Comments on: BULLETS, BROADS, BLACKMAIL & BOMBS >> Everyone’s a Winner

By: Bookgasm » Blog Archive » BULLETS, BROADS, BLACKMAIL & BOMBS >> Life and Crimes

Tue, 19 Jun 2007 11:46:36 +0000

[...] week’s column easily could have been subtitled “Guaranteed Good Reads: Take Two,” because I’m treating myself – and you – to three authors who don’t stink. [...]

By: Rod Lott

Rod Lott — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 00:38:20 +0000

Hey, they sell new ones, too! And those are the only ones I buy.

By: Ed Donovan

Ed Donovan — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 14:15:44 +0000

Used books spread disease. Keep em or throw em away, people.

By: Bookgasm » Blog Archive » WHAT ED READ >> 4.20.07

Bookgasm » Blog Archive » WHAT ED READ >> 4.20.07 — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 11:58:44 +0000

[...] LOLITA COMPLEX AND OTHER TALES OF SEX AND VIOLENCE by Max Allan Collins and Matthew V. Clemens • NIGHT SQUAD by David Goodis • NIGHTFALL by David Goodis • QUARRY’S LIST by Max Allan Collins • ROAD [...]

By: Rod Lott

Rod Lott — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 23:31:15 +0000

Isn’t Half Price Books awesome? Watch this site soon for a Half Price store report on the Austin, Texas location.

By: Christopher

Christopher — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 13:58:56 +0000

Speaking of Vachss, I just picked up FLOOD for 99cents at Half Price books and am really loving it. It’s hard to stop reading it, in fact. I’d tried one of the later Burke books a few years ago and couldn’t get into it. But this is really great hardcore stuff. I’m going to get it a dog and teach it to kill people when I tell it to “Sit.”

By: Christopher

Christopher — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 13:57:22 +0000

MIAMI BLUES kicks all kinds of ass. I love Charles Willeford and was just reading a really in-depth article about him the other day written by Mike White in an old Cashiers du Cinemart. In fact, I just found it on-line. No pictures, but all the text is right here: Charles Willeford Link

By: Rod Lott

Rod Lott — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 23:02:50 +0000

A big, huge second-that-emotion for the movie version of MIAMI BLUES, one of the most underrated and overlooked movies of the ’90s. It’s the exception to my Alec Baldwin rule, which roughly states that he’s awesome in supporting parts and terrible in lead roles.

By: Bruce

Bruce — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 16:14:52 +0000

Thanks for the comment. I’ve read a good amount of Goodis including Piano Player, Willeford Miami Blues was the third book of his I’ve read. After Cockfighter and Burnt Oange Heresay. I’ve read one Vachs book and that was his gold medal tribute The Getaway Man. I know he has his fans but personally just does nothing for me. Read all of Thompson so unless a newly discoverd book pops up sadly he wont be here. I might reread The Grifters at some point.

I’ve covered McBain in earlier columns love his stuff.

So a tribute to Vonnegut is not going to happen. I was never a fan. I’ve read the biggies of his output. But to be honest Spillane and Hamiltons death meant more to me.

Yeah if your a fan of Rum Punch/Jackie Brown then read THE SWITCH to really get an idea of Ordell and Louis back in the day. Rum Punch will finally be read at some point now in this column

By: Corey Redekop

Corey Redekop — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 13:11:48 +0000

Wow, I honestly had no idea Leonard wrote a prequel to Rum Punch. I'll Inter-Library Loan it immediately. Good, good list. Goodis, other than his justly famous Shoot the Piano Player (great novel, great movie, is sadly ignored, as is Willeford except for Miami Blues (again, great novel, great movie). And Leonard? He is the man, pure and simple. Might I suggest you look into Andrew Vachss as well? His Burke novels, while a touch overplayed of late, were some of the nastiest thrillers I read when I discovered him. Jim Thompson is a given, of course. And the Ed McBain 87th Precinct novels, the greatest ongoing police procedural/soap opera ever. How about a tribute to Vonnegut?