I found a battered, american copy spineon in the crime. This page contains details about the fiction book the last good kiss by james crumley published in 1978. The glad and the sad the last good kiss is 19 chapters long. Sughrue, an alcoholic former army officer who is now a p. The last good kiss by james crumley author ian rankin author of introduction. James arthur crumley was the author of violent hardboiled crime novels and several volumes of short stories and essays, as well as published and unpublished screenplays.
Hired to track down a derelict author, he ends up on the trail of. Published in 1978, the last good kiss is james crumleys third novel and the first to feature c. The final country brings back milo milodragovitch, who has stumbled into a prosperous, peaceful late middle age and hates every minute of it. Wrong case, last good kiss and dancing bear new edition by james crumley isbn. His novels the last good kiss, the mexican tree duck and the right madness feature the character c. James crumley made his debut as a published novelist in 1969 with the book one to count cadence. Buy the last good kiss by james crumley online at alibris. With a new introduction by an admiring ian rankin, the last good kiss is crumley at his best, hardboiled to perfection, cynical, written like a clockwork mechanism where every sentence is quasiperfect and boasts one of the most memorable opening sentences in.
Find a library or download libby an app by overdrive. This book is the 1989th greatest fiction book of all time as determined by. The last good kiss by james crumley author ian rankin author of introduction, etc. Tough, hardboiled, and brilliantly suspenseful, the last good kiss is an. The 1978 publication of the last good kiss was a turning point not only in the career of its author james crumley but also in the crime genre itself. So the last good kiss had a lot to live up to and it does so and then some. The last good kiss by james crumley knowledge lost. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The last good kiss still blows me away, the complexity of the story, the flawed and damaged nature of the characters, the way it wove counter cultural themes and crime fiction together. Other modern crime authors like pelecanos played the same tune basically solidifying crumley as one of the best kept secrets from casual fans of the genre.
Hes been described as a cross between raymond chandler and hunter s. James crumley is one of the most influential crime writers of the postchandler era, and his raw, subversive novels have earned him living legend status. The last good kiss by james crumley the greatest books. Click and collect from your local waterstones or get free uk delivery on orders over. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the last good kiss. But theres that final chapter 19, crumleys biting, hardboiled social commentary on how 1970s america has taken a tougher, more violent turn in the 30 years since chandler and marlowe. In addition, his novel the last good kiss has been called the most influential crime novel to come out in the past fifty years. This is talented james crumleys least impressive work yet, exhibiting his established knack for rossmacdonaldish bite and dour toughness but lumbered with an offthewail plot, sluggish pacing, and an unconscionably smug narratorsleuth. His book the last good kiss has been described as the most influential crime novel of the last 50 years. Apr 20, 2016 joseph knobbs is the crime buyer for waterstones stores across the uk and, next year, will be publishing his first novel sirens under the name of joseph knox. In 1978 the last good kiss was published, which introduced crumleys other detective protagonist, c.
James crumley, the last good kiss 1978 opening paragraphs are not easy to get write, but crumleys is a cracker. James crumleys the last good kiss came to me through a shelf awareness book brahmin interview. May, 2016 the last good kiss by james crumley, 9781784161583, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. And in the last good kiss, crumley uses it to explore the battered bars and small towns of seventies postvietnam war american. Sughrue, parttime strip club barman and parttime private.
Jul 20, 2014 james crumley, the last good kiss 1978 opening paragraphs are not easy to get write, but crumleys is a cracker. Apr 14, 2016 the 1978 publication of the last good kiss was a turning point not only in the career of its author james crumley but also in the crime genre itself. Sughrue book 1 and millions of other books are available for amazon. Sughrue, an alcoholic exarmy officer turned private. He attended southwestern louisiana institute and later received a b. James crumley books list of books by author james crumley. The last good kiss by james crumley, first edition abebooks passion for books. Joseph knobbs is the crime buyer for waterstones stores across the uk and, next year, will be publishing his first novel sirens under the name of joseph knox. Crumleys books are among the mostrespected private eye novels of the turn of the millenium, and crumley earned a reputation as one of that eras foremost writers of privateeye fiction. The last good kiss is a book that singlehandedly redefined the detective novel for the postvietnam generation theres a pi, a missing writer and a missing girl, plus a labyrinthine plot that wends its way through some very shadowy places. In fact a close reading of the last good kiss shows its indebteness to chandlers the long good bye. Although praised by his fellow authors, up until about 1990, his books sold more in japan and france than they did stateside. The last good kiss by james crumley, first edition abebooks.
Sughrue about five years ago, and it was wonderful to revisit the character to. Go to the disambiguation page to edit author name combination and separation. The other characters in crumleys novels are also notable. The last good kiss by crumley, james and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. The last good kiss has been described as the most influential crime novel of the last 50 years, influencing people like michael connelly, george pelecanos, dennis lehane and even neal stephenson. His novel the last good kiss was referred to as the most influential crime novel of the last 50 years. James crumley, the last good kiss 1978 what are you reading. With that kind of recommendation, i would have been hardpressed to pass it up. Sughrue series began with the last good kiss and concluded with crumleys final novel, the right madness in 2005.
Books by james crumley author of the last good kiss. His books tended to come out in vintage trade versions and. Tough, hardboiled, and brilliantly suspenseful, the last good kiss is an unforgettable detective story starring c. Given that context, the final country is an unexpected pleasure a fierce, funny, wickedly well written novel, easily crumleys finest since the last good kiss.
James crumley 1 james crumley 1 primary author only james crumley disambiguation author division james crumley is composed of at least 2 distinct authors, divided by their works. James crumley has 19 books on goodreads with 35734 ratings. Gardner dozois recommended james crumleys the last good kiss to me as the best hardboiled detective novel written in the last ten years. James crumley reading the last good kiss and an interview with crumley. James crumley 19392008 was an american author of hardboiled crime fiction. It is generally regarded as crumleys best novel, and any number of contemporary crime writers have described it as their favorite crime novel of all. In 2007, the magazine mens journal named the last good kiss as number 12 on its list of top 15 thrillers of all time, and in newsweek, george pelecanos, crime author and coproducer of the hbo series the wire, rated crumley s the last good kiss as number 3 in his list of the five most important crime novels. Apr 20, 2016 the last good kiss ebook written by james crumley. If chapter 18 was the books last chapter we would have had a happy ending. Readalikes for james crumley if you like james crumley. I recently reread james crumleys the last good kiss.
Gardner dozois recommended james crumley s the last good kiss to me as the best hardboiled detective novel written in the last ten years. Founded in 1997, has become a leading book price comparison site. Crumley with this book established that he had no contemporary equals. Buy the last good kiss by james crumley from waterstones today. Although praised by his fellow authors, up until about 1990, his books sold more in japan and france. See all books authored by james crumley, including the last good kiss, and the wrong case, and more on. The book that made me fall in love with crime fiction and fall further in love with reading. In fact a close reading of the last good kiss shows its indebteness to. After leaving his last teaching job in 1984, crumley worked fulltime as a writer. This is talented james crumley s least impressive work yet, exhibiting his established knack for rossmacdonaldish bite and dour toughness but lumbered with an off the wail plot, sluggish pacing, and an unconscionably smug narratorsleuth. I first read about the exploits of crumleys endearingly amoral private detective c. Sughrue books in order of when they were originally released.
Crumley has been on my radar ever since i heard dennis lehane sing his praises. The last good kiss by james crumley, 9781784161583, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. He has been described as one of modern crime writings best practitioners, who was a patron saint of the postvietnam private eye novel and a cross between raymond chandler and hunter s. The last good kiss by james crumley overdrive rakuten. The guest brahmin, john clarkson, is a novelist id never heard of, but from his picture, clarkson appears to be a big guy, balding, moustached with goatee, hint of a smile and a straightforward look behind glasses. James lee burke was born in houston, texas, in 1936 and grew up on the texaslouisiana gulf coast. The last good kiss by james crumley great pick for 2020. Sughrue and a windy novelist with writers block drink their way through the west while hunting a missing pornography actress in the last good kiss 1978. He lived in missoula, montana with his wife martha until his death on. As a bookshop affiliate and an amazon associate, the rumpus earns a percentage from qualifying purchases. The final country by james crumley, paperback barnes. Of james crumley, he has been described as a major definer and the patron saint of the private eye novel when it comes to postvietnam.
Sughrue, a montana investigator who kills time by working at a topless bar. Hired to track down a derelict author, he ends up on the trail of a girl missing in haightashbury for a decade. James crumley, the last good kiss 1978 what are you. James crumleys most popular book is the last good kiss c. He lived in missoula, montana with his wife martha until his death on september 17, 2008. In 2007, the magazine mens journal named the last good kiss as number 12 on its list of top 15 thrillers of all time, and in newsweek, george pelecanos. They include the academics, skid row denizens, and mountain hippies whom milo meets in the wrong case 1975. One of the most influential crime novels ever written, by a legend of the genre. Here he talks about how discovering a battered old copy of the last good kiss a classic mystery by crimewriting giant james crumley sparked a life long love of the genre.
522 3 903 945 735 942 1185 409 1476 506 867 620 307 1560 1138 1573 256 1104 316 1139 1031 1585 298 497 1054 364 422 652 14 968