Pulp Fiction discussion

RJ's avatar is Mr Bemis, from the Twilight Zone episode about an avid reader, who, after the bomb drops, finally has "Time Enough at Last" to read all he wants. Well, recently watching The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (great movie, great book - perhaps we should choose a spy novel one month) I heard a reference to a Mr Beamish. Alec Leamas: "Quite a lot of people have taken it out [referring to a book on lycanthropy]." Librarian Gold: "Oh, they're all a little Mr. Beamish." Turns out Mr Beamish is the title character in a 1940 novel by Hugh Richmond . From Kirkus Reviews: "Mr. Beamish, proof-reader for a printing plant, lives in a world of books, but a chance conversation with a grim sort of banker, draws him into real life as the catalyst of other people's affairs." I thought some of you would be interested in this. Coincidence? I think not!

Ah Girard, I love this kinda' stuff.

Time Enough at Last, the Twilight Zone episode was an adaptation of a short story written by Lynn A. Venable, which was published in a science fiction magazine, If: Worlds of Science Fiction in 1953.

Perhaps she read Hugh Richmond's novel in her youth and the idea and the name stuck.

Or not. ;)

Interesting, Girard. I agree with Andrea. I love connections like this. Thanks!

I second the motion to have a spy theme for book of the month.

Oh, and Bemis worked in a bank. I'm curious to read the Venable story now.

Christopher wrote: "I second the motion to have a spy theme for book of the month."

I'm on it.

Post title suggestions here. Otherwise, there are plenty of lists to choose from.

Girard wrote: "Oh, and Bemis worked in a bank. I'm curious to read the Venable story now."

You can find links to this story & a short discussion about her here:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Melki wrote: "Christopher wrote: "I second the motion to have a spy theme for book of the month."

I'm on it.

Post title suggestions here. Otherwise, there are plenty of lists to choose from."

Looking at my own 'secret agents' shelf, I see:

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

The Salzburg Connection

The Wrecking Crew

The Secret Servant

A Dandy in Aspic

Can't 'vouch' for any of them, though.

Christopher wrote: "Looking at my own 'secret agents' shelf, I see:"

Great! Thank you.

The Secret Agent by Joseph Conrad seems to be popping up on most of the Best Spy Novels lists.

Has anyone read this one?

Melki wrote: "The Secret Agent by Joseph Conrad seems to be popping up on most of the Best Spy Novels lists. ..."

Read, but want to re-read.

It might be disappointing as a thriller. or genre novel.

Jim wrote: "Girard wrote: "Oh, and Bemis worked in a bank. I'm curious to read the Venable story now."

You can find links to this story & a short discussion about her here:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/sho..."

Thanks, Jim. Interesting discussion, and I've downloaded the story to my Kindle.

Always glad to re-read Conrad. I've been working my way through the Le Carre novels - very good. I've also enjoyed a number of Eric Ambler novels, which are also quite good, as are the Philip Kerr books I've read. It's easy to see Ambler as the precursor to Le Carre & Ludlum. Other spy authors to consider: Alan Furst, Ian Fleming, Len Deighton, Ken Follett, Graham Greene, Frederick Forsyth

Girard wrote: "Always glad to re-read Conrad. I've been working my way through the Le Carre novels - very good. I've also enjoyed a number of Eric Ambler novels, which are also quite good, as are the Philip Kerr ..."

Yeah. Add A Coffin for Dimitrios
and Berlin Game

I'm working on the poll for April's group read - a spy thriller - and I've come up with two different lists.

Are y'all clamoring for a Classic Spy thriller featuring big names like John le Carré, Eric Ambler, Len Deighton, and Ian Fleming OR a Neo Spy poll featuring some lesser known authors with highly rated books?

Whichever one is the result of the consensus, perhaps use the other list 6 months from now. I'd love to see lesser known authors, but i'll read either way.

What Lawrence said. One now one later. There are lots of good spy novels & authors, so we can't lose!

I don't speak up very often in this group, but I follow it. I'm piping up now just to throw out another old-time spy/thriller/suspense writer: Helen MacInnes. I just found an old hardback anthology of hers--I've been meaning to give her a try. The anthology I found has Above Suspicion, Horizon, and Assignment in Brittany. Don't have a clue if that is three of her better ones or not.

All the other classic names are cool too though. (And I've still got The Big Sky on my desk, with a lot of good intentions surrounding it, even though I'm late to the discussion)

I say the classics. "If you only read one spy novel, read this one."

I'd prefer a stand-alone, not part of a series.

RJ wrote: "I'd prefer a stand-alone, not part of a series."

The poll is up!
Sorry, RJ. Though the books are not all stand-alone, they're at least the first one of a series.

Melki wrote: "RJ wrote: "I'd prefer a stand-alone, not part of a series."

The poll is up!
Sorry, RJ. Though the books are not all stand-alone, they're at least the first one of a series."

No worries. I'm voting for A Coffin for Dimitrios.

Since this has become our spy thread:

Charles McCarry, a real spy turned novelist, has died -

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/01/ob...