They Shoot Horses, Don't They?
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Review
`A sharply-honed novella... Brilliant' --Daily Mail
'A classic novel about hardscrabble survival in 1930s Depression-era America' -- The Times
`Forget Raymond Chandler and his overrated ilk - Horace McCoy's 1935 novel is the best example of American noir ever written...' -- Laura Wilson, Guardian
'In our world of fleeting reality TV stardom, this stark, urgent novel feels more timely than ever.' --Observer
`A typographically innovative drama... A heartbreaking existentialist fable... the tale assumes the weight of Greek tragedy... a masterpiece.' --Independent on Sunday
'A classic novel about hardscrabble survival in 1930s Depression-era America' -- The Times
`Forget Raymond Chandler and his overrated ilk - Horace McCoy's 1935 novel is the best example of American noir ever written...' -- Laura Wilson, Guardian
'In our world of fleeting reality TV stardom, this stark, urgent novel feels more timely than ever.' --Observer
`A typographically innovative drama... A heartbreaking existentialist fable... the tale assumes the weight of Greek tragedy... a masterpiece.' --Independent on Sunday
Book Description
Cult American noir now a Serpent's Tail Classic
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I suppose it could be said that the beauty of this little novel lies in its brevity. In that sense it's a 'little gem' - short, but packed with big themes and emotions. But for me, it was a little too skimpy to get across some of the weight of its ideas. By then end of a marathon dance I expected to feel something of the contestants' almost dead weight - their desperation and fear (just look at the image on Jane Fonda on the cover, taken from the movie!), but other than Gloria, they all seemed fairly lively and together. There was little sense of an irreversible slide towards disaster. And this in part is why I found the protagonist's sudden change from chirpy mr-nice-guy to perpetrator of desperate acts rather unconvincing. That said, I did like the book and felt it had a lot to say - particularly about the nature of real financial meltdown and what it does to people. Quite timely messages.
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
i would recommend this book/play to any actors, directors, or even historians. it shows the pain, suffering and desperation felt by those that entered the dance marathons, the levels by which they slowly degraded themselves furthur and furthur - starting out with just dancing for money, then getting scruffier and scruffier, giving less of a damn about their appearance and eventually being used as advertisements by rich people who come to watch them, for 'entertainment'. this book is well worth reading, it contains amusing, emotional and disgraceful moments. you won't be able to put it down - i certainly couldn't!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This brilliantly structured short novel - which I read in a few intensive sittings - has never been out of print since it was first published in 1935. What is amazing is that although it is of its time - set in Santa Monica in the Depression era - it is as relevant now in the age of global recession, X-factor celebrity and ubiquitous advertising as it ever was and it is written in a terse but lyrical style that really hasn't dated at all. This new edition comes with an excellent introduction by British crime writer John Harvey and a short afterward about its author,Horace McCoy.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
"...she died in agony, friendless, alone..."
"...she died in agony, friendless, alone..."
Thus the book begins...It's the 1930's right outside Hollywood in Santa Monica California and yet another version of the... Read more
Thus the book begins...It's the 1930's right outside Hollywood in Santa Monica California and yet another version of the... Read more
Published 5 days ago by Cynthia
Mini Classic
I loved this book. Its a mini classic in my opinion. After reading it i am going to track down all of Mccoy's works.
Published on 18 Aug 2008 by Gerry
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