"Whenever things sound easy," Dortmunder said, "It turns out there's one part you didn't hear."
---from Drowned Hopes by Donald E. Westlake
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Now this is a funny book without one bit of social relevance.
Posted by: Exiled in New Jersey | Monday, June 12, 2006 at 09:56 AM
I love Dortmunder. I was introduced because my dad *could not* help but share the gems, generally preceded by rumbles and then and outright belly laughs. He's been gone a long time now, but I still like to get the books out, no matter how many times I read them I can still hear my dad laughing.
Posted by: muddy | Monday, June 12, 2006 at 11:12 AM
I love Drowned Hopes it is so utterly deadpan and dry that it took me about a third of the book to realise that it wasn't in fact a straight crime novel...
Posted by: Martin Wisse | Tuesday, June 13, 2006 at 04:31 AM
What is so odd is that Westlake's Dortmunder books never translated that well to the screen. The films were okay, but without that madness that brings readers back to the printed page. Dortmunder stories are like salted peanuts, or potato chips.....can't eat just one. I thought George C Scott would be a good Dortmunder, but he missed, and Redford simply did not fit the role.....too pretty.
Posted by: Exiled in New Jersey | Tuesday, June 13, 2006 at 08:21 AM
Fantastic quote, another book I will add to my list.
(BTW, today my blog is one and you were a HUGE reason why I started. Thanks again for your support and for continuing to write a wonderful blog.)
Posted by: Claire | Tuesday, June 13, 2006 at 10:35 AM