If you are reading the blog you know that Elmore and I have just been to the Festivaletteratura in Mantova, Italy.
Our friend, Paolo Zaccangini, and American crime fiction scholar if ever there was one, not only is responsible for getting Elmore to Italy but also Connelly, Lehane, Crais and Pelaconos.  All these writers expressed some gratitude and devotion to Elmore for paving the way for them.

We all sat around and talked about them and asked:

Which one owes the Most?
Which one is the most Elmore-esque?
Which one is the best writer of the bunch?

Any other thoughts on these guys?

They all owe a lot.

George Pelacanos is maybe the closest to Elmore in the multiple character and character-driven approach to story. Not just in his novels, but also in his work on the TV show, “The Wire.”

Connelly is one of my other favs, but he’s a far cry from Elmore. He violates most of his rules most of the time and drives me crazy with it, mostly because many of his errors are so easily fixable. For example, he’ll write something like, “Bosch, you do not know how many times I have wanted to tell you this,” instead of, “Bosch, you don’t know how many times I’ve wanted to tell you this.”

Come on Mike, people use contractions when they speak. No one talks as in the example above. In fairness, James Lee Burke does the same thing—what an unnecessary distraction; sounds like writing and takes you right out of the story.

Johnny Mac is right—Pelecanos is the closest, but he’s far darker than Elmore.

BTW Gregg, did Elmore mention The Wire to Pelecanos?

The rule breaker that’s usually the biggest tip-off for me is, “said.” As soon as a writer starts throwing in, ‘exclaimed,’ or ‘responded’ or any of that they’re sticking their nose in and once that starts, watch out.

I also think “The Sopranos” owes a big debt to Elmore. It’s taken the movies (and TV) a long time to realize that good stories and good characters are made up of the small details. As much as people love stuff like Scarface and Casino (and even Goodfellas), they’re starting to look like overblown Hollywood hooptedoodle. It might even be necessary for the big screen, but I’m glad cable TV has finally allowed stuff to start to catch up to Elmore.

BTW Gregg, did Elmore mention The Wire to Pelecanos?

Unfortunately, the session went on so long we didn’t have hang time.  Instead of Paolo asking one guy one question, they asked everybody the same question.  Wit the translations it went on forever.  The same was true of the audience questions.  They went around the table.  Finally, Elmore arose and we all split.

But they did do the part where each of the others knelt before Elmore and kissed his ring, right?

I just tried this. It gives a whole bunch of writers who have been influenced by Elmore (and a surprising number who came before). Just go here:

http://www.literature-map.com/

and type in Elmore Leonard.

Sweet!  Anthony Burgess and John Updike come up, but not close to the middle. 

I don’t see Higgins or Faust up there.  Not even Hemingway.  Chandler makes the grade, so it’s not just tellers still with us.  Great find, JMac.

Without a doubt my favorite from all of these writers is Denis Lehane. I don’t think his style is really like Elmore’s but he is good.  Peleconos is somewhat similar as well but way darker than Elmore.

Another writer I just discovered is a guy named Scott Phillips and his novel, The Ice Harvest. Very good stuff.

I must admit to having never read George Pelecanos. So until I do, I will decline comment.
Another one for the “to read” list. So many books… never enough money.

Jade - 17 October 2008 09:12 PM

I must admit to having never read George Pelecanos. So until I do, I will decline comment.
Another one for the “to read” list. So many books… never enough money.

Don’t they have libraries where you are? I guess english books would be tough to come by in the library in Japan.

And yes, there are far too many books….

English language books are hard to come by here. Libraries do not stock them. The one foreign language book-selling group in Japan just went bust, and Amazon.co.jp rarely have anything in stock! It can be very frustrating.
Having said that, Amazon have actually got a couple of his books in stock. So when I next get chance…

“Johnny Mac is right—Pelecanos is the closest, but he’s far darker than Elmore”

I’ve now read The Night Gardener and The Sweet Forever by George Pelecanos. I enjoyed them.
You’re right: he’s way darker than Elmore. These novels have a gritty realism, or certainly feel as such, and can almost border on sad/depressing at times.

Elmore’s novels are much finer in my opinion. The way his character’s humour comes through thier dialogue and the way in which his characters are just, well, way cooler.

I think Lehane is the most talented of this foursome. His Kenzie-Gennaro detective series can go pound-for-pound with any I’ve ever read.

I do enjoy Connelly and Crais. But the guy I can’t get into—-and I’ve still managed to read about ten of his books—-is Pelecanos. I’m sorry, I just think he’s the most overrated novelist in the last ten years. I keep reading and reading, waiting to see why they call this guy the best kept secret in crime fiction, and I just don’t see it.

His liberal agenda has ruined just about every one of his books that I’ve ever read. His dialogue is also overrated. He tries waaaay too hard with his black characters, often demeaning them in the process. When you actually hear Pelecanos speak, and you pick up on his “cracker” accent, you can see where people of color might be offended by his work: Here’s this 50 year old white guy (I know, he’s Greek-American), speaks with the southern twang of an 1800s plantation owner, and here he is writing this “urban” dialogue for a bunch of 20 year old black kids. Maybe it’s me; I just don’t care for it.

Yeah, it’s Lehane, although “The Given Day” was a colossal bore. Hopefully, he’ll get back to modern day Boston as a setting.

I think George Pelecanos is the newer version of Leonard.  He is similar but more gritty,dark.  Just like Elmore Leonard i feel like i can read whatever his books is really crime realated or not.

He is the best american crime writer to me now better than Lehane even though im a big fan of him.  Of course im not counting living legends like Leonard