Introducing a new feature for slow blog days: The Three Books That Led You to Elmore Leonard. In three books, summarize the literary path that led to Elmore Leonard. In a fourth book, select the Elmore Leonard novel that was your point of entry both as a reader and a writer.
I put together the first one which is Elmore’s It doesn’t have his work in the last spot, but it’ll give you an idea of what I’m looking for.
Check this out for length and style:
1. Ernest Hemingway – For Whom the Bell Tolls – white space on the page, emphasis on dialogue, spare descriptions, generally lean writing.
2. John Steinbeck – Sweet Thursday – the difference between good writing and “hooptedoodle”.
3. Richard Bissell – A Stretch on the River – how to do natural humor; guys who are funny that don’t know they’re being funny.
4. The Friends of Eddie Coyle – George V. Higgins – how to get into scenes quicker, how dialog can carry a book, how to use obscenities more effectively.
Post your selections in the The Three Books That Led You to Elmore Leonard thread in The Dutch Forum. Include micro descriptions, more like captions of the reasons for your choices. I’ll do the rest.
