Sarah Weinman, one of our favorite book reviewers, just wrapped up a roundtable discussion about the thriller, sort of like Oprah's book club for the hardboiled set.
The talk revolved around The Triumph of the Thriller, a new scholarly book by Patrick Anderson.
I especially appreciated some comments from Jerome Weeks, a book critic who already reviewed Anderson's book: "But for anyone looking to understand how hard-boiled detective stories or spy novels really work, what they reveal about our culture, I'd direct them to John G. Cawelti's three genre studies: Adventure, Mystery and Romance, The Spy Story and Mystery, Violence and Popular Culture."
These scholarly books are amazing resources for fledgling writers: outlining the history of an art form, expanding your sense of plot development, and exposing you to new writers. Check out the roundtable, and then start reading.
Also, Sarah is recovering from a household accident and can't blog for a few days. Notice how her loving fans all jump in to support their favorite book reviewer in these heartwarming comments...
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