RARA-AVIS: Humble and effete ex-alcoholics struggling to maintain a faithful relationship with female homebodies?

From: Kevin Burton Smith (kvnsmith@thrillingdetective.com)
Date: 03 Oct 2009

  • Next message: Patrick King: "Re: RARA-AVIS: Humble and effete ex-alcoholics struggling to maintain a faithful relationship with female homebodies?"

    Patrick wrote:

    > I have a love/hate relationship with Travis McGee. For the most part
    > I've enjoyed the stories. I agree that the philosophizing and the
    > sentimentality make the character very pretentious. On the other
    > hand, those are the qualities friends of mine who are serious McGee
    > fans really like about him. I think McDonald's success with McGee
    > was the factor that started diluting the PI pool with contrite
    > former alcoholics struggling to maintain a faithful relationship
    > with female homebodies. I, personally, find this trend very tedious.
    > On the other hand, how can I fault McDonald for coming up with a
    > formula that worked? I guess there's an audience out there who
    > prefers their detectives humble and effete.

    Speaking of tedious...

    Maybe this time you could provide a few examples of these humble and effete ex-alcoholic private eyes struggling to maintain a faithful relationship with female homebodies that represent this "trend"?

    You know, like, from actual books you've actually read (not movies)?

    Kevin

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