Jim Thompson has a healthy presence on the shelves (or tubs) of the library. I think he wrote nearly 30 novels in his lifetime, most of which have been re-issued after his death in 1977, having all been out of print shortly before he died.I would hazard that I will have maybe 20 from him in the library. I've read a few, pre-blogging days and can't remember which ones and when, so assuming I live to be 150 and stop buying more books, I will get to them eventually.
My last experience of him, when I read The Rip-Off last year wasn't great, but we can overlook that.
Review of The Rip-Off - October, 2013.
Recoil
When convicted bank robber Pat Cosgrove is paroled from prison through the efforts of a man he barely knows and provided with a home, a job, and other favors, he begins to suspect he is being set up to be used for sinister purposes.
Not much of a blurb to sell this 1953 novel to anyone !
Wild Town
Convinced his wife is planning to murder him, Mike Hanlon, a paraplegic wildcatter, tries to convince chief Lou Ford to take action.
Even less about this 1957 one!
There's a shortish article on Thompson over at Detnovel.
Col, here's a writer who most definitely is on my reading plate. I'd heard of Jim Thompson a long time ago and the blog world sort of resurrected him for me. It's good to know you have more than half the books he wrote.
ReplyDeletePrashant thanks. Hopefully I enjoy the next few better than the last one!
DeleteI've read a couple, and seen a couple of films based on his books. That'll probably do me for now....
ReplyDeleteFunny enough I don't think I have ever seen a film of a Thompson book. I know of a couple of versions of THE GETAWAY - McQueen and Macgraw and Basinger and Baldwin. Not sure if I have heard of anything else apart from THE GRIFTERS......regardless I've seen none of them!
DeleteCol - Thompson is definitely one of the greats of the noir sort of novel. As you get the chance to read more of his work, I'll be interested in what you think of its consistency and quality.
ReplyDeleteMargot, I can make allowances for the odd bad book. I'm fairly sure his overall library of work is very well regarded, so should see some gooduns!
DeleteI suspect that Thompson is too hardboiled for me, but I will try a couple of his books anyway. The comments reminded of The Getaway, and I would like to read that, then see the movie.
ReplyDeleteI hope you do, you never know you might just be his biggest, late-to-the-party fan! Which version of the film are you inclined to watch? 70's or 90's?
DeleteThe 70's version with Steve McQueen. I did not know that there was a later one.
DeleteKim Basinger and Alec Baldwin in a 1994 remake. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0109890/
ReplyDeleteWow, I like both of them (the actors). I will probably have to try both of the movies then.
DeleteI don't think I have ever seen that many Kim Basinger films - loved her in LA Confidential - from the James Ellroy book, equally as great. I've seen her in 9 1/2 Weeks....hmm probably best if I don't comment too much about that one! Nothing else springs to mind. I've seen Alec in more, though I do get him confused with his brothers.
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