RARA-AVIS: Re: PI's

From: jacquesdebierue (jacquesdebierue@yahoo.com)
Date: 10 Mar 2009

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    --- In rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com, "davezeltserman" <davezelt@...> wrote:
    >
    > When I was in high school I raced through all the Lew Archer books and loved them, with The Chill being my favorite. Something about the common sins of the father theme running through them, and all the sin and guilt that these characters are desperately trying to keep hidden. I think it was these books more than any other that made me want to be a writer. A year or so ago I read a Ross Macdonald short story where the writing felt very stilted to me, then tried picking up The Chill and also found the writing stilted. Maybe it was the mood I was in, and will try one of his books again.
    >

    If Macdonaldn feels stilted (I feel some of that, although it doesn't impair my pleasure), check out Thomas Dewey. His stuff reads like it was written yesterday. I have recently reread some of his novels and frankly, I am amazed at how much better they have gotten.
     
    > I agree also there's a strong noirish element to his books, but I'd classify them as hardboiled PI. On the other hand, almost every one of them could be rewritten as pure noir by changing the perspective.
    >

    I agree. They could also be easily filmed as noirs. Macdonald and Archer are not melodramatic, they are distant, but in a film narration you could inject melodrama and other hot sentiments visually, musically, by the acting, etc.

    Best,

    mrt



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