WEBORGERS 2^©

The Hard-Boiled Mystery Novels
... from Hammett to Ellroy

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This page will serve as a center point for all these incredible writers and their works that the American Hard-Boiled genre of crime and mystery novels gave us all along this century. These writers were inspiration to many foreign writers, making Hard-Boiled novels one of the most important segments of the modern popular literature.

Today, whodunits, cosies and tea-party mystery novels are the only mystery writings receiving some attention from the mass public, and it seems that Hard-Boiled novels are no more "fashionable", nor " socially correct" !

So, lame publishers, lukewarm public, and self-inflated intelligentsia are ignoring a lot of writers that are amongst the best of the American literature of the century, and their foreign descendance.

I think it is difficult to give a precise definition for this genre of literature as it will put unnecessary limits to the territory. However, some characteristics are practically always there:
- central character: strongly individual, tough (against himself or/and the others), not necessarily an achiever
- surrounding world: mostly hostile and aggressive
- location: mostly urbanized , big cities; occasionally rural or small towns
- plot: mixing of murders, organized crime , investigation, violence, police action, abuse of authority by officials, corruption in any level of the society
- rebuilding of social values, reconstruction of fundamental individual rules that should lead to a fundamental justice
- realistic restitution of daily life scenes, social realism, human nature in all aspects is sharply analyzed
- most of the time the background of the novel is basic manicheism, a kind of quest against evil in any form

A lot of variations could be found for the above set of characteristics.
One thing is sure: it is easy to detect when the novel is NOT in the Hard-Boiled league!
So do not be confused by the words "crime novel" or "mystery novel" : we are not here invoking Agatha Christie, The Saint, Sherlock Holmes...nor their modern and tame counterpart.
And we don't care if the butler did it...!!!

FROM OUR FILES, WE HAVE SELECTED


		AUTHORS
		BOOKS REVIEWS
		SÉRIE NOIRE : A MYTH
		NIPPON NOIR : JAPANESE HB/NOIR
		WOMEN IN HB LITERATURE
		FILMS : RESSOURCES AND REVIEWS
		COMICS : WHEN THEY GO HB
		WEBLINKS
		GENERAL REFERENCES

All chapters are not yet on-line. Please check for progress in the above.

ALONG OUR PAGES...

BOOKS DIGEST :

lists the best of HB and Noir novels

NEW HB AUTHORS:

links and short intro for each book

SÉRIE NOIRE :

a legendary publisher since more than 50 years

FILM NOIR MUSIC:

the most memorable musics! Comments and references

LE POULPE FICTION: a French revival of popular HB in a successful new series

NEW ADDITIONS

GEORGES SIMENON:

'The Essential Georges Simenon' a small book that will guide you through the works and life of the great Belgian novelist.
New and handy!

NIPPON NOIR:

'HB and Noir Literature in Japan' article by Naomi Hoida

HB DAMES:

'The Feminization of the HB Detective' essay by Catherine Thompson

CRIME FILMS:

On Noir films in France article by Yuri German

FULL REVIEW:

'TAPPING THE SOURCE' novel by Kem Nunn

Review of NEW BOOKS :

'Max Conquers the Cosmos' by Mark Bouton

'Forbidden Hollywood' by William Prendergast
'In His Shadow' by Dave Zeltserman

FILM NOIR : Lists of recommended films

BIG BOOK OF NOIR : Articles and essays about Noir.

A top reference book

Burma

Dame BBN

Our WEBORGERS site is selected by Britannica
as one of the online references for their chapter
on Hard-Boiled literature
"We have selected your site as one
of the best on the Internet when reviewed for
quality, accuracy of content, presentation
and usability"

Web Magazine for women, BELLA, gave recently an introduction to hard-boiled literature based on the characteristics we describe in this page.
We are flattered seeing dames following our mean alleys... (click here to see the result)

Armed man- drawing 'WE KNOW
YOU HAVE DOCUMENTS !!...'

DO NOT OBLIGE US TO SEND YOU OUR CONVINCING TEAM... NICE GUYS BUT STONEHEADS! THEY WILL BRING US THESE DOCUMENTS. GUARANTEED!..

SO BE REASONABLE, E-MAIL THEM ! NOW!!!
SEE OUR SMALL NOTE WITH INSTRUCTIONS ...AND REMEMBER ...WE WANT THEM NOW!

E.Borgers

freeweb@rocketmail.com

_{Thanks to René Tutt for her patience
and proofreading of the texts}

_{Copyright © 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999,2000-2003 E.Borgers for
texts and setup. Photos, images, illustrations remain the property of the
right holders. These pages are free from any publicity and sponsoring.}
_{Information are given in good faith and the author cannot be held
responsible for any inaccuracies or mistakes in the texts and data.}
_{Professional or commercial use of the content is prohibited}
_{Page created 22 July 1996.}
_{Rebuilt: 14 January 1997}
_{Most recent revision: 29 March, 2003 -for this frontpage}

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WEBORGERS 2^©