Pulp Fiction discussion

Done with Joseph Conrad's The Secret Agent by the way. Is it just me, or do all these Eastern European existentialist authors have an extremely dark sense of humour? Not just Franz Kafka comes to mind as a point of comparison, but also Nikolai Gogol's more satirical stories, though it's way more overtly political in content than anything I've read from either. Makes me curious to read Conrad's other novels, and up on his life in general.

I've got one of his novels up when I'll be done with a Highsmith I've got lying around, for the record. Been doing quite a bit of catching up with the classics recently.

Simon wrote: "Done with Joseph Conrad's The Secret Agent by the way. Is it just me, or do all these Eastern European existentialist authors have an extremely dark sense of humour? Not just Franz Kaf..."

Probably my favorite Conrad book, ending is very sad.

Speaking of Highsmith, I've just finished The Price of Salt, or Carol. This one is different than the other ones I've read of hers, but it is excellent. And, in the back, she notes something along the lines of not wanting to limit herself to being known as any specific type of writer.

The thing I like about Patricia Highsmith is that you can read her novels both as Joseph Conrad/Franz Kafka-style existentialist modernism *and* as James M. Cain-style pulp crime thrillers, the important part is that I think she did a way better job at combining the two than someone like David Goodis. Not that those themes weren't already present in JMC mind you, it's just that Highsmith seems to think them together more thoroughly.

She's definitely one of those authors that are the hardest to categorize as either "genre" or "literary".

Finished Blood Meridian, or The Evening Redness in the West . Brilliant!! Probably a review to follow.

Started Deadly Beloved . Been wanting to read one of the Hard Case Crime novels

I am right now reading the talented Ms. Highsmith's Strangers on a Train.

Taking it in just after one by Joseph Conrad makes it clear how much she was inspired by him, in particular capturing the sense of how the characters' internal psychological strugges motivate their actions in the story as well as how they're in turn influenced by the sociological environment around them.

Her sense of narrative structure is much more meticulous and methodic, though, and the sociological themes different in orientation. (focused less on political ideals and more on gender issues)

Simon wrote: "I am right now reading the talented Ms. Highsmith's Strangers on a Train.

Taking it in just after one by Joseph Conrad makes it clear how much she was inspired by him, in particular ..."

I've read this book now for the third time recently -- and I'm going to go more with Dostoevsky rather than Conrad for this particular book.

I haven't read more than short stories by Dostoyevsky, but I've heard his longform novels have a similar approach to narrative structure as I recognize from Highsmith.

Finished . A snappy little, fun read.

Started . Been wanting to read McKinty for some time.

Did you say it was your first read from the Hard Case Crime line, Paul?

Daniel wrote: "Did you say it was your first read from the Hard Case Crime line, Paul?"

Hi Daniel. Yes, first of the HCC line. Enjoyed it. Nice take on the wise cracking PI, who happens to be a woman, but updated to the 21st Century, with mentions of cell phones/computers/Botox. Quick read too.

I've got about 30 or so HCC books I am working my way through.

Daniel wrote: "I've got about 30 or so HCC books I am working my way through."

What would u recommend Daniel?

Speaking of "Strangers in a Train", I've noticed it's the 100th book I've read that I've catalogued as belonging to the genre of crime fiction. An appropriate pick for number one hundred, certainly...

Speaking of Highsmith, I've just finished The Blunderer. On to her Deep Water.

Finished . First in the 'Mike Forseyth Trilogy'. Excellent!!

Starting . My copy is a 1946 hardback copy.

Started reading in tandem with my other book. Enjoyed the first in the series & had this one just sitting there, waiting to be read. Couldn't resist picking it up.

I plowed through three pulp/noir books while on vacation Strip for Murder by Richard S. Prather, Nude on Thin Ice by Gil Brewer, and Strange Sisters by Fletcher Flora.

I'm starting another Lesbian Pulp by Flora from the Wildside Megapack - Desperate Asylum.

Great cover art on the Brewer book, although I couldn't figure out who the artist is.

Fletcher Flora contributed a story to that anthology of horror short stories selected and introduced by Alfred Hitchcock I read a while ago, would be interesting to see what her longform novels read like.

Is there any interest in starting a separate discussion thread about pulp noir eBooks at Amazon.com that are available through Amazon's KU and KOLL programs?

I just finished listening to the first 7 of the Matt Helm series read by Stefan Rudnicki. Three more audio books are due out soon. They're really excellent in this format.

Edwin wrote: "I plowed through three pulp/noir books while on vacation Strip for Murder by Richard S. Prather, Nude on Thin Ice by Gil Brewer, and [bo..."

Hey hey! I'm the reason that Fletcher Flora Lesbian Megapack exists! I processed all those books into digital when we bought Flora's estate - we have a bunch more stuff coming, short story collections, his series character Lt. Joseph Marcus, etc.

Please post a review when you get a chance, I;d love to know what you thought!

Finished "Strangers on a Train" earlier this week. I really liked it, nobody writes quite like Highsmith, but after this I'm taking something of a break from the crime genre as I feel like I'm kind of burnt out on that whole cultural space.

The odd thing is that I haven't seen the film, which is apparently very different?!

Simon wrote: "Finished "Strangers on a Train" earlier this week. I really liked it, nobody writes quite like Highsmith, but after this I'm taking something of a break from the crime genre as I feel like I'm kind..."

It is extremely different, Simon. For one thing (view spoiler)[ Guy doesn't kill Bruno's father in the movie (hide spoiler)] which sort of negates the entire premise of the novel. I don't know what Hitchcock was thinking.

I always prefer to read the book before the movie, just so the film does not colour the mental imagery I have of the story while reading, which looks like it has been a very prudent decision here!

Simon wrote: "I always prefer to read the book before the movie, just so the film does not colour the mental imagery I have of the story while reading, which looks like it has been a very prudent decision here!"

I'm the same. Book before movie.

Shawn wrote: "Edwin wrote: "I plowed through three pulp/noir books while on vacation Strip for Murder by Richard S. Prather, Nude on Thin Ice by Gil Brewer...

I've been impressed by Fletcher Flora's writing so far. He seems to be another talented mid 20th century writer that had to pay the bills by spitting out pulp paperbacks. Sadly he's been all but forgotten. I'm glad to hear that his work is being released digitally.

Finished No Dominion . Easily as good as the first in the 'Joe Pitt' series.

Starting Savage Season . The first in the 'Hap & Leonard' Series. My 4th Lansdale reading. Looks good.

Finished both & . Enjoyed Lansdale's novel more, if for no other reason than it was more in keeping with my current desire to read more contemporary fiction.
Just returned from my local library with half a dozen books i had ordered. Spoiled for choice:)

Finished At the End of a Dull Day . Big improvement on The Goodbye Kiss , which reads like a rough draft for the former. Excellent!!
Have tentatively started More Hardcore: 3 Novels: The Ripoff / The Golden Gizmo / Roughneck .

It's not exactly pulp but it is definitely hard-boiled, I just finished Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits by David Wong. I haven't read any of this author's books before but John Dies at the End comes highly recommended so I figured I'd give it a shot. I'm glad I did. Wow! This book is a total adrenaline rush!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Half way through Falling Angel . Enjoying it so far. First book by William Hjortsberg for me.

Just started So Naked, So Dead by Ed McBain. Second book I've read by him in a row.

Finished . Excellent! Surprise ending. The best kind. 4 stars.
Started Asylum .

I have just finished the tenth and last book in the Martin Beck series by Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo, also known as "The Story of Crime". The Terrorists

What an amazing trip it has been - ten books and ten years in the life of a Stockholm policeman, going from serial killers to an indictment of society as a whole. Unapologetically and vehemently Marxist towards the end, but full of compassion and insights into human nature. I am tempted to start all over again, and read them in order, without starting any other ctime book in between, but I also have so many new and unfinished series that are waiting their turn.

Also finished a French novel that could be said to have one of the most unusual private detectives in the genre: Un long dimanche de fiançailles. A young paraplegic girl tries to find out how her fiancee died in the trenches of the Great War.

Algernon wrote: "I have just finished the tenth and last book in the Martin Beck series by Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo, also known as "The Story of Crime". The Terrorists

What an amazing trip it has ..."

I LOVE the Martin Beck series. Just love it.

I've never been to Stockholm, but right now I picture myself walking through the Old Town with one of these books in my hand, trying to spot the tall, melancholic siluette of Beck among the passers-by. Maybe, someday ...

Nancy wrote: "Algernon wrote: "I have just finished the tenth and last book in the Martin Beck series by Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo, also known as "The Story of Crime". The Terrorists."

I've only read The Laughing Policeman but I own two others and the Beck books are one of several series that I want to read all of.

The good news is that:
- you don't need to read them in order
- they are not so hard to order online, as I found recent ebooks with great introductions from modern crime writers acknowledging the influence these books had on their career.

I have been reading Effekten af Susan, the latest book by Peter Høeg who is best known for Smilla's Sense of Snow. It has yet to be translated into other languages than Danish, the title means "The Effect of Susan" but it is very similar to Smilla in both the personality of the main character as well as the political power structures that the plot revolves around. The protagonist Susan has a very different social background, so while the same themes are explored the power structures are this time portrayed from the inside rather than the outside. "Susan" is not quite as memorable or unique as "Smilla", being much more conventional, but it is still a very enjoyable reading experience.

This weekend I also finished Copenhagen Noir, an anthology of crime short stories by contemporary Danish authors all set in the country's capital. As a matter of fact, one of the stories takes place literally next door to my old apartment which results in a quite uncanny reading experience! The contents vary quite a bit in both style and quality, I found it interesting how easy it is to tell which of the stories are by authors who have their writing background outside the crime genre... one contribution is by none other than the late Klaus Rifbjerg. (basically Denmark's answer to Philip Roth)

Quite funny that the discussion just took to Maj Sjöwall's Martin Beck series, because I'm about to very soon start on The Man Who Went Up In Smoke. I liked, but didn't love, Roseanna so I'm curious to see if the series take a couple more entries to really get as good as everyone says it is.

Simon wrote: "I have been reading Effekten af Susan, the latest book by Peter Høeg who is best known for Smilla's Sense of Snow. It has yet to be translated into oth..."

Simon, I think the best approach to these novels is to consider the series as a whole and to examine what Sjowall and Wahloo are trying to accomplish with their work. They've been the inspiration for a number of writers in the genre.

Yesterday I finished A Brief History of Seven Killings by Marlon James. I absolutely loved it, but I would give it an "NFE" rating -- not for everyone.

Simon wrote: "Quite funny that the discussion just took to Maj Sjöwall's Martin Beck series, because I'm about to very soon start on The Man Who Went Up In Smoke. I liked, but didn't love, Roseanna so I'm curious to see if the series take a couple more entries to really get as good as everyone says it is. "

I once had the opportunity to ask Jo Nesbø what was responsible for the surge in popularity in Nordic crime novels recently. One of the top things he mentioned was the quality of Maj Sjöwall's Beck series.

Read Sharp Teeth by Toby Barlow - a modern noir with werewolves in Los Angeles, written in free verse. Initially I thought it was gimmicky, but pretty soon I got captivated by the tale and I enjoyed the original presentation. As a bonus, there's a plot line dealing with bridge tournaments, something I rate high among my hobbies.

Verdict public domain pulp magazine from July, 1953. Includes stories from several pulp-noir writers including Cornell Woolrich, Dorothy B. Hughes, Bruno Fischer, and Henry Kane.

Yeah, I get the impression the Martin Beck series is supposed to be read as long one narrative spread over 10 books with even the most minor characters evolving over, and some of the later books continuing from subplots in earlier.

Wasn't it a similar approach that James Ellroy's used for his L. A. Quartet? Not to mention the in-studied depiction of the organizational logistics involved in long-term police investigation, as well as the internal political conflicts within law enforcement institutions.

The interesting thing is that Ellroy in turn has influenced several Scandinavian crime authors, in particular Arne Dahl.

It is so hard to read with people here, but I managed to finish Highsmith's A Game for the Living in the wee hours of this morning. It is most definitely nowhere near as good as the others I've read of hers so far (this is #5 for me this year).

Next up is her This Sweet Sickness.

Nancy, it looks like you will be our expert witness when it comes to Patricia Highsmith. Great job helping us to choose among her titles.

Algernon wrote: "Nancy, it looks like you will be our expert witness when it comes to Patricia Highsmith. Great job helping us to choose among her titles."

Witness, maybe, but expert - definitely not!

It gets very difficult after a while to live in Highsmith's head for the duration of one of her novels. Thankfully, A Game for the Living didn't have that effect!

Started Beautiful, Naked & Dead . Looks good.