Like many here, I’ve read every article and interview involving Elmore that I could get my hands on, and I have to say that this article, which will appear—prominently, I hope—in this Sunday’s Times, is among the very best. This guy Espen is smart, gets and very much appreciates Elmore, and can write. A terrific combo.

Cudos to Espen for doing the article right—in and of itself, and especially relative to most of the reviews of Road Dogs we’re seeing now, lazy pieces for the most part that, biographically, that feel mailed in or recycled—and to Gregg for posting it three days before it’ll appear in the Times.

Espen says, “Dutch belongs in the majors.” So true, but take it a step further to where we should be: Dutch is the gold standard. Who writes better? With a couple exceptions—which others would argue with me about—I’ll put anything from 52 Pick-Up through Tishomingo Blues up against any work of fiction you want to name.

My main point, if there were more guys in the media like Espen,  Elmore might finally be recognized in the way he ought to be; looking in his rearview at Hemingway.

BTW, Espen mentions Elmore’s “masterwork,” Impressions of Murder. Here’s a link if you want to revisit it:
http://detnews.com/graphics/2007/0709elmoreleonard.pdf

I agree with you.

The only thing I would say is that when it comes to literature it isn’t the media that needs to recognize what Elmore Leonard has been doing, it’s academia. That’s still where the lead on these things comes from. And they will, someday, late as they always are.

He has four grown children from his first marriage, a dozen
grandkids and three great-grandchildren.
Every one of Leonard’s books is still in print

My only beefs:  He has five children and The Moonshine War is NOT in print.

Heh i saw this in wiki checking out info about some SK movies.

In an interview with King, Published in the USA Weekend in March, 2009, the author stated, “People look on writers that they like as an irreplaceable resource. I do. Elmore Leonard, every day I wake up and—not to be morbid or anything, although morbid is my life to a degree—don’t see his obituary in the paper, I think to myself, “Great! He’s probably working somewhere. He’s gonna produce another book, and I’ll have another book to read.” Because when he’s gone, there’s nobody else.”[35]