gamma68 wrote:

I wanted to read a "hard-boiled" noir novel and kept a list from a past "Wall Sreet Journal" article about a few authors who wrote in that genre. Femme fatales appeal to me, so I looked at some used book stores for "A Hell of a Woman" by Jim Thompson.

Funny, I've been reading quite a bit of noir recent recently but I kinda snuck up on the genre backwards. See, it's been led by a prefix placing it firmly in one of my usual haunts every time: urban fantasy-noir (The Dresden Files, Jim Butcher), high fantasy-noir (Garrett, PI series, Glen Cook), or low fantasy-noir (Hawk & Fisher, Simon R Green). Once I finish working my way through Glen Cook's catalogue of published work, I'd been considering a swap to the pure stuff but I didn't know quite where to begin. If y'all wanted to recommend a good series or two, I'd appreciate it. If it's older than me and the books have aged enough to get that wonderful vanilla and tobacco scent, I'd appreciate it even more.

Reuben wrote:

gamma68 wrote:

I wanted to read a "hard-boiled" noir novel and kept a list from a past "Wall Sreet Journal" article about a few authors who wrote in that genre. Femme fatales appeal to me, so I looked at some used book stores for "A Hell of a Woman" by Jim Thompson.

Funny, I've been reading quite a bit of noir recent recently but I kinda snuck up on the genre backwards. See, it's been led by a prefix placing it firmly in one of my usual haunts every time: urban fantasy-noir (The Dresden Files, Jim Butcher), high fantasy-noir (Garrett, PI series, Glen Cook), or low fantasy-noir (Hawk & Fisher, Simon R Green). Once I finish working my way through Glen Cook's catalogue of published work, I'd been considering a swap to the pure stuff but I didn't know quite where to begin. If y'all wanted to recommend a good series or two, I'd appreciate it. If it's older than me and the books have aged enough to get that wonderful vanilla and tobacco scent, I'd appreciate it even more.

Personally, for a pure-noir starter, I don't think you can go wrong by reading "Farewell, My Lovely" by Raymond Chandler.

This book has one of my all-time favorite quotes: "It was a blonde. A blonde to make a bishop kick a hole in a stained glass window."

Reuben wrote:

gamma68 wrote:

I wanted to read a "hard-boiled" noir novel and kept a list from a past "Wall Sreet Journal" article about a few authors who wrote in that genre. Femme fatales appeal to me, so I looked at some used book stores for "A Hell of a Woman" by Jim Thompson.

Funny, I've been reading quite a bit of noir recent recently but I kinda snuck up on the genre backwards. See, it's been led by a prefix placing it firmly in one of my usual haunts every time: urban fantasy-noir (The Dresden Files, Jim Butcher), high fantasy-noir (Garrett, PI series, Glen Cook), or low fantasy-noir (Hawk & Fisher, Simon R Green). Once I finish working my way through Glen Cook's catalogue of published work, I'd been considering a swap to the pure stuff but I didn't know quite where to begin. If y'all wanted to recommend a good series or two, I'd appreciate it. If it's older than me and the books have aged enough to get that wonderful vanilla and tobacco scent, I'd appreciate it even more.

Loved the handful of Dresden Files books I read. Ever read S. Andrew Swann's Moreau books? Kind of the same vein -- is there better vacation reading than a genetically-spliced half-man half-tiger solving a murder?

And yeah, I'm a Chandler fan. You could read his work as a series - same protagonist in all of them. Farewell, My Lovely is the second. It's not quite as weird as The Big Sleep, or quite so straightforward as The High Window. I give both of those a _slight_ edge.

I've been working through an omnibus edition that, according to the plate, was originally purchased in Tokyo (so why it's in my university library is a mystery). It's got that nice patina that old books get.

I hear good things about Jim Thompson, but I haven't read anything of his.

Youthful Repp-robate wrote:

I hear good things about Jim Thompson, but I haven't read anything of his.

[/quote]

"The Killer Inside Me" by Thompson was quite disturbing. So, of course, I rented the film version from NetFlix. It's supposed to be very faithful to the book.

The Corrections by Franzen

Then a bunch of Trondheim's most recent work -- largely published by first second or fantagraphics.

Ghettoside by Jill Leovy. Great account of homicide cops in LA by an L.A. Times crime reporter.

I have 20 pages left of War and Peace.

boatshoe wrote:

I have 20 pages left of War and Peace.

Braggart.

I'm now reading former Philadelphia Inquirer reporter Sal Paolantonio's 1993 biography of former Philadelphia Mayor Frank Rizzo.

rmpmcdermott wrote:

boatshoe wrote:

I have 20 pages left of War and Peace.

Well it doesn't count unless you tell everyone.

boatshoe wrote:

rmpmcdermott wrote:

boatshoe wrote:

I have 20 pages left of War and Peace.

Well it doesn't count unless you tell everyone.

This is true.

Just finished "The Mystery of Dr. Fu Manchu," the first novel of Sax Rohmer's series. Lots of stilted phrasing and unfortunate racial stereotyping, but the various adventures of Smith and Dr. Petrie were somewhat entertaining.

I've never read the books but this is tremendous:

https://www.amazon.com/Drums-Fu-Manchu- ... B000087F3F

I think one of the Monty Python guys swiped the Spanish Inquisition voice from Henry Brandon

I am rereading all the Robert Parker books except the Westerns. I can't stand Westerns.

Of course, these all take about 90 minutes each, so I am also rereading Wodehouse.

Sharpe's Revenge by Charleston resident Bernard Cornwell.