Jim Thompson
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| + | '''James Myers Thompson''' ([[September 27]], [[1906]], [[Anadarko, Oklahoma|Anadarko]], [[Oklahoma Territory]] - [[April 7]], [[1977]], [[Los Angeles]], [[California]]) was an [[United States|American]] [[writer]] of novels, short stories and screenplays, largely in the [[hardboiled]] style of [[crime fiction]]. | ||
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| + | Thompson was best-known for more than thirty novels, the majority of which were original [[paperback book|paperback]] publications by [[pulp magazine|pulp fiction]] houses, in the late-1940s and mid-1950s. Despite some positive notice, by writer-critic [[Anthony Boucher]] in the ''[[New York Times]]'', he was little-recognized in his lifetime. Only after death did his literary stature grow, when, in the late 1980s, several novels were re-published in the ''[[Black Lizard]]'' series of re-discovered crime fiction. | ||
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| + | Thompson's writing culminated in a few of his best-regarded works: ''[[The Killer Inside Me]]'', ''[[Savage Night]]'', ''[[A Hell of a Woman]]'' and ''[[Pop. 1280]]''. In these works, Thompson turned the derided [[Pulp magazine|pulp]] genre into [[literature]] and [[art]], featuring [[unreliable narrator]]s, odd structure, and [[surrealism]]. | ||
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| + | Writer [[R.V. Cassills]] suggested that of all pulp fiction, Thompson's was the rawest and most harrowing; that neither [[Dashiell Hammett]] nor [[Raymond Chandler]] nor even [[Horace McCoy]] (author of the bleak ''[[They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (novel)|They Shoot Horses, Don't They?]]'') ever "wrote a book within miles of Thompson". (Polito, 373) Similarly, in the introduction to ''Now And on Earth'', [[Stephen King]] says he most admires Thompson's work because "[t]he guy was over the top. ''The guy was absolutely over the top.'' Big Jim didn't know the meaning of the word ''stop''. There are three brave lets inherent in the forgoing. He let himself see everything, he let himself write it down, then he let himself publish it." (King, ix; emphasis his) | ||
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| + | Thompson admired [[Fyodor Dostoevsky]] and was [[nickname]]d "Dimestore Dostoevsky" by writer [[Geoffrey O'Brien]]. Film director [[Stephen Frears]], who directed an adaptation of Thompson's ''[[The Grifters (novel)|The Grifters]]'' as [[1990 in film|1990]]'s ''[[The Grifters (film)|The Grifters]]'', also identified elements of [[Greek tragedy]] in his themes. | ||
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| + | Jim Thompson's life was nearly as colorful as his fiction, which was semi-autobiographical, or, at least, inspired by his experiences. | ||
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James Myers Thompson (September 27, 1906, Anadarko, Oklahoma Territory - April 7, 1977, Los Angeles, California) was an American writer of novels, short stories and screenplays, largely in the hardboiled style of crime fiction.
Thompson was best-known for more than thirty novels, the majority of which were original paperback publications by pulp fiction houses, in the late-1940s and mid-1950s. Despite some positive notice, by writer-critic Anthony Boucher in the New York Times, he was little-recognized in his lifetime. Only after death did his literary stature grow, when, in the late 1980s, several novels were re-published in the Black Lizard series of re-discovered crime fiction.
Thompson's writing culminated in a few of his best-regarded works: The Killer Inside Me, Savage Night, A Hell of a Woman and Pop. 1280. In these works, Thompson turned the derided pulp genre into literature and art, featuring unreliable narrators, odd structure, and surrealism.
Writer R.V. Cassills suggested that of all pulp fiction, Thompson's was the rawest and most harrowing; that neither Dashiell Hammett nor Raymond Chandler nor even Horace McCoy (author of the bleak They Shoot Horses, Don't They?) ever "wrote a book within miles of Thompson". (Polito, 373) Similarly, in the introduction to Now And on Earth, Stephen King says he most admires Thompson's work because "[t]he guy was over the top. The guy was absolutely over the top. Big Jim didn't know the meaning of the word stop. There are three brave lets inherent in the forgoing. He let himself see everything, he let himself write it down, then he let himself publish it." (King, ix; emphasis his)
Thompson admired Fyodor Dostoevsky and was nicknamed "Dimestore Dostoevsky" by writer Geoffrey O'Brien. Film director Stephen Frears, who directed an adaptation of Thompson's The Grifters as 1990's The Grifters, also identified elements of Greek tragedy in his themes.
Jim Thompson's life was nearly as colorful as his fiction, which was semi-autobiographical, or, at least, inspired by his experiences.
