Reblogged » Don Winslow’s Top 5 Crime Novels
Reblogged: Don Winslow’s Top 5 Crime Novels over at Publisher’s Weekly
Last week, Publishers Weekly got Don Winslow, who as they say has “… had a busy summer. His prequel to Savages, The Kings of Cool, published last month, and the Oliver Stone-directed film based on Savages just hit theaters…”, to share his top 5 favorite crime novels with them. He covers the reasons for each in their piece. Here would be a partial two:
“Bruen is a pure writer. (In the interest of full disclosure, I nominated this book [The Guards] for an Edgar Award, and Ken and I subsequently became friends.) His prose edges on poetry. This book takes you into a world – Galway – through the eyes of disgraced cop Jack Taylor…”
“I’m not the first to say that The Big Dog picked up where Chandler left off, but. . .The Big Dog picked up where Chandler left off. Ellroy owns L.A. of the 1950’s, and L.A. Confidential is the third in his ‘LA Quartet’ series. I loved The Black Dahlia, The Big Nowhere and White Jazz, but L.A. Confidential is my favorite…”
Winslow is already a clear favorite of mine (and makes my endorsement list to those who come asking, along with Robert Crais). I’ve read the three in the middle and they are indeed great and worth reading. Looks like George V. Higgins‘ debut novel, The Friends of Eddie Coyle (also a preferred film by the late-Peter Yates that I picked up last year from the Criterion Collection), and Laguna Heat by T. Jefferson Parker will move up my stack and into my immediate reading/listening future. I heartily recommend reading this article, whether you’re a current fan of Mr. Winslow or not. I say that because you may well will be after you’re done.
(Hat tip to my friend Jen Forbus for bringing this to my attention)
It Rains... You Get Wet 
2 Responses to “Reblogged » Don Winslow’s Top 5 Crime Novels”
Hi, Michael and company:
Superb selection of novels!
Kudos to George V. Higgins for writing a story in succinct Bahstan. A great anti-heroic role for the world weary Robert Mitchum.
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It is that, for sure. Thanks for chiming in on this, Kevin.
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