Pulp Fiction discussion

I think James Ellroy was the first author I read in the pulp genre, while I think he is a decent writer, I think he is far too offensive at times. Borderline Racist and Sexist; discuss

I sort of agree with you. I like him a lot but when I read his books I always feel sort of frazzled. There's so much happening and it happens so fast that I sometimes get lost. I like his early stuff and sort of stopped liking him during the L.A. Quartet series and haven't read him since American Tabloid.

James Ellroy in Minnesota:
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/disp...

I just started L.A. Confidential but so far it glows with authenticity.

There is no "borderline" about it - it is that - and so is much other of the genre - even the genteel Marlowe used slurs, has stereotyped women - it's generic to the genre - it is also reflective of the times and if anyone thinks it wasn't like that in LA they are living at the Magic Kingdom.

LA Confidential is definitely my favorite Ellroy.

Flash Beagle wrote: "I just started L.A. Confidential but so far it glows with authenticity.

There is no "borderline" about it - it is that - and so is much other of the genre - even the genteel Marlowe ..."
I'm with you Flash Beagle. "Noir" is definitely not for those seeking the politically correct take.

I've only read one James Ellroy, The Black Dahlia, and I had to go read the happiest, funniest, most life-affirming book afterwards. Ellroy is a good writer and I really liked that book but I really felt like I needed to bathe once I was done.

I have now read 3 Ellroy novels, L.A. Confidential, The Black Dahlia, and The Big Nowhere and my impressions are -
-- very violent, severe language, sicko perverted crimes, no doubt about it
-- realistic (the LA Times front page on almost any day has violence, perversion) - this is what cops, especially homicide have to deal with - these are the stories behind the headlines
-- rogue cops for sure, but at one time they were idealistic
-- finer moments - all of the main cops have their finer moments (i.e., Buzz Meeks (The Big Nowhere), most corrupt cop in LAPD, according to his partner, picks up the baton out of loyalty to his fallen partners) - best ending of all 3 books in my view
-- milestone moments - each of the main cops in all 3 books have a moment where they are at a crossroads and evaluate each option before choosing a course of action - again Meeks stands out - my favorite ending of the 3
-- the women - the main women are the equal of the guys (Lynn Bracken is smarter than Bud White; Kay is smarter than Bucky Bleichert; and Audrey is on a par with Buzz Meeks). So far I haven't seen this in Chandler (the closest was in The Long Good-Bye), but not to the extent of really showing how smart they are, how they hold their own ... "cherchez la femme"

Anyway, for sure Ellroy doesn't spare his readers (I've probably reached my quota) and I don't think he could; I think his loyalty is to the situation. And, I may be the only one who thinks so, but I think Ellroy is an idealist and it comes though in his cops - if they were not idealists (misguided, true) - they would have stopped way ahead of where they did - Danny Upshaw would have ignored the murders (discoveries that were his eventual undoing); Buzz Meeks would have forgotten about Danny & Mal (instead of pursuing a hopeless end, not to mention his romantic involvement that made him a dead man walking - even he knew that); Bud White would have not beat the heck out of every woman abuser (and Jack Vincennes, Ed Exley, ach! I could go on and on) and Bucky Bleichert would have let the Dahlia go unsolved. All that said, I'm reading something much milder at the moment:) and happy for it - Ellroy put me through the mill!

I read LA Confidential and felt like I needed to take a shower as well ... if you read about his past, it isn't hard to understand his POV, but it sure ain't mine.

The Real Black Dahlia.
I thought Ellroy fans might be interested in this article featured on Salon today:

http://www.salon.com/2012/04/09/the_r...

Alberto wrote: "When I read the book by Ellroy I was very interested in the real Black Dahlia murder case. I remember there's was a film based on it, some eighties production years before the Brian DePalma adaptat..."

I remember the Hollywood Babylon book with the the pictures. I think it was Hollywood Babylon II, but I'm not sure. I also remember a chapter about Francis Farmer that creeped me out in Hollywood Babylon.