Agatha Christie and Mickey Spillane are two iconic writers that I have revisited. On one of the little free bookshelves in my neighborhood, I recently found four Christie novels bound into one book. Two Poirot and two Marple stories. I had forgotten how well Christie wrote, what sociological and psychological mysteries she wanted to unveil. Within her contrived murder stories she wanted the reader to see and understand that class structure of society had a huge impact on behavior and thought. We, of the current 21st century, know that. But Christie was writing more than 70 years ago and that idea wasn't prevalent at that time. It's astounding that she could weave an enjoyable written tapestry which was part curious mystery, part character study and part societal commentary.
Mickey Spillane was a writer of a different font. His most famous character was Mike Hammer, a tough private eye with his own sense of justice. Hammer took the law into his own hands most of the time, which usually meant he shot the bad guys and got away with it. Spillane was always irreverent, often crude and had no problem grossly stereotyping women, foreigners, anyone who didn't fit into his conservative mindset. But the books are eminently readable, even if they do piss you off now and then. You can read one in an afternoon and I promise that you will have forgotten all about it by bedtime. Spillane's novels are quick, forgetful and totally enjoyable.
One other note about Spillane: because of his marketing department, his novels were instrumental in getting fiction published in a very inexpensive format. He was ahead of his time and his "dime novels" were just that: paperbacks with sleazy front cover illustrations that sold for a dime. Not only were they affordable but it set the stage for other writers to forgo the hardcover edition of a new book and aim straight for the paperback market. Like movies that go straight to streaming, this opens up the product to so many more readers/viewers. Good for Spillane for going this route, although many viewed it as "low-brow" at the time. We currently benefit still from that paperback buzz.
But Christie and Spillane are popsicles: easy to read and digest but never as satisfying as a piece of homemade cherry pie. You can enjoy them but you won't be touting them to your friends.
.
Mickey Spillane was a writer of a different font. His most famous character was Mike Hammer, a tough private eye with his own sense of justice. Hammer took the law into his own hands most of the time, which usually meant he shot the bad guys and got away with it. Spillane was always irreverent, often crude and had no problem grossly stereotyping women, foreigners, anyone who didn't fit into his conservative mindset. But the books are eminently readable, even if they do piss you off now and then. You can read one in an afternoon and I promise that you will have forgotten all about it by bedtime. Spillane's novels are quick, forgetful and totally enjoyable.
One other note about Spillane: because of his marketing department, his novels were instrumental in getting fiction published in a very inexpensive format. He was ahead of his time and his "dime novels" were just that: paperbacks with sleazy front cover illustrations that sold for a dime. Not only were they affordable but it set the stage for other writers to forgo the hardcover edition of a new book and aim straight for the paperback market. Like movies that go straight to streaming, this opens up the product to so many more readers/viewers. Good for Spillane for going this route, although many viewed it as "low-brow" at the time. We currently benefit still from that paperback buzz.
But Christie and Spillane are popsicles: easy to read and digest but never as satisfying as a piece of homemade cherry pie. You can enjoy them but you won't be touting them to your friends.
.
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