It tastes great AND it's less filling!

[fancycwabs]

R.I.P. Mickey Spillane. I remember reading a later Nero Wolfe book where Archie (Wolfe's sidekick who actually leaves the house, for those unfamiliar), in a "meta" moment, debates with Wolfe whether Archie is a "hard-boiled" or an "urbane" sort of detective, and I laughed a little knowing that Archie Goodwin predates the truly "Hard-Boiled" detective by nearly a decade.

Of course, I was at the time comparing the J. Edgar Hoover of The Doorbell Rang, who stands at Wolfe's door like a jilted lover, to the J. Edgar Hoover of James Ellroy's American Tabloid (n.b. I'm still waiting on the third book in that series, Mr. Ellroy), who would have just blown up the house, orchids and all. That said, there might have been a James Ellroy had there not been a Mickey Spillane, but I really doubt it would have been the same.

Comments

[nobeautyqueene.livejournal.com]

Ah, that's sad. I've read a few Nero Wolfe stories but it's been a long time. Right now at my bedside is a book of short mysteries, I bet there's something of his in there.