Re. Noir Classics

[kelber at mindspring.com]

I guess the written version of noir is called "hard-boiled."  Does noir require a detective, or will any dark, flawed protagonist seeking redemption do?  Nelson Algren's "The Man With the Golden Arm" might be worth a look.  I've always meant to read it but never have.  Jim Thompson's another hard-boiled writer.

Laura

-----Original Message-----
>From: Carvill John <johncarvill at hotmail.com>
>Sent: Jul 9, 2009 11:03 AM
>To: pynchon-l at waste.org, takoitov at hotmail.com
>Subject: Re. Noir Classics
>
>
>> Ya Sam:
> 
>> Hey, folks, which noir novels would you recommend as the best representatives of the genre?
> 
>All of Raymond Chandler, particularly The Big Sleep, Farewell My Lovely, and The Long Goodbye.
> 
>Some people (including quite a few p-listers) prefer Dashiell Hammett, and I certainly enjoyed all his books, especially The Maltese Falcon and Red Harvest. God forbid another row starts here, but I much prefer Chandler. Maybe some p-listers find Chandler too stylized? Hammett's prose is drier, sparser, more matter of fact. I like Chandler's humour.
> 
>Ross MacDonald's Lew Archer stories are much admired, and I would not be the first on this list to point out their relevance here. I admit to having had one of MacDonald's books somewhere on my shelves for several years - The Blue Hammer, I think - but not having got round to reading it yet. Those who have seem to really like it though.
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