But if you're a woman in Ellroy, you always do, play the victim. And, yeah, wrod, Kathy. And of course, that, um, physical imperfection that she had that I've never been able to find enough brain bleach to scrub.

But if you're a woman in Ellroy, you always do, play the victim.

A victim, or a whore AND a victim. If you're really lucky, you're ugly and can be a secretary.

Well, she's already done that for M$B, hasn't she? But yeah -- the Crow/Clooney/Diesel effort seems to be mainly matched in women by them not wearing as much foundation.

Okay, it's unfair to forget Renee's Bridget, considering how much crap she put up with about her weight.

A victim, or a whore AND a victim. If you're really lucky, you're ugly and can be a secretary.

I am not being enticed to read any of his stuff.

And sorry, Aimee. I really disliked that book, and thus had no interest in watching the TV movie, despite what Oprah and Halle say.

I liked it a lot...wish I'd seen it Aimee. But Halle strikes me as having the wrong appeal for it. I like the way the man writes Nutty but you are so very Wrod.(don't forget the "bull dykes") But at least you're not wondering "Dude, what did your mama do to you?" Cause, duh. Alibelle, he is very talented but, well, frightening. I feel incredibly ambivalent about reading it/him.

Right. Ellroy's got an entertaining bebop shtick, that wears thin about as quickly as shtick tends to do. Personally, I think he thinks he is cooler than he actually is.

Okay, it's unfair to forget Renee's Bridget, considering how much crap she put up with about her weight.

True. I think I forgot this example because I thinks he looks soooo much better with a bit of meat on her bones and I am actually blocking out her skinny periods.

it's unfair to forget Renee's Bridget

I think it's unfair to characterise forgetting as unfair.

But I'm with Nutty -- I think she looks best somewhere between weights, and I much prefer her Bridget size to the size she prefers. When Clooney/Crowe/Diesel gain fat, I've never heard anyone say "Oh, that's better! I hope they don't go back to looking like they did before!"

Not only cooler, but having answers They don't want to get around. I suppose the novel for me part is finding a writer one, instead of on the bus wearing a helmet.

I saw a fascinating documentary about James Ellroy a few years ago: James Ellroy's Feast of Death, I think. He's a pretty repugnant guy, but it did make me want to read more of his books. The documentary also had a lot of background on the Black Dahlia case. erika, you at least should search it out.

Of course, I don't doubt that I will. I don't really need to make small talk, right? You all knew the Black Dahlia was physically incapable of accepting penetration, right?

You all knew the Black Dahlia was physically incapable of accepting penetration, right?

I didn't know that. How so? Cast-iron hymen? Built like Barbie?