I turned on my back and floated, looking up at the sky, nothing around me but cool clear Pacific, nothing in my eyes but long blue space. It was as close as I ever got to cleanliness and freedom, as far as I ever got from all the people.
- From Ross Macdonald's
THE DROWNING POOL featuring Lew Archer and first published in 1950. This series is a must for fans of the detective genre and readers who dip in for the crème de la crème. The Los Angeles Times said
"Macdonald should not be limited to connoisseurs of mystery fiction. His worth and quality surpass the limitations of the form." Amen.
15 comments:
RM could write an entire scene in so few words and describe the scene so acutely...one finds such a talent wonderfully obscene.
I've been on a MacDonald jag this year and can still say it's the best writing I've witnessed in ages. Some might say his work is formulaic, but if the stew's good, I'm always gonna to eat it.
You pretty much summed up Macdonald's enduring appeal, Mike. I find myself returning to his body of work a little more often these days than the canons of either Chandler or Hammett. Mainly because there are more novels but also because I like hanging with Lew a little more than Phillip or Spade.
is this the Paul Newman movie?
A good film, Anonymous but pales in comparison to the novel. Try HARPER that PN did a few years before. That's a top adaptation.
I was just talking about this movie a couple days ago. It is the best movie with Melanie Griffith in it. Except maybe Night Moves with Gene Hackman but there she pretty much played the same character.
Seriously, I've only read three MacDonald novels and this was one of them -- good stuff. I really loved The Underground Man and need to go find some more.
Dave that was me with the anonympus comment. Forgot to leave my moniker. I saw Harper and guess I forgot it was the same character in the Drowning Pool and the books. Geoff.
Dan, Maybe it is time for me to watch POOL again. Back in the seventies and eighties it was played on television quite a bit. I liked Melanie Griffith in SOMETHING WILD and NOBODY'S FOOL which was also with Newman.
Geoff, For legal reasons they had to change Archer's name to Harper.
I thought they changed the name because Paul Newman wanted another "H" title after The Hustler and Hud.
You may be right, Dan. According to Wikipedia: The hero of the original novel is called Lew Archer. It is believed that the main character's name was changed to Lew Harper because of Newman's success in films beginning with the letter 'H' (Hud, The Hustler, and later, Hombre).
That's quite the review. And I'll admit, I enjoyed that quote...
One of my favorite authors. I do think I've a couple of Archers to go though.
Sounds great!!!
Just last month I re-read Drowning Pool and enjoyed it yet again. I do find that MacDonald's post Galton Case writing is when he truly hit his stride, and he seemed to think so, too. At least, based on some quotes of his. Prior to Galton Case he felt he was writing in the Chandler school. Not that that's a bad thing.
BTW, if you are really into Ross MacDonald you owe it to yourself to read Tom Nolan's wonderful biography on Ross MacDonald. It isn't often that i say a biography is a real page-turner, but this one is as compelling a read as MacDonald's own crime books. And you will see how he gleaned things from his own life to create his stories - starting with Galton Case, that is.
Alyssa, I actually shortened the full paragraph and it is even more poignant.
Randy, I've decided to read (and re-read) them through again.
Barrie, You would enjoy.
Frank, Agreed. Tom Nolan's bio is a must for fans. It's amazing that Ross got better because the first three books are extraordinary!
I'm adding it to my list!
Post a Comment