Cain knew how to write a novel
Jackie was somewhat perturbed when I bought two more bags of pipe tobacco this morning. That makes 13 in my stash and each contains 16 ounces of natural cavendish. Now I have 208 ounces in reserve. I use about eight ounces a week.
She said, "What am I going to do with this after you're gone?"
She said, "What am I going to do with this after you're gone?"
"Where am I going?"
"Oh, just go wait outside."
When we got to the car she said, "Do you want me to drive? You're tired."
"I promise not to have more than two accidents on the way home."
"Oh, just go wait outside."
When we got to the car she said, "Do you want me to drive? You're tired."
"I promise not to have more than two accidents on the way home."
"The first time you have an accident I'm taking your driver's license away."
While laughing, I couldn't help notice she wasn't smiling.
Without intending to, after arriving home we watched an old movie, Too Many Husbands, with Jean Arthur, Fred MacMurray and Melvin Douglas. I mentioned that MacMurray was in a lot of silly films but his best was deadly serious - Double Indemnity. After naming several of James M. Cain's great novels I said I liked the title of one of his short stories, The Baby in the Icebox.
"It's food for thought," I said.
"Would you care to restate that?"
H'mmm. Baby in the icebox, food for thought. Well, maybe I should.
Then I remembered that after reading several Norman Mailer novels, Tom Wolfe wrote that Mailer should read some James M. Cain and learn how to write a novel. Mailer was outraged, of course, but Tom Wolfe was right.
Cain's best known novels are The Postman Always Rings Twice, Mildred Pierce, and Double Indemnity, but he wrote others equally as enthralling.
Tom Wolfe wrote this as part of a lengthy introduction to a reissue of the big three: "Cain's trick here - well, it is no trick. It is a feat, one that dates back at least as far as Crime and Punishment. Namely, in book after book Cain puts you inside the skin of one utterly egocentric heel after another, losers who will stop at nothing - and makes you care about them."
While laughing, I couldn't help notice she wasn't smiling.
Without intending to, after arriving home we watched an old movie, Too Many Husbands, with Jean Arthur, Fred MacMurray and Melvin Douglas. I mentioned that MacMurray was in a lot of silly films but his best was deadly serious - Double Indemnity. After naming several of James M. Cain's great novels I said I liked the title of one of his short stories, The Baby in the Icebox.
"It's food for thought," I said.
"Would you care to restate that?"
H'mmm. Baby in the icebox, food for thought. Well, maybe I should.
Then I remembered that after reading several Norman Mailer novels, Tom Wolfe wrote that Mailer should read some James M. Cain and learn how to write a novel. Mailer was outraged, of course, but Tom Wolfe was right.
Cain's best known novels are The Postman Always Rings Twice, Mildred Pierce, and Double Indemnity, but he wrote others equally as enthralling.
Tom Wolfe wrote this as part of a lengthy introduction to a reissue of the big three: "Cain's trick here - well, it is no trick. It is a feat, one that dates back at least as far as Crime and Punishment. Namely, in book after book Cain puts you inside the skin of one utterly egocentric heel after another, losers who will stop at nothing - and makes you care about them."
The underlying theme of Cain's work was betrayal. Pace and forward movement of a story were paramount. Details of scenery and surroundings are minimal. Don't take my word for it, take Tom Wolfe's. Long after his death, Cain's work is available nearly everywhere. Missing it would be a crime.
posted by Dick Stodghill | 8/09/2008 02:40:00 PM
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