an enduring faith in
> something
> > other than their own personal code of conduct that
> rather
> > than subvert the usual norish or hard-boiled character
> traits
> > actually serves to re-inforce them. When I say faith,
> it is
> > something that need not be restricted to religious
> belief. It
> > can be entirely secular in nature. The case in point
> that got
> > me going along this particular train of thought is
> that of
> > Gash's Lovejoy series. I know I have brought up
> Lovejoy on
> > this list a few times before without inspiring much
> dialogue,
> > but I thought it worth another try. Lovejoy, while
> some of
> > you probably consider him a rather more generic
> mystery
> > series protagonist, embodies many of the generally
> agreed
> > upon attributes that collectively describe what we
> call a
> > noir or hard-bolied character. In Love joy's case,
> the world
> > of antiques is his faith, and his absolute devotion to
> this
> > world is what sets everyone and everything else apart
> in a
> > perpetual cloud of jaded cynicism. I'm curious
> which other
> > authors have tried their hand at this or similar
> variations
> > on the standard noir or hard-boiled formula. For more
> details
> > on my take on Lovejoy as a kind of re-evaluation of
> noir
> > check out Allan Guthrie's NOIR ORIGINALS for an
> article I
> > wrote not too long ago.
> >
> > Thanks in advance for your responses to my question.
> >
> > Best,
> > Harry
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ------------------------------------
> >
> > RARA-AVIS home page:
> http://www.miskatonic.org/rara-avis/
> > Yahoo! Groups Links
> >
> >
> >
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