Every once-in-a-while, I just have to read Raymond Chandler again. He's the king of the hard-boiled detective novel and I love his fabulous turn of a phrase. To me, he captures 'film noir' in print. The story is less important (to me) than the language he uses to convey thoughts and ideas. I really don't know how to phrase it but I like to feel Raymond Chandler's language pour over me. His phrasing is so sharp and pithy.
This novel is about the 1940s Los Angeles and in it, Raymond Chandler is a descriptive genius. The dialogue is forcefully expressive and Marlowe oozes with sarcasm. This book is a study of 1940s morality in Los Angeles. Television has made America more homogeneous in many ways. But in the years highlighted in this book, morals and behaviors were certainly different in the city vs. the small towns of America. This story captures a long-gone era, but we are able to peek in because of Chandler's clear lens. A great read.
This novel is about the 1940s Los Angeles and in it, Raymond Chandler is a descriptive genius. The dialogue is forcefully expressive and Marlowe oozes with sarcasm. This book is a study of 1940s morality in Los Angeles. Television has made America more homogeneous in many ways. But in the years highlighted in this book, morals and behaviors were certainly different in the city vs. the small towns of America. This story captures a long-gone era, but we are able to peek in because of Chandler's clear lens. A great read.
