Australian News Interview with Elmore
Posted: 04 April 2008 06:01 PM   [ Ignore ]
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As well as his screenplays and short stories, Leonard has produced 43 novels in 54 years, rarely letting the quality slip below entertaining. Among them he has turned in at least 10 crime genre classics, notably Swag (1976), City Primeval (1980), Stick (1983) LaBrava (1983), Glitz (1985), Freaky Deaky (1988), Killshot (1989), Get Shorty (1990), Maximum Bob (1991), Pagan Babies (2000) and Tishomingo Blues (2002). Actually that’s 11, with other books jostling for inclusion.

This is a good list and a good interview.

What crime genre novels would you want to include in the Top Ten?  I love CUBA LIBRE, but let’s focus on the contemporary.

I would fight for 52 PICKUP, OUT OF SIGHT, and THE SWITCH.

Here is a link to a TOP TEN sampling from last year.

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Posted: 05 April 2008 01:55 AM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 1 ]
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I thought it was a great interview.  Got to know more about EL, reading what he was saying.


In that list i agree with Stick. The others i havent read of course wink

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Posted: 05 April 2008 07:24 AM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 2 ]
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I know I’m in a minority here, but I think Mr. Paradise should be on the list. I’d be willing to give up Maximum Bob.

Also, if you’re talking contemporary crime, When the Women Come Out to Dance should be on the list. The title story is fantastic, as are Sparks, Fire in the Hole and Tenkiller (Hanging Out At the Buena Vista is probably my favourite, but we`re talking crime stories, right).

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Posted: 05 April 2008 10:06 AM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 3 ]
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I’d dump Maximum Bob, too, but would have to include Bandits, Unknown Man, Rum Punch, & Out of Sight, all as good or better than the Pagan Babies (which is terrific).

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Posted: 05 April 2008 10:11 AM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 4 ]
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UNKNOWN MAN would have to be on the list.

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Posted: 05 April 2008 11:11 AM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 5 ]
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Two of my personal favorites that aren’t on that list are Rum Punch and Riding the Rap.

He has so many where the quality is pretty much equal, it just comes down to personal preferences.

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Posted: 05 April 2008 02:10 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 6 ]
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About 52 PickUp i wouldnt fight for it in the list.  I thought it was good but not near Stick.

In that interview he mentioned homicide cops, is there a book where there are cops in leading roles or in smaller part that plays a role in the story ?

I just wonder how he write cops if he has written them.

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Posted: 05 April 2008 02:36 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 7 ]
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Parker - 05 April 2008 06:10 PM

is there a book where there are cops in leading roles or in smaller part that plays a role in the story ?

I just wonder how he write cops if he has written them.

There are many cops that play significant roles in his books. Sometimes federal (Marshals, etc.), sometimes city homicide cops. They’re still cut from that same don’t-take-shit-from-nobody mold. Even the women.

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Posted: 05 April 2008 03:10 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 8 ]
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Chris Mankowski in Freaky Deaky is a cop main character and the homicide cops are in it quite a bit. One of the best books about bitter sixties radicals out there.

Also, Mr. Paradise has a lot of homicide cops.

Boththose books are set in Detroit.

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Posted: 05 April 2008 04:04 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 9 ]
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JohnMcFetridge - 05 April 2008 07:10 PM

Chris Mankowski in Freaky Deaky is a cop main character and the homicide cops are in it quite a bit. One of the best books about bitter sixties radicals out there.

Also, Mr. Paradise has a lot of homicide cops.

Boththose books are set in Detroit.

I like the sound of Freaky Deaky, it soars high on to next EL books to get list.

Cause im a big fan of hardboiled detective fiction. The classic era mostly cause of the though Cop/PIA thing Thought it would be hardcore seeing a cop writing by EL smile

Good to know he has several of them.

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Posted: 20 July 2010 06:51 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 10 ]
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Freaky Deaky has the potential to a box office smash!

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