What a great article. My father introduced me to Wambaugh's novels when I was in high school, and he became one of my favorite authors. You're right. Wambaugh does not get enough credit for being one of the first writers to realistically represent the coarse language Americans use. What Norman Lear did for television, Joseph Wambaugh did for literature.
He’s definitely one of the best American writers of his generation. Doesn’t get the credit he deserves from the serious literary community. The Choirboys is at least as good a black comedy as Catch 22, probably better. He’s as important to the literature of California as Joan Didion or Raymond Chandler but somehow hasn’t been collected in the Library of America or received any similar tributes. He’s had to settle for being massively popular and rich. I think I could settle for that. 😊
Thanks. Excellent stuff.
What a great article. My father introduced me to Wambaugh's novels when I was in high school, and he became one of my favorite authors. You're right. Wambaugh does not get enough credit for being one of the first writers to realistically represent the coarse language Americans use. What Norman Lear did for television, Joseph Wambaugh did for literature.
He’s definitely one of the best American writers of his generation. Doesn’t get the credit he deserves from the serious literary community. The Choirboys is at least as good a black comedy as Catch 22, probably better. He’s as important to the literature of California as Joan Didion or Raymond Chandler but somehow hasn’t been collected in the Library of America or received any similar tributes. He’s had to settle for being massively popular and rich. I think I could settle for that. 😊
Wow! I learned a lot about Wambaugh from all this, Kevin. Thanks. I'm putting the novels of his that are new to me on my reading list. Thanks!
Thanks, Jan. You should definitely try those final five Hollywood Station novels. Read them in order. They are all great.
Wambaugh was one of the few authors to have invented a subgenre of mystery fiction and become its leading practitioner.