Pulp Fiction discussion

Just started J.W.Nelson - Joey's Place set in Vegas early 70's. Blinding first 50-odd pages

Bummered you didn't enjoy Knockemstiff.

Mantan, I do love the subject matter but I thought the short story format just did not work well for me. The first and last couple stories were very good but the ones in the middle were just "meh". I believe Frank Bill made a better attempt in this format with his Crimes in Southern Indiana: Stories.

Morning folks. I wrapped up Comeback by Richard Stark. if you have not tried Stark I can recommend him but with this.

You will increase your pleasure if you go in order. He does build on the past. There is a website called The Violent World of Parker.com which gives you the list of books and movies etc.

R Felini
author of Chicago Style

MSJ wrote: "Bummered you didn't enjoy Knockemstiff.

Mantan, I do love the subject matter but I thought the short story format just did not work well for me. The first and last couple stories were very good bu..."

Frank Bill is an amazing author. Have you read his latest Donnybrook? It's like a redneck Conan the Barbarian tale.
Violent but funny read.

R. wrote: "Morning folks. I wrapped up Comeback by Richard Stark. if you have not tried Stark I can recommend him but with this.

You will increase your pleasure if you go in order. He does build on the pa..."

Comeback was the last Parker i read since im reading this series in order and i read the book little more than a month ago. Parker series has many fans in this group. Welcome to the group by the way :)

Mohammed wrote: "R. wrote: "Morning folks. I wrapped up Comeback by Richard Stark. if you have not tried Stark I can recommend him but with this.

You will increase your pleasure if you go in order. He does buil..."

The Parker movie was good. I thought it was better than the book.

Last read was "Glitz" by Elmore Leonard. This doesn't count reading "Dark Idol: A Mike Angel Private Eye Mystery" on the airplane trip to Berkeley and back. Doesn't count because it's my own book, Bub.

Ronhummer wrote: "Mohammed wrote: "R. wrote: "Morning folks. I wrapped up Comeback by Richard Stark. if you have not tried Stark I can recommend him but with this.

You will increase your pleasure if you go in or..."

I read the original 1st 16 Parker entries over 3 months or so earlier this year.
They were just... words fail ...I will never find a character centered series as enjoyable as the Parker series if I live to be a 2000 year old black woman.

I've purposely delayed reading Comeback Parker 17 and the remaining resurrected series entries out of fear of being let down; afraid that the "return" of Parker will disappoint somehow.

That said ...I loved the Taylor Hackford movie PARKER and then again, I've loved almost every movie Jason Statham has done.

Mantan wrote: "Ronhummer wrote: "Mohammed wrote: "R. wrote: "Morning folks. I wrapped up Comeback by Richard Stark. if you have not tried Stark I can recommend him but with this.

You will increase your pleasu..."

Heh i read the first 16 Parker in 2009-2010 and delayed almost 3 years until i read The Comeback. I was more afraid of reading all 24 books too fast rather than being disappointed by the return of Parker.

Sure the Comeback isnt as near perfect noir as the best Parker books of the first 16 but Parker himself was as great,intense, ice cool as always.

I dig Jason Statham as kickboxing action star but he is no Jack Palance like Parker type hardcore actor......

Mohammed wrote: "I dig Jason Statham as kickboxing action star but he is no Jack Palance like Parker type hardcore actor...... "
Jack Palance as Parker -what a terrific mental image!

I've always seen Lee Marvin as the perfect Parker, but Palance as Parker...? That could have worked perfectly!

Mantan wrote: "Frank Bill is an amazing author. Have you read his latest Donnybrook? It's like a redneck Conan the Barbarian tale.
Violent but funny read. "

Mantan,
Saw your post, added it to my tbr list then I'm cruisin' the library and there it sits just waiting for me. I have a couple to finish up before starting but I'm looking forward to it. Thanks.

Mantan wrote: "Mohammed wrote: "I dig Jason Statham as kickboxing action star but he is no Jack Palance like Parker type hardcore actor...... "
Jack Palance as Parker -what a terrific mental image!

I've always s..."

Westlake did say Palance was his image for Parker, Palance in the 50s when he was young, tall, dark and hard face. Look at the picture of him i have in my photos. The guy is perfect copy of Parker as he is written in the books.

Lee Marvin is cool enough to be Parker but he isnt tall, dark mean look.

Palance was 6'4" while Lee Marvin was a mere 6'2". Marvin fit my image of Parker better, but I always liked him better as an actor & the characters he played fit better, too. Palance was often a sneaky bad guy, Marvin's roles made him out to be more straight forward.

Jim wrote: "Palance was 6'4" while Lee Marvin was a mere 6'2". Marvin fit my image of Parker better, but I always liked him better as an actor & the characters he played fit better, too. Palance was often a ..."

I always preferred Marvin, but thinking back, I have to say, in comparing two iconic bad guys, Palance was much better in Shane than Marvin was in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. Both performances were enjoyable, though. Just my two cents.

Just started The Neon Rain by James Lee Burke. I see his books all the time so I thought I would read one. So far it's not bad. More hard boiled than police procedural, for me that's a big plus.

Thanks Mohammed for the welcome.

R Felini
author of Chicago Style

Ronhummer wrote: "Mohammed wrote: "R. wrote: "Morning folks. I wrapped up Comeback by Richard Stark. if you have not tried Stark I can recommend him but with this.

You will increase your pleasure if you go in or..."

I assume you are speaking about the new Parker flick. The old ones are good too. Look at the website I mentioned to get the names.

Mantan wrote: "Ronhummer wrote: "Mohammed wrote: "R. wrote: "Morning folks. I wrapped up Comeback by Richard Stark. if you have not tried Stark I can recommend him but with this.

You will increase your pleasu..."

Mantan,

You will not be disappointed. The same good reading is there. Stark/Eastlake did not lose his touch here.

R Felini
author of Chicago Style

R. wrote: "Mantan wrote: "Ronhummer wrote: "Mohammed wrote: "R. wrote: "Morning folks. I wrapped up Comeback by Richard Stark. if you have not tried Stark I can recommend him but with this.

You will incre..."

Will do!
1st I want to read Johnny Shaw's Dove Season and follow it with Shaw's Big Maria.
All I have to do is finish the next half of Johnny Carson by Henry Bushkin.

Mantan wrote: "I'm reading Johnny Carson by Henry "The Amazing" Bushkin.
For a memoir by a prominent entertainer's attorney this is pretty suspenseful stuff.
Lots of juicy gossip I refuse to spoil..."
Does he talk about the man who stalked him? And mention that Carson eventually allowed him to come on the show?

Susan wrote: "Does he talk about the man who stalked him? And mention that Carson eventually allowed him to come on the show? "

I'm on page 111 and so far Carson's been beaten up three times (twice for seducing heavies' girlfriends & once for mocking a now barely remembered has-been) and he's had a contract put out on him by a made guy (again for seducing a heavy's girlfriend) squelched only upon the intervention of Sinatra and the legendary bar owner Jilly Rizzo.

So far no male stalker.

Your mention of "male stalkers" immediately brings to mind Dan Rather's stalker: "what's the frequency, Kenneth?"

Mantan wrote: "
Your mention of "male stalkers" immediately brings to mind Dan Rather's stalker: "what's the frequency, Kenneth?" "

I haven't thought about that incident in a long time. Very weird.

Finally getting around to When the Sacred Ginmill Closes by Lawrence Block. Why the hell did I stop reading this series? Guess I just got distracted by my gigantic (and still growing) to-read pile. Anyway, this book is awesome so far.

Sugar Pop Moon: A Jersey Leo Novelset during prohibition with an intriguing main character

Jim wrote: "Palance was 6'4" while Lee Marvin was a mere 6'2". Marvin fit my image of Parker better, but I always liked him better as an actor & the characters he played fit better, too. Palance was often a ..."

I have seen only one 50s film where Palance was a street criminal on the run. I must see more films of his other than the late old man roles in 90s Batman.

Palance fit my image of Parker because he looks so mean, hard just by looking at his old pictures. He looks perfect like a mean bad guy in his look and i can see why he played so many bad guys. Lee Marvin is the good looking hero look. Parker isnt the good looking hero type of Marvin, Eastwood.

Mohammed wrote: "Jim wrote: "Palance was 6'4" while Lee Marvin was a mere 6'2". Marvin fit my image of Parker better, but I always liked him better as an actor & the characters he played fit better, too. Palance ..."

If you haven't seen Shane, it's well worth watching just for Palance. He is a very bad man in this film!

I hadnt seen Point Blank or any other Parker film before i read the first Parker books. My mind was blank and full of only the writer's version for how Parker looks,sounds.

Alberto: What do you think of Butcher Moon? How do you rate it among the classic era of Parker series? Its the perfect Parker book to me in story,lenght,scope.

Not only because it brings back story,character,mob that was in earlier Parker books. Not because it was sort of a series finale.

Alberto wrote: "Alberto: What do yo..."

I had read it before. I'm only in page 38 but it's already absolutely amazing, with Parker and Grofield visiting Frank Faran's club. Wow, what a great scene.
Grofield is q..."

Alberto, You said it. But I can only add this: After you finish a Stark book you think he can't do any better. And then you get the next one.

And you regret your foolish thoughts.

R Felini
author of Chicago Style

"Grofield" is my 2nd favorite character in Stark's "Parker" series -"Parker" being the 1st of course.

Outside of the "Parker" series the only "Grofield" novel I've read is THE BLACKBIRD due to its connection to Slayground.
I liked it quite a bit, however The Violent World Of Parker people (http://violentworldofparker.com/?page...) don't seem overly impressed.

Have any of you folks read the other "Grofield" stand-alones?

By the way, of the 1st 16 "Parker" novels, Butcher's Moon Parker 16 is my favorite with Slayground Parker 14 being my next favorite.
They're all great but somewhere near the top of my favorite "Parker" novels is The Score Parker 5.

Mantan wrote: ""Grofield" is my 2nd favorite character in Stark's "Parker" series -"Parker" being the 1st of course.

Outside of the "Parker" series the only "Grofield" novel I've read is THE BLACKBIRD due to its..."

I have read the first Grofield book The Damsel, its in different in tone than other Stark books with both Parker,Grofield. Its not as noirish but more fun, off beat crime book. It works because Grofield is funny on his own too.

Mantan your taste is soo similar to mine that its creepy here. My top 3 Parker books: The Butcher's Moon, Slayground which are the meanest,most hardcore of Parker books and The Score, the best heist story in the series.

I have given 5 stars other than those 3: The Hunter, The Man with the Getaway Face, The Jugger. I thought the first 7 books had great energy level,writing.

Book 8-10 wasnt as strong to me.

Mantan wrote: "Susan wrote: "Does he talk about the man who stalked him? And mention that Carson eventually allowed him to come on the show? "

I'm on page 111 and so far Carson's been beaten up three times (twic..."
The guy wrote him hundreds of letters asking to be on the show. I don't want to spoil it for you and tell you what happened. Unless, of course, it doesn't appear in the book. :)

Ctgt wrote: "Mantan wrote: "
Your mention of "male stalkers" immediately brings to mind Dan Rather's stalker: "what's the frequency, Kenneth?" "

I haven't thought about that incident in a long time. Very weird."

Whoa! Dan Rather had a stalker? What's the frequency, Kenneth?
So, um, did Dan reply: Open the door, Hal ??

Mantan wrote: "Susan wrote: "Does he talk about the man who stalked him? And mention that Carson eventually allowed him to come on the show? "

I'm on page 111 and so far Carson's been beaten up three times (twic..."
The guy wrote him hundreds of letters asking to be on the show. I don't want to spoil it for you and tell you what happened. Unless, of course, it doesn't appear in the book. :)

And I confess, after reading all the comments about it, I've just bought a used copy of Butcher's Moon. There are several on Amazon...

Ctgt wrote: "Mantan wrote: "
Your mention of "male stalkers" immediately brings to mind Dan Rather's stalker: "what's the frequency, Kenneth?" "

I haven't thought about that incident in a long time. Very weird."

Whoa! Dan Rather had a stalker, who said: What's the frequency, Kenneth?
Hmmm. And did Dan reply: "Open the door, Hal?

Susan wrote: "Ctgt wrote: "Mantan wrote: "
Your mention of "male stalkers" immediately brings to mind Dan Rather's stalker: "what's the frequency, Kenneth?" "

I haven't thought about that incident in a long tim..."

I almost through with the book. A little less than 100 pages left.

About Dan Rather -
Good Ol' Dan was walking down a street in Manhattan one afternoon and some guy walked up to him and asked, "What's the frequency, Kenneth?" and began punching him. After each punch, he'd ask again, "What's the frequency, Kenneth?"
This went on for some time until Dan's assailant fled the scene or passersby or a cop intervened.
As I recall, Dan Rather wound up with at least one black eye.

Rather always plead ignorance as to what it was all about. I remember Letterman asking him about it once and Rather kind of made a joke of it.

I don't think he was stalking Rather, he was more of a lunatic.

Im reading A Dance at The Slaughterhouse by you guys know who wrote it.

Its been a few years since i read the first 5 Scudder books that dealt with his earlier times, darker days. I wonder wasnt Matt dating another woman just when he was getting sober around 5 book or was it Elaine his old call girl friend? I remember someone who was an artist and lived in studio apartment. Was that Elaine too?

Help from other Scudder fans who remember the stories of the first 5 books?

Ctgt, as far as I know, most stalkers are lunatics.

Good point Susan, although this person did not continue harassing Rather. I guess I should have stated that a little more clearly.

However, according to one very reputable website this guy was a traveler from the future.

Started Donnybrook. I'm about halfway through and it is fast and brutal. Thanks to Mantan and MSJ for bringing this author to my attention. Also adding Crimes in Southern Indiana: Stories to my tbr. I did like Knockemstiff and this has the same rural poor feel. Lot's of drinking, cookin' crank, guns and sex. Didn't even really get to the fighting part yet.

Currently reading The Blue Hour by T. Jefferson Parker. Seriously deranged killer on the loose, older cop fighting thru cancer treatments mentors young female cop w/3 cujones and a chip on her shoulder. Uh, huh. Really, and it all works. Parker's a good writer.

Ctgt wrote: "Started Donnybrook. I'm about halfway through and it is fast and brutal. Thanks to Mantan and MSJ for bringing this author to my attention. Also adding Crimes in Southern Indiana..."




Hope you're having as good a time in Frank Bill's world as I did.

Just finished Bushkin's memoir of his time with Johnny Carson. God... my mind wandered throughout. Kept putting the book down to run off & to look up particular segments from the Tonight Show on YouTube.

Next up: Johnny Shaw's Dove Season!

I just finished The Neon Rain by James Lee Burke. Although it had some good points I found the overall story a bit muddled. Can someone tell me if the Dave Robicheaux books get any better? (This was #1 in the series.)

Mantan wrote: "
Hope you're having as good a time in Frank Bill's world as I did."

Wow! Just finished. What a fast paced, crank cookin', whiskey guzzling, knuckle busting, woman chasing, gun pulling, murderin', mayhem inducing ride that was!

AndrewP wrote: "I just finished The Neon Rain by James Lee Burke. Although it had some good points I found the overall story a bit muddled. Can someone tell me if the Dave Robicheaux boo..."

I haven't read them for a few years, but I enjoyed the Robicheaux books. I stuck with the series until about no. 18 or 19. I reckon it would be worth sticking around for book 2 at least, then if you feel the same, he isn't for you

Col wrote: "I haven't read them for a few years, but I enjoyed the Robicheaux books. I stuck with the series until about no. 18 or 19. I reckon it would be worth sticking around for book 2 at least, then if you feel the same, he isn't for you "


Same here. I read them when they were new -this was before I discovered Elmore Leonard, I think. Not too sure of that but I do know that for quite a number of years I followed the series faithfully, purchasing each entry in the series as they were published. Last one I read was Cadillac Jukebox.

My favorite one was In The Electric Mist With The Confederate Dead.
The great director Bertrand Tavernier did a superb job adapting that one featuring Tommy Lee Jones as Robicheaux and the brilliant Levon Helm as "the confederate dead".

Bertrand Tavernier also did a great film adaptation of Jim Thompson's Pop 1280 renamed "Coup de Torchon".

He reset the film from the West Texas boom town in the book to a French West African village.
The film stars one of my favorite actors of all time: Philippe Noiret (as the psychopathic constable).

You should probably catch "Electric Mist" on Netflix and BUY a dvd of "Coup de Torchon" with the English subtitles.

Tell 'em Mantan sent 'cha!

Ctgt wrote: "Wow! Just finished. What a fast paced, crank cookin', whiskey guzzling, knuckle busting, woman chasing, gun pulli..."


Loved that book!
Check out his website sometime: http://frankbillshouseofgrit.blogspot...

My 2nd or 3rd favorite thing about reading that novel (besides all the fun and laughs) was discovering who the heck Seasick Steve is.
I was already into most of the music Frank referenced throughout but when it came to Seasick Steve I was a nekkid babe in the woods.

I urge you to run over to YouTube and do a search for his videos.
That guy is one of the most amazing white Blues guitarists I've ever seen/heard.

Very odd timing for me on the Seasick Steve music. Not even a month ago I was watching Later with Jools Holland and Steve was on and I promptly went out looking for some of his stuff. This was one time I was a little ahead of the curve.