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Title: Shoot the Piano Player by David Goodis ISBN: 0-679-73254-3 Publisher: Vintage Pub. Date: 03 October, 1990 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $11.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.6 (10 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: AWW, SHOOT!
Comment: This was my first Goodis book, and it absolutely blew me away. If this is any indicator of what to expect from the man, I'm in love. In this noir novel, things get messed up, then get even messier, and messier still, until it's just one big mess and Eddie has got to keep hiding and runnning and fighting for survival. And the unbearable nature of it all wakes Eddie up out of the complacency of his life. That's what this book is about. Not to mention that Goodis' writing is like reading hard-boiled poetry. The words flow together beautifully and have an air of mystery and profundity about them. The last two pages alone will stay with me forever as a fond memory. Like a previous reveiwer, _ Of Human Bondage_ is my favourite book-- and still is, but now it shares 1st place with _Shoot The Piano Player_.
Rating: 5
Summary: Goodis does good...
Comment: Shoot the Piano Player is certainly a depressing yet fascinating read. The story is about, not surprisingly, a piano player. This poor fellow has a most bizarre background, and an equally bizarre family. Nothing works for him, his prospects are bleak. Then in walks (or rather, crawls) his long absent brother who is escaping from some nasty criminals ... and our piano player's world is turned on its head. No happy ending (, or beginning or middle). The story oozes despair and loneliness. Yet this is its strength.
David Goodis does an superb job in capturing the emotional turmoil of our piano player. His prose is very good, and the characterizations in general are well-drawn. The story itself, while original enough, is not outstanding. However upon reading the book I felt as if I brought into 1950s Philadelphia, living with our piano player and his low-life "friends" and family.
Bottom line: definitely not a dose of sunshine. But wonderful nonetheless.
Rating: 4
Summary: You Can't Escape Fate
Comment: "Shoot the Piano Player" is quintessential American crime noir. The protagonist is Eddie, a piano player in a sleazy Philadelphia bar. He comes from a family of criminals but managed to escape that life. At one time, he was a promising classic pianist, but then he fell from grace. Now, Eddie's brother Turley literally stumbles back into his life, bringing chaos and uncertainty. At the same time, Eddie begins to tentatively woo a waitress at work. The plot is full of twists, although it's a bit of a mess at times.
The novel was originally released in 1956 as "Down There," which appropriately reflects the dilemma Eddie faces. Specifically, the book focuses heavily on fate, which seems to be dictating that Eddie return to "down there" from whence he came. The book's name was changed subsequently to reflect the classic 1960 movie it inspired - "Shoot the Piano Player," directed by French auteur Francois Truffaut. As with Truffaut's movie, the book's plot is secondary to character and ambience. Instead, Goodis reflects on small moments, such as Eddie's exhilaration at standing close to the waitress in an alley as they hide from gangsters. Indeed, the characters are well-delineated, and I found myself truly caring about them.
If you like Raymond Chadler, Jim Thomson or similar crime noir writers, then you'll probably enjoy this novel. Goodis is a skillful pulp writer. Unfortunately, most of his books have gone out of print - make sure you get this one while it's still available.
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Title: The Blonde on the Street Corner (Midnight Classics Series) by David Goodis ISBN: 1852424478 Publisher: Serpent's Tail Pub. Date: December, 1997 List Price(USD): $11.99 |
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Title: The Moon in the Gutter by David Goodis, Adrian Wootton ISBN: 1852424494 Publisher: Serpent's Tail Pub. Date: January, 1999 List Price(USD): $11.99 |
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Title: The Killer Inside Me by Jim Thompson ISBN: 0679733973 Publisher: Vintage Pub. Date: 13 March, 1991 List Price(USD): $11.00 |
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Title: A Hell of a Woman by Jim Thompson ISBN: 0679732519 Publisher: Vintage Pub. Date: 03 October, 1990 List Price(USD): $11.00 |
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Title: A Swell-Looking Babe by Jim Thompson ISBN: 0679733116 Publisher: Vintage Pub. Date: 05 November, 1991 List Price(USD): $11.00 |
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