Oooh, Otto Penzler, the influential publisher of the Mysterious Press has just edited two splendid new anthologies that, (ahem), would make excellent err, presents if anyone is uh, looking for gift ideas for a, (cough), favorite blogger, (cough), or blood relation. First up is a collection of stories from the seminal pulp magazine Black Mask. It was the destination for writers like Dashiell Hammett, Cornell Woolrich, Frederic Brown, David Goodis, Gil Brewer, Day Keene and Paul Cain to expose enthusiastic readers to their work.
Next up, is the Penzler/James Ellroy edited The Best American Noir of the Century where the boundaries of the genre get lovingly stretched around tales of murmurings, murder and madness. Included alongside past masters go some newer names like Patricia Highsmith, Dennis Lehane, Joyce Carol Oates and David Morrell.
I like looking at these two books in juxtaposition as the stories found in one, (Black Mask), were published to be cheap and disposable entertainments, that have stood the test of time, and are held in high regard by many today and many stories from the other, (Noir of the Century), were originally published in more highbrow literary magazines, (like say William Gay’s The Paperhanger which was first printed in Harpers), and now reside comfortably in the company of other more sensationally drawn or wantonly conceived fare.
In a recent article for the Library Journal.com Penzler named five authors he compared to previous and gone writers like Jim Thompson, Woolrich, and Goodis, “who are not yet as famous as some of their contemporaries but will be sending shudders down the spines of readers for many years to come.” A good place to start if you’re looking for the best new(er) crafters of fine dark narratives. Three of them even have new books out this fall. Lucky you.
The most recent chronicler of the troubles, Stuart Neville’s Collusion will land within on our shores within weeks. It’s the follow up to this year’s Los Angeles Times Book Prize winning The Ghosts of Belfast. He’s the younger of the two Irish representatives on the list, the more experienced being Ken Bruen, who’s brand new one is The Devil. The other future noir star according to Penzler with a brand new book is Tom Franklin whose Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter has been my biggest anticipated title for October, (and whose story Poachers can be found in Noir of the Century).
Scott Wolven is another name I’m always looking for a reason to go on about over here. If you’ve already read his single book, Controlled Burn, than you know why. Rumors of a long delayed novel from Wolven erode the frail strands I support my sanity with. It’s been delayed and pushed back for literally years now and its eventual publication will, I’m sure, only cement my high opinion of his scribblings. And Christopher Coake’s inclusion in Granta’s list of 20 “Best Young American Novelists” though he’s yet to publish one should make you take notice. You can check out his short stories in the collection We're in Trouble. Both Wolven and Coake are also included in Best American Noir of the Century. Bruen and Neville are excluded only by their nationality.
Jedidiah Ayres writes fiction and keeps the blog Hardboiled Wonderland.
