Tuesday, January 19, 2010
More Sad News
Author Robert B. Parker died yesterday at his writing desk in Cambridge, MA, at age 77, probably from a heart attack. No more Spenser novels. Damn.
You could read those suckers in just a few hours and generally they were funny and pretty cool, Hawk was cool, at least. Often they gave you a recipe idea or a new wine to try. Loyal criticizer T pointed out a problem with that series of novels, and with all series of novels which last decades and decades, namely, if you continue to set them in the general present, the lead character grows old. The Spenser in the novels fought in the Korean War and boxed Jersey Joe Walcott. Giving him just 16 years in 1953, that meant that he was at least 72 last year and more likely as old as his creator. That's a problem for a PI, a tough guy and ladies man to the end; and about midway during the Clinton administration, I think, Parker just pretended that Spenser was perennially in his mid 40s.
Few of the Spenser novels were first class fiction but I sure enjoyed most of them and I'll miss them and their creator. RIP.
You could read those suckers in just a few hours and generally they were funny and pretty cool, Hawk was cool, at least. Often they gave you a recipe idea or a new wine to try. Loyal criticizer T pointed out a problem with that series of novels, and with all series of novels which last decades and decades, namely, if you continue to set them in the general present, the lead character grows old. The Spenser in the novels fought in the Korean War and boxed Jersey Joe Walcott. Giving him just 16 years in 1953, that meant that he was at least 72 last year and more likely as old as his creator. That's a problem for a PI, a tough guy and ladies man to the end; and about midway during the Clinton administration, I think, Parker just pretended that Spenser was perennially in his mid 40s.
Few of the Spenser novels were first class fiction but I sure enjoyed most of them and I'll miss them and their creator. RIP.
Labels: Robert B. Parker: Spenser for Hire
# posted by Roger Fraley @ 4:37 PM 
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Rog,
I shall miss Robert B. Parker and Spenser and Hawk most of all his characters. I liked his books. Perhaps b/c they were mostly dialogue, they were reminiscent of those chiffon desserts that airlines served w/ meals once upon a time. They were flavorful, consumed quickly, left one w/ the sense that they were insubstantial. Light fare but enjoyable. Alas.
T
I shall miss Robert B. Parker and Spenser and Hawk most of all his characters. I liked his books. Perhaps b/c they were mostly dialogue, they were reminiscent of those chiffon desserts that airlines served w/ meals once upon a time. They were flavorful, consumed quickly, left one w/ the sense that they were insubstantial. Light fare but enjoyable. Alas.
T
# posted by 
: 9:27 AM
: 9:27 AM
Hope the Jesse Stone TV movies will continue. Note that "Magnum" has aged!
OldeForce
OldeForce
# posted by : 11:16 AM
: 11:16 AM
I couldn't get into the Stone novels just as I couldn't get into anything James Burke wrote that didn't have Dave Robicheaux in it. Forgive the spelling. Thanks for the comments.
Back again. The Jesse Stone novels were batter than the Sunny Randall ones. The problem was that Jesse Stone and Sunny Randall were essentially the same character in the sense that both were always afflicted w/ angst caused their unresolved issues w/ their former spouses (spice?).
I saw a few minutes of the Jesse Stone TV movie featuring Tom Selleck. My problem was that Tom Selleck does not resemble how I imagine Jesse Stone. Tom Selleck was b. in 1945 so he is pushing 65 and looks it. I imagine
T Jesse stone to be late 30's or early 40's so Selleck did not work for me.
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I saw a few minutes of the Jesse Stone TV movie featuring Tom Selleck. My problem was that Tom Selleck does not resemble how I imagine Jesse Stone. Tom Selleck was b. in 1945 so he is pushing 65 and looks it. I imagine
T Jesse stone to be late 30's or early 40's so Selleck did not work for me.
# posted by : 7:20 PM
: 7:20 PM << Home
