Over the years, I’ve written a column or two for my newspaper on my fondness for John D. MacDonald’s novels, particularly his Travis McGee series.
But more people will read Jonathan Yardley’s appreciation, probably because it’s, you know, so much better.
michael golden said on November 12, 2003 at 9:38 am
If the WaPo ever wants to know, I’m the woman born in 1927 who lives in Fort Bragg N. C. (28307)
I always believed I was the only person in the world who thought John D. Mac Donald was great! Though he did tend to preach a bit. For years I eagerly snatched his color coded Travis McGee books off the stand the second they hit. Maybe I should re-read them. South Florida has been producing good writers for years. There are a bunch of them practicing now. Carl Hiaasen, James W. Hall, Randy Wayne White, Edna Buchanan, John Lutz, Charles (what’s his last name — with the gimpy private eye) Elmore Leonard, Ed Mc Bain, Laurance Shames and several others whose names escape me. I don’t know what it is, but there seems to be a manic, off kilter energy to most of them that I find highly addictive. I love South Florida novels.
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ts said on November 12, 2003 at 1:46 pm
Saw your title “busted flush” and I thought we were back to bra-fitting!
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Nance said on November 12, 2003 at 2:17 pm
Not a poker-playing man, eh, TS?
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ts said on November 12, 2003 at 6:11 pm
Nope, the stock market is my preferred place to lose money.
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Dick Walker said on November 12, 2003 at 10:38 pm
Thanks for the great link, Nancy. To a former Floridian who’s read all the McGees, most twice, it was a great ramble through much of what I liked about MacDonald’s work. And he made it look so easy!
South Florida truly is a weird and wonderful place.
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Nance said on November 13, 2003 at 7:44 am
He really was the proto-Hiaasen.
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Jacques PERTUISOT said on October 18, 2004 at 12:32 pm
just chanced on your comments about John D Macdonald : I strongly feel he was an American Balzac, and that much-touted writers were not his equal. Where else can you find such an in-depth analysis of mid-century USA, in all walks of life? On top of which, his English was superbly written, with a lot of gusto.
I treasure those books of his that I could get my hands upon, and whenever travelling, hope to find more in second-hand bookstores. Reprints should be in order.
Having found your Blog, I’ll keep an eye on it, I like your “spirit”.
Yours
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