-----Original Message-----
>From: Jeff Vorzimmer <
jvorzimmer@austin.rr.com>
>Sent: Jul 2, 2006 3:24 PM
>To:
rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com
>Subject: Re: RARA-AVIS: Re: Who don't you
like?
>
>> All of this sort of flies in the face of your
statement that his work only
>got better over time.
>> I think he had peaks and valleys, like any other
writer. "Big Sleep" was
>pretty good. "Farewell,
>> My Lovely" was good, too. "The High Window" was
a valley (at least for
>me). "The Lady in the
>> Lake" was brilliant, likewise, "The Little
Sister." I think "The Long
>Goodbye" is positively elegaic
>> at times, and "Playback" is another valley,
signaling a decline brought on
>by stress, his wife's
>> death, alcoholism, and failing
health.
>
>I think we maybe talking at cross-purposes here. What
I'm talking about is
>simply the mechanics of writing, not storyline or
plot--a cohesive plot. But
>I definitely agree with your peaks and valleys
assessment. Perhaps my
>statement was too broad a brush.
>
>Jeff
I barely count PLAYBACK as a Chandler novel. It was
originally a screenplay and it reads as if he merely fleshed
out the script to satisfy a contract or pick up some cash. It
seems clear that he was no longer firing on all cylinders
when he wrote this book. His wife had died, he had attempted
to commit suicide, and he appeared to be sliding deeper and
deeper into bitterness and depression. I think he shot his
wad with THE LONG GOODBYE (a true masterpiece of the form).
He should have stopped there.
On the other hand, I think I am in the minority when I say I
have a great fondness for THE HIGH WINDOW. I know it
sometimes reads as self-parody, but there is something about
that book that really appeals to me. I particularly love the
Chess sequences.
TL
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This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : 02 Jul 2006 EDT