Would some of you guys help Michael?

I have been a big fan of the movies made from Mr. Leonard’s work and have
heard so many times how great his writing is. But he has SO many books
(western, crime, suspense). Where/which book(s…say top 3) would you
suggest for some to start reading and become engaged with his work? And
please an answer like “Well, any one of them” or “Read what you like (say
westerns)” is not what I’m looking for. If YOU had to recommend one book to
a friend that you were certain would hook them, which one would you choose?

Michael

Western:  HOMBRE -  award winner
70’s:  SWAG - fan favorite
80’s:  GLITZ - first blockbuster
90’s:  GET SHORTY - best film adaptation
00’s:  PAGAN BABIES - best writing???

I know I didn’t give one.  PAGAN BABIES is a hell of a start.

Gotta start with SWAG.

Swag is probably what I’d recommend to most people, while Pagan Babies is my own personal choice for “best,” Swag is the one the came to mind at your question, Gregg. And it’s also one many people have mentioned to me when I mention Elmore Leonard. For some reason alcoholics I’ve met seem to mention Swag as well. Ryan’s Rules and how Ryan and ‘Stick’ break them captures perfectly the criminal mind. And it’s a fun book while underneath a sly character study.

For women I’d recommend Out of Sight. I think Mr. L’s works contain a lot of strong women, but man I did fall a bit in love with Ms. Sisko myself. Specially after Carla Gugino filled the role on television. Sigh…. Her relationship with her father was even better drawn than wasn’t it Cruz in his father in City Primeval, or was it Hurd in Split Images? (Man, I’ve got some rereading to do!) The film was good, but the book is always better.

Western genre is topped by Gunsights. Cuba Libra is close, although like the Webster series I consider it historical fiction. I’d recommend either one for fans of Westerns to get them hooked on Mr. L.

For the literary set I would tout Pagan Babies, but probably the short stories in While the Women Come Out to Dance would be a smarter pick. You’re not a writer unless you can write meaningful short stories, some eggheads believe.

If you’re a fan of the movies, start with Freaky Deaky.

Any one of the books that the movies are based on is better than the movie, but you’ll spend the whole time reading the book thinking about the movie.

Swag then Pagan Babies then Freaky Deaky.

I would recommend UNKNOWN MAN #89, RIDING THE RAP, and CUBA LIBRE.  Please keep this in mind:  E.L. is a master story teller.  No one tells a story like Dutch, that is what makes him unique among fictioneers.

The Hot Kid and Tishomingo Blues represent the heart and soul
a good place to start here and now there and then
for histories sake begin at the begining
complete short stories and
last stand at saber river

dupe?

In terms of movies—I’m an aspiring screenwriter as I’m sure many on this forum are writers hunting and pecking to be published or gain entrance into the literary halls—but after reading enough Elmore Leonard (All of his books except TOUCH, which i just bought) I have come to understand one thing I love about Leonard, but can never really be done or put across in cinema—and that is the wonderful “personal” inner thoughts of characters who have put together this great scheme and at the end of the book—as they wade into their final seconds on this planet—say something like “Wait now—” Bam! Or “Hey Shit—” Bam! Or the famous inner thoughts narrative Mr. Leonard has used on a number of times (my favorite being UNKNOWN MAN NUMBER #89 PRONTO & CUBA LIBRE) in which the character is dying, wishing he could do it all over again! How things just go wrong for the bad guy no matter how well he has planned something. I dunno if I’m just an idiot—but I laugh my ass off when I read passages like the following—

It sounded like ... It was, a horse coming, Christ, running hard, cutting through the trees, those big leaves waving, breaking and there he was, the cowboy on the dun coming right at him. Osma extended the Mauser, wanting so bad to shoot him, but in that moment saw the revolver pointing at him, saw the smoke burst from the muzzle as it fired and felt himself punched in the chest so hard he took a step back, still on his feet as the dun rode him down, slammed him flat on his back to lie in the dead leaves. Now he was looking at the green ones hanging over him and part of the sky , not knowing how this could have happened. He said to himself, I was ready. Wasn’t I ready? I was watching ...

Classic Leonard. It never gets old and it has the terse style of Hemingway—but something more and better….Humanity—regret, humor—life.

Just finished RUM PUNCH—I dunno, pretty damn great! I also returned to PRONTO and just loved it. It had been several months since I read an Elmore Leonard novel—and every time, I mean every time—I come back punched in the chest with the notion that he doesn’t sound like anyone else. There is that personal comfort with Elmore. You understand and feel protected from some of the rival conceptions publishers and wirters impose on their readers. You trust and feel safe in the notion that Elmore Leonard isn’t going to “cheat”. Does that make sense?

I also finished THE TONTO WOMAN & OTHER WESTERN STORIES. Pure Amazing. Mr. Leonard—be young, elder fictioneer—whatever—has always had that voice. God given!

When I get someone new started on EL, I always recommend the one-two punch of “Swag” and “Stick.” In “Swag” he was at his Detroit nexus. “Stick” is where he really started getting comfortable in the domain of South Florida (my favorite setting). Plus, it’s an easy segue, because Mr. Ernest Stickley Jr. is such a prolific character. He’s probably the one character I’d most love to hear from again.

Damn movie studios and their f’n intellectual property attorneys!