Tree Surgery, Guilt-Mongering, Hammett

[poliphilo]

A guy came round yesterday morning and put us a satellite dish high up on the back wall. It was a free service, funded by government as part of the nationwide switchover to digital. I had to fetch out my saw and do a little tree surgery before he could get his ladder in place.

On our way back from the shops we called in at the library. Auriel the nice church lady who is named after an angel was working behind one of the desks. She told us how much we were missed- which I couldn't help but feel as an accusation. Ailz said something about  her health- which is how we finesse our way through a lot of awkward situations.

In the afternoon I read Dashiell Hammett's Red Harvest. Hammett does that hard-boiled stuff so well it's a wonder anyone ever had the nerve to imitate him- though, of course, he must be the most imitated writer of the last century.   He's a wonderful stylist.  He'll describe a fight- even a chaotic pitched battle- so elegantly and simply you can follow every move every character makes- and that 's a hard thing to do.

Comments

[huskyteer.livejournal.com]

I rate Chandler far above Hammett. This hasn't stopped me reading lots of Hammett too.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

It's a long time since I read any Chandler so I'm not going to judge betwen them.

[karenkay.livejournal.com]

A modern hardboiled writer I like is Bill Pronzini. Different from Hammett, of course, and far more prolific.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I don't know him. The only modern hardboiler I really know is that woman who writes the V.I. Warshawski books- can't think of her name....

[karenkay.livejournal.com]

Sara Paretsky.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

That's her. :)

[seraphimsigrist.livejournal.com]

do you also like raymond chandler?
I do...

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

It's a long time since I read any Chandler. I think I need to revisit him.

[huskyteer.livejournal.com]

My absolute favourite is 'The Long Goodbye'.

[daisytells.livejournal.com]

Wow! A free dish! It's little things like that which completely boggle my mind when I hear neighbors saying that they dont want to have their government imitating "those people over there". We are not allowed to have dishes at any price in this area, because it is "historical" and property owners are not permitted to alter the exterior appearances of the buildings in any way that would clash with their "age". Maybe is we wait and see, the Frederal Govt will mandate digital all over, then we'll see what happens.
Yes, I love "Dash", too. But I also love Raymond Chandler.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I think there are places in this country where you're not allowed to put up dishes for "heritage" reasons. Obviously ours isn't one of them.

People say dishes are ugly. I don't think so, myself.

I need to reaquaint myself with Chandler. It must be nearly 40 years since I read anything of his.