Comments - Hard-Boiled Thrillers, Noir, and the Belly Laugh - CrimeSpace2024-03-29T14:46:06Zhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profiles/comment/feed?attachedTo=537324%3ABlogPost%3A366950&xn_auth=noRight on, Martin :)tag:crimespace.ning.com,2013-02-07:537324:Comment:3672912013-02-07T22:52:44.322ZVictoria Doughertyhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/VictoriaDougherty
<p>Right on, Martin :)</p>
<p>Right on, Martin :)</p> I've always thought humor was…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2013-02-07:537324:Comment:3672892013-02-07T22:31:14.192ZMartin Roy Hillhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/MartinRoyHill
<p>I've always thought humor was a big part of hardboiled mystery fiction. It's not a LOL belly laugh sort of humor, but a cynical form of dark humor, the kind of humor a person who has seen too much of the dark side of life uses to keep himself from going over the deep. Both Phillip Marlow and Sam Spade were famous for their world-weary, wry cynicism.</p>
<p>I've always thought humor was a big part of hardboiled mystery fiction. It's not a LOL belly laugh sort of humor, but a cynical form of dark humor, the kind of humor a person who has seen too much of the dark side of life uses to keep himself from going over the deep. Both Phillip Marlow and Sam Spade were famous for their world-weary, wry cynicism.</p> Thanks for the tip, ME.tag:crimespace.ning.com,2013-02-07:537324:Comment:3671402013-02-07T11:36:28.718ZVictoria Doughertyhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/VictoriaDougherty
<p>Thanks for the tip, ME.</p>
<p>Thanks for the tip, ME.</p> Some great examples here. Hav…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2013-02-07:537324:Comment:3671812013-02-07T01:44:47.251ZM.E. Purfieldhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/MEPurfield
<p>Some great examples here. Have you checked out Greg McDonald's Fletch series or some works by Jim Thompson? The Fletch series has some awesome humour in the dialog and the Thompson is a brilliant satirist.</p>
<p>Some great examples here. Have you checked out Greg McDonald's Fletch series or some works by Jim Thompson? The Fletch series has some awesome humour in the dialog and the Thompson is a brilliant satirist.</p> Thanks, Christopher.tag:crimespace.ning.com,2013-02-01:537324:Comment:3669742013-02-01T14:42:09.625ZVictoria Doughertyhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/VictoriaDougherty
<p>Thanks, Christopher.</p>
<p>Thanks, Christopher.</p> Yes, realism is an important…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2013-02-01:537324:Comment:3670642013-02-01T03:05:21.979ZEric Christophersonhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/datahog
<p>Yes, realism is an important part of hard-boiled. Also cynicism and slangy dialog. Here's a good summary: <a href="http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/254914/hard-boiled-fiction" target="_blank">http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/254914/hard-boiled-fiction</a></p>
<p>Yes, realism is an important part of hard-boiled. Also cynicism and slangy dialog. Here's a good summary: <a href="http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/254914/hard-boiled-fiction" target="_blank">http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/254914/hard-boiled-fiction</a></p> Yeah, I guess I thought hard-…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2013-01-31:537324:Comment:3669612013-01-31T22:43:13.638ZVictoria Doughertyhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/VictoriaDougherty
<p>Yeah, I guess I thought hard-boiled meant real stakes, real violence, real crime - and yes, a certain writing style - and I think Chandler fits that description. Don't know if my definition is accurate, though.</p>
<p>Yeah, I guess I thought hard-boiled meant real stakes, real violence, real crime - and yes, a certain writing style - and I think Chandler fits that description. Don't know if my definition is accurate, though.</p> I always thought "hard-boiled…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2013-01-31:537324:Comment:3670602013-01-31T22:39:41.796ZJack Getzehttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/JGetze
<p>I always thought "hard-boiled" referred to a writing style -- say the opposite of flowery -- not story content, but I've been wrong a lot lately. :)</p>
<p>I always thought "hard-boiled" referred to a writing style -- say the opposite of flowery -- not story content, but I've been wrong a lot lately. :)</p> I've never thought of Chandle…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2013-01-31:537324:Comment:3669592013-01-31T20:28:04.870ZEric Christophersonhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/datahog
<p>I've never thought of Chandler as being hard-boiled (though I suppose that's how he's usually classified) simply because there is just so much humor in his work. Hammett's hard-boiled to me (the originator of hard-boiled, perhaps), and there's humor there too but muted or sly much of the time.</p>
<p>I've never thought of Chandler as being hard-boiled (though I suppose that's how he's usually classified) simply because there is just so much humor in his work. Hammett's hard-boiled to me (the originator of hard-boiled, perhaps), and there's humor there too but muted or sly much of the time.</p> BTW, Jack is right about his…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2013-01-31:537324:Comment:3667922013-01-31T18:51:53.077ZDana Kinghttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/DanaKing
<p>BTW, Jack is right about his books. If you like stories with noir elements and laughs, you should check him out. I've read two and thoroughly enjoyed both.</p>
<p>BTW, Jack is right about his books. If you like stories with noir elements and laughs, you should check him out. I've read two and thoroughly enjoyed both.</p>