Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Beyond The Sea
There is a good article in the Independent today by Kathy Marks, who covered the trial of the men of Pitcairn Island who had been accused of of the rape of many children. It quite chills the bones.
There is an even better article here on George Pelecanos, who is an absolute master of his trade. The writer says that Pelecanos has only become well known since his involvement with The Wire, but some of us have been banging on about him for years.
More proof that the internet is bloody brilliant. Diaries that George Orwell wrote 70 years ago, will be reproduced, day by day, as a blog.
My reading has been too high brow of late, so I have got stuck into Don Eastons Loose Ends. It doesn't rank with Pelecanos, or Lehane, or Bruen; there are few subtleties and little nuance is evident. There are not many shades of grey, one won't lie awake with a troubled conscience, worrying about the characters, there are good men and there are bad men, and they are trying to outwit each other. It's great, just the sort of company I need for my present mood, not insulting to the intelligence, but undemanding on the intellect.
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4 comments:
Pete, we may have spoken about this before because I first read one of these books two years ago, so I'll apologise in advance if we have.
The best crime novels I have read all year, a zillion miles in front of anyone else, are the Lono Waiwaiole 'Wiley' trilogy.
Absolutely top notch. Straight out of the Chandler school, with just the right levels of pathos, violence, humour and plot to satisfy anyone who has ever craved a decent crime book. I cannot recommend them highly enough.
Read them in the correct order. Have a week off and read them again and you'll spot a whole load of nuance you missed first time round.
Trust me... I'm a politician!
Cheers for that Bob, I have read Wileys shuffle and thought it superb. Cheapskate that I am I got it out of the library and have been waiting for his books ever since, but they haven't materialised. A recommendation from you is good enough for me though, so I will part with coin of the realm for the others.
My brother and his Mrs are on your side rather than mine apropos the latest Willy Vlautin, and if his Mrs likes a book of that type, it must be special.
Have you tried any Mark Poirier?
No, but if you recommend it I'll give him a try. Anything in particular?
Wiley's lament on Amazon today for £1.33 in used and new and wiley's refrain for £2.
Poirier is hardly prolific! Either Modern Ranch Living or Goats should hit the spot.
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