The End Has Come

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Today I sorted my library for 50 books I cant live without, and the books number 200 or so.

All of Raymond Chandler.
All of Chester Himes.
All of George V. Higgins.
All of Talmage Powell.
Most of David Goodis.
Most of John LeCarre.
Most of Elmore Leonard.
Most of Pete Dexter.
Most of Donald E. Westlake

and 50 or so singles by diverse authors, like MYSTIC RIVER by Dennis Lehane, and FIRST BLOOD by David Morrell. A few books by Jim Thompson are on order.

All are noir except for Elmore Leonard's WESTERNS and a few WESTERNS by Alan Lemay. Two books by gals made the cut.

No more book purchases in this life. I wanna re-read my favorites, and leave the crap to you.

 

[JackLuis]

Oh, does this mean that you won't have time to spread your cheer on the AH anymore?

 

[SamScribble]

James, I did something similar a few years ago. And now I'm regretting sending some of the tomes off to the second-hand dealer. I might have to re-acquire them.

 

[legerdemer]

Today I sorted my library for 50 books I cant live without, and the books number 200 or so.

All of Raymond Chandler.
All of Chester Himes.
All of George V. Higgins.
All of Talmage Powell.
Most of David Goodis.
Most of John LeCarre.
Most of Elmore Leonard.
Most of Pete Dexter.
Most of Donald E. Westlake

and 50 or so singles by diverse authors, like MYSTIC RIVER by Dennis Lehane, and FIRST BLOOD by David Morrell. A few books by Jim Thompson are on order.

All are noir except for Elmore Leonard's WESTERNS and a few WESTERNS by Alan Lemay. Two books by gals made the cut.

No more book purchases in this life. I wanna re-read my favorites, and leave the crap to you.

I'm surprised not to see any Jamie Lee Burke among your collection, and some of Len Deighton.

 

[JKendallDane]

I had 48 books in my "to be read" pile and then added another three thanks to an estate sale over the weekend.

It's a good thing I don't have cable anymore.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Oh, does this mean that you won't have time to spread your cheer on the AH anymore?

I expect to be much worse, especially for you.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

I'm surprised not to see any Jamie Lee Burke among your collection, and some of Len Deighton.

James Lee Burke wrote one short story worth a damn, I think the title is TEXAS CITY 1947. Its excellent. His other stuff I've read doesn't thrill me much. Never heard of Len Deighton.

I usually read what people recommend, and much of what LIT writers recommend sux. And my standards are simple: No navel gazing, no WTF implausible nonsense, no come home to Jesus style nigger/queer loving sermons, I want activity, and I demand coherent prose. I'm always looking for good Negro writing, and its rare tho there are 6 or so who were fucking sublime writers.

 

[49greg]

Over the years I've gotten rid of dozens, maybe a hundred or more books, mostly paperbacks, usually by selling back to used book stores, or donating to library sales. During the last fifteen years we've moved nine times and I thought I had trimmed the library down to the minimum.

Then my wife got a kindle and started buying for me as well as her. So I got the ap for my laptop and all those books fit in my laptop.

Sure it's harder to read, but a so darned much easier to haul around. Even so packing up those books I still have takes too many boxes and I'm always evaluating what can go and what I really need.

I have too damn much "Stuff" and things would be simpler without most of it. I can still remember when all I owned fit into a '74 Chevy Vega hatchback with room to spare. Not that that crackerbox Vega was able to haul it very far.