Reading the 20th Century discussion

Any Elmore Leonard fans in the house?



Let's discuss him

What are you feelings about his work?

Any particular favourites?

Any duds?

I just concluded that it's been far too long since I read anything by him so I'm underway with....



The Switch (1978)


...it's a standout example of Elmore Leonard's signature style: lean prose, sharp dialogue, black humour, and clever subversions of classic crime tropes

The novel subverts the "damsel in distress" narrative, featuring, as it does, a shrewd female lead who takes control of her situation

It showcases Elmore Leonard at his witty best


Curiously the audiobook has a trigger warning about how The Switch was written in the 1970s and that the content might shock some modern sensibilities.

I can't recall why this might be but am on high alert for some casual homophobia or similar

I suspect that your guess on the basis for the trigger warning is spot on. Could also included use of 'retard' or the like, or other demeaning terms for folks of varied physical or mental abilities.

I'm interested in trying Leonard. I haven't read any of his books yet. Do you have a recommendation for best one to start with?

My favorite Leonard's were his Western stories. Westerns: Last Stand at Saber River / Hombre / Valdez Is Coming / Forty Lashes Less One / Stories For some reason I could not get into many of his modern novels, though I liked the film adaptations.

Sam wrote: "My favorite Leonard's were his Western stories. Westerns: Last Stand at Saber River / Hombre / Valdez Is Coming / Forty Lashes Less One / Stories For some reason I could not get int..."

I think I'm more on the dead bodies/PI/police procedural side of things, Sam. But I didn't recall he'd even written Westerns, so that's a nice option.

I never tried the Westerns, instinctively I feel they would be of less interest


Carol, I’d recommend Get Shorty or The Switch but TBH you can’t go wrong with any of the 80s to early 90s books

I’m racing through The Switch

BTW the N word has been dropped though by a black character and the C word (racist slur version) by a neo-Nazi, so I think that accounts for the trigger warning I mentioned earlier that’s at the start of the audiobook

I've finished....



The Switch (1978)


...not quite top tier but very enjoyable....


https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...


4/5

Nigeyb wrote: "I never tried the Westerns, instinctively I feel they would be of less interest


Carol, I’d recommend Get Shorty or The Switch but TBH you can’t go wrong with any of th..."

Thanks! (I'll brace myself for the muck.)