- Paperback: 256 pages
- Publisher: Pocket Books; New edition edition (4 Jan 2000)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0671038907
- ISBN-13: 978-0671038908
- Product Dimensions: 23.4 x 15.7 x 2.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,464,492 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Product Description
Authorised by the estate of the late Raymond Chandler, this volume reveals - in 25 new stories - the missing life history and adventures of Philip Marlowe, the quintessential hard-boiled detective. The stories are by some of today's leading crime writers and include Chandler's own "The Pencil".
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book offers the reader a unique treat as twenty five brand new Marlowe stories are brought to life, starting in 1935 and ending, just as Chandler's life did, in 1959.
What confronts the dedicated Marlowe fan in these pages is a new world in which the character takes his place, with wars and political intrigue rearing their respective heads in a way that Chandler chose not to portray as Communists, Asians, and Germans flood the pages. What does jar with this exercise, however, is that as each successful or otherwise author takes his or her's turn to try out Marlowe's and Chandler's voice some repetition and dilution creeps in, I mean how many times in a book does one want to hear the Californian sunset being bombarded with similies? With this in mind perhaps it is best to read these stories with some time in between them so as to disengage from Marlowe before someone else's spin on him confuses one's own image. For those new to Marlowe, I would advise jumping in at the deep end with The Big Sleep rather than trying to get a taste of the cynical detective from these mini episodes. While these tales are engaging in themselves it is only rarely that they touch on Chandler's genius as a writer, praise which is itself supported by his work being emulated over sixty years since it began.
What confronts the dedicated Marlowe fan in these pages is a new world in which the character takes his place, with wars and political intrigue rearing their respective heads in a way that Chandler chose not to portray as Communists, Asians, and Germans flood the pages. What does jar with this exercise, however, is that as each successful or otherwise author takes his or her's turn to try out Marlowe's and Chandler's voice some repetition and dilution creeps in, I mean how many times in a book does one want to hear the Californian sunset being bombarded with similies? With this in mind perhaps it is best to read these stories with some time in between them so as to disengage from Marlowe before someone else's spin on him confuses one's own image. For those new to Marlowe, I would advise jumping in at the deep end with The Big Sleep rather than trying to get a taste of the cynical detective from these mini episodes. While these tales are engaging in themselves it is only rarely that they touch on Chandler's genius as a writer, praise which is itself supported by his work being emulated over sixty years since it began.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
6 reviews
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful
this is such a cool book! 0ver 20 new marlowe stories
2 Nov 1999
Format:Paperback
wow--everybody from robert crais to sara paretsky doing philip marlowe. the standards are high--and the book is structured largely in chronolgical order so that marlowe actually ages as you read the book. chandler's pothumous collaborator, robert b. parker has an introduction
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
". . . So many continue to assault the citadel . . . "
2 Dec 2001
Format:Paperback
In the title to this review, I borrowed Chandler's quote from his essay, "The Simple Art of Murder." It does seem appropriate, for this volume is the ultimate celebration of Raymond Chandler's genius -- simply because of the failure of most of the writers who partake herein!
The premise of this anthology is simple: Published for the centennial celebration of Raymond Chandler's birth; therefore, invite the top mystery writers of the day (1989) to submit a short story involving his ultimate literary creation, Phillip Marlowe, set between 1933 (the year in which Chandler published his first short story) and 1959 (the year of Chandler's death, and the year in which he published his last short story).
Real simple, huh? (Hah!)
Frankly, only Max Allan Collins (of 'Nate Heller' fame) comes even remotely close, in his roman-a-clef treatment of Hollywood star Thelma Todd's murder. (Note: Chandler himself would use not only certain aspects of her death -- i.e., a question of the slippers she was wearing ['The Lady In The Lake'] -- but the Santa Monica location itself [the description of Lindsey Marriott's Bay City address in 'Farewell My Lovely']. Chandler based many of his own short stories -- as well as the circumstances in at least two of his novels -- on contemporary Los Angeles history and events.)
This collection, as I mentioned previously, memorializes Raymond Chandler's success through the failures of subsequent authors. (These failures are due to many individual shortcomings, a lack of knowledge of L.A. history and development, on the one hand; or, frankly, of geography, on the other, as well as a simple lack of understanding of Chandler's concept for his protagonist -- i.e., one particular story which practically canonizes Marlowe back in his Santa Rosa hometown -- let alone his singular vision.)
A collection of very good mystery writers took part in this project. Their failure to recreate Raymond Chandler's singular vision is in no way a criticism, but rather a stirring acknowledgment of his achievement. It is also a testament as to why, again, as Chandler put it, "So many continue to assault the citadel."
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Interesting read for Chandler fans
31 July 2000
Format:Paperback
One of noir's greatest characters handled by the writers influenced by his creator. An great idea to celebrate the centennial, but a bit uneven in my opinion. This can hardly be avoided when so many hands are in the pot, but a majority of the stories are well-written, and it's a plesant surprise when other Chandler characters make cameos. The year by year treatment of Marlowe was another good take, but again, due to the varied styles of the writers, development of the character is not a priority. Good book, great for fans, but I'd suggest sticking to the original.
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