James Ellroy...?

He's still far too young for consideration in the LOA, but...have any of you other regulars on this forum read much of James Ellroy's work? If so, I'm curious to know what you think of his books and writing. Think it will eventually be worthy of inclusion (or consideration for such)? I noticed that Everyman's is planning to issue THREE volumes (!!!) at the same time next year, in conjunction with a new novel he has coming out. Two of those volumes tip the scales at over 1100 pages! I found it interesting when I learned that he developed his current "telegrammatic" -- staccato -- style of writing because his publisher wanted to shorten a novel, thereby making it more "sellable" (too few pages can be a bad thing, profit-wise, but, unless the writer is a "known entity" too many pages is always thus). In order to shorten the manuscript, Ellroy started cutting extraneous adjectives and eventually began cutting the occasional and or but. Voila! A "hipper", "telegrammatic" style of writing was born. (It's also interesting to note that since developing that more succinct style of writing, Ellroy's novels have grown considerably longer, moving from 400 or so pages to six, seven hundred or more pages. :)

I've read multiple novels and consider Ellroy as important to my reading as Chandler and Hammett. It will be curious to see how his outlook ages, but now I find the melding of noir plot and setting with social trends (race, class) a crucial take on U.S. society. It is challenging, however; Ellroy brings a distinct political conspiracy thinking element to his outlook, and I find it reflective of the zeitgeist even though I don't take it as an authoritative view of "what is really happening". Hard for me to articulate, I realise now, but while I don't think he's wrong I also don't take it as literally right, either.

In the end, a complex viewpoint, great and challenging writing, and the noir school of storytelling make a great combination. Not for everyone but highly recommended. I'd definitely look to purchase any LOA editions that might surface.

I enjoy Ellroy, and I think the L.A. Quartet and the Underworld U.S.A. trilogy are incredible in their scope and creativity. If I had to vote yay or nay on Ellroy in the LOA, I'd probably vote yay, but I think it would come with some controversy, as he seems to be a pretty polarizing novelist, both because of the content and the style of his writing. I'd imagine his books would be, by far, the most profane books in the LOA series... which I could live with, but I understand that it would probably upset some people. And that is setting aside the fact that he is pretty contemporary.

That being said, L.A. Confidential is one of my all-time favorite reads.

Ellroy seems a less likely candidate for inclusion with the upcoming Everyman edition of the L.A. Quartet.

Plus the Underworld USA trilogy from Everyman's as well.

David_Brent_Johnson & bsc20: wouldn't it be great if readers/commentators on this site didn't emulate those who frequent sites where everyone posts a comment without actually reading the original post? What a wonderful world that would be... :)

The three Ellroy volumes from Everyman’s Library became available today, June 4, 2019. As >1 Truett: said, two of the volumes are very fat, but they open and lie flat very nicely. I decided to buy all three, because it will likely be many years before LOA publishes them for all the reasons mentioned in previous posts.

How do Everyman volumes compare to LOA? I’ve got a bunch of LOA volumes (the new Cornelius Ryan volume is great, btw), and am a big fan, but have never read an Everyman one. Specifically, I’m looking at picking up the LA Quartet. LA Confidential is one of my favorite movies, but I’ve never read any of Ellroy’s work and thought I’d give it a shot.

>8 jsg1976:
There isn’t a lot of difference. They are about the same size, and both have ribbon markers. Everyman’s went through a phase several years ago when they were gluing their bindings instead of sewing them, and that might still be the case for their thinner volumes, but Ellroy’s are sewn. Eveeyman’s offers only dustwrappers, not slipcases.

>9 jroger1: thanks!

jsg1976 -- regarding jroger1's answer, in the words of the Leo DiCaprio character in "Catch Me if You Can": I concur.
Also, EVERYMAN's LIBRARY generally offers an introduction, either by an emeritus Prof. or a biographer or an author.
The L.A.QUARTET has an introduction by Tom Nolan (editor of the LOA volumes on Ross MacDonald). And Robert Polito (think I got the spelling right) did an intro for the James M. Cain volume (way back when). Toni Morrison's BELOVED features an intro by A.S. Byatt. Margaret Atwood introduces the Alice Munro collection; and Valerie Martin introduces THE HANDMAID'S TALE by Margaret Atwood; Doris Lessing's STORIES is intro'd by Margaret Drabble; and John Updike himself offered up a brand new essay introduction when his RABBIT ANGSTROM volume (all four Rabbit novels) was published.
Plus, like LOA, they include a chronological timeline of events in the author's life juxtaposed with whatever was happening in politics around the world, and some of the other books being published at the same time as events in the writer's life.

I just noticed that Ellroy is represented in LOA’s “True Crime” anthology by his essay, “My Mother’s Killer.”