Robert Ellis: LAWRENCE BLOCK

Lawrence Block

I have always been a big fan of Lawrence Block’s work. I met him twice at book signings, once at a Barnes & Noble in Bryn Mawr, PA, and a second time at Vroman’s Bookstore in Pasadena, CA. There’s the work, and then there’s the man with the wonderful personality that I grew to know listening to his audiobooks. Most if not all are from the Bernie Rhodenbarr series (a gentleman burglar who by day owns a used bookstore). These are light, entertaining novels, that seem made to be listened to as well as read. In this case I find the audiobooks to be the better choice. They’re fascinating and very special because of all things, Lawrence Block is narrating them himself. (I have noticed that this isn’t the case every time, so you need to hunt them down to find them.) Lawrence Block has written over fifty novels. Unlike many these days, if Block’s name is on the book, he wrote every word on every page.

I mention this because Lawrence Block always seems to be full of surprises, and a new one came up about ten days ago. Block has accepted a position as writer-in residence at Newberry College in South Carolina. But even more, in his announcement he released the reading list for one of two courses he will be teaching: THE PLEASURES OF CRIME FICTION. The list of books he selected seems as if it might be a collection of personal favorites, which I found fascinating in and of itself. But it’s the titles he didn’t include that I thought he might that make this list even more thought provoking.

For the record, the titles IN CAPITAL LETTERS are the assigned books; after each in italics is a second book by the same author, suggested for those who like what they've read and want to keep going.

 

Agatha Christie: THE MURDER OF ROGER ACKROYD, The Body in the Library
Dashiell Hammett: THE MALTESE FALCON, The Glass Key
Ellery Queen: THE ROMAN HAT MYSTERY, Queens Full
Raymond Chandler: THE LONG GOODBYE, The High Window
Erle Stanley Gardner: THE CASE OF THE SULKY GIRL, Crows Can’t Count
Fredric Brown: THE FABULOUS CLIPJOINT, The Wench is Dead
Craig Rice: THE RIGHT MURDER, Home Sweet Homicide
Evan Hunter: LAST SUMMER, Let’s Hear It for the Deaf Man
Walter Mosley: DEVIL IN A BLUE DRESS, John Woman
Ross Thomas: THE FOOLS IN TOWN ARE ON OUR SIDE, The Eighth Dwarf
Donald E. Westlake: DROWNED HOPES, The Rare Coin Score
Sue Grafton: A IS FOR ALIBI, K Is For Killer
James Sallis: DRIVE, The Long-Legged Fly
Ian Rankin: KNOTS AND CROSSES, The Black Book

Cheers to the Pleasures of Crime Fiction!
Robert Ellis 
https://www.robertellis.net/

ROBERT ELLIS WRITERS BLOG



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