I'm no literary historian, but who else has been doing procedurals like this for so long?
Nobody. But Joseph Wambaugh had a huge impact on crime fiction when he hit in the seventies. It was just so grounded in Wambaugh's experience as a cop.
'Lessons'
There's more to life than watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer! No. Really, there is! Honestly! Here's a place for Buffistas to come and discuss what it is they're reading, their favorite authors and poets. "Geez. Crack a book sometime."
I'm no literary historian, but who else has been doing procedurals like this for so long?
Nobody. But Joseph Wambaugh had a huge impact on crime fiction when he hit in the seventies. It was just so grounded in Wambaugh's experience as a cop.
Whee, I'm like Hec at a hair gel convention...ok, not that excited, but... I still think of the small hours of the morning as the "Witching Hour" cause Wambaugh said that's when the liquor wears off and the nightmares start.Everything starts with the right attitude.Wambaugh writes, or did, anyway, true-crime, too. "Lines and Shadows" about the Border Patrol? Broke my heart. "The Onion Field" was great too...there's a movie of that one.
"The Onion Field" was great too...there's a movie of that one.
A great movie. The movie that made James Woods a star. Also best use of a bagpipe in a film ever.
I don't think I've read any Wambaugh, and I'm not sure why not. I love a good procedural.
I don't think I've read any Wambaugh, and I'm not sure why not. I love a good procedural.
Well, because he's not so much about police procedurals. He was a cop for some twenty years, and he wrote novels about that. So there's crime solving but it's often just about crime and cops' lives.
Hmm. I should still check him out. I enjoy the crime and the cops. When I set off on my project to read the "classics," I didn't get as far as the 70s, so I really should.
Hmm. I should still check him out. I enjoy the crime and the cops. When I set off on my project to read the "classics," I didn't get as far as the 70s, so I really should.
Go into a used bookstore and you should see a big rack of 'em cheap. They were best sellers. You'd like The Onion Field, The Choirboys, The Blue Knight, The New Centurions, The Black Marble.
I'll go to the library first. I'm not a big book-buyer. But thanks for the recs!
The Onion Field is one of my favourite novels. He really knows his stuff, and you can tell just how deep he lived in it, too.
Plus? As I remember him, a beautiful, beautiful stylist to read.
Wrod. "The Black Marble" is even romantic..probably set me up for MunchnKay.