High, high praise for Judith Freeman's new biography of Raymond Chandler - "The Long Embrace" - in the new LA Times Book Review:
Frank MacShane published the standard Chandler biography more than 30 years ago, and until now, no other book has made us view this great American writer afresh. "The Long Embrace" does.The book seems to be a mix of reporting, research, biography, and a first person narrative of how Freeman went about the investigation and how she was changed by it. A kind of hybrid genre, really. I've requested a copy, though one hasn't arrived yet, but as an ardent Chandler fan (and fan of Freeman as well) can't wait to read it. It comes out November 6th.
I just started reading Chandler. I'm only a few chapters in, in the book "The Big Sleep", but already I am a huge fan. His writing is surprisingly vivid, yet concise. He is witty enough to make me laugh at Marlowe's quips. I haven't been this impressed with a writer since I started reading voltaire. After I'm done reading the rest of Chandler's books, I guess I will have to read the biography.
Posted by: Jensen | January 25, 2008 at 09:24 AM