Being Cool

November 1, 2013

When "the Dickens of Detroit," American novelist and screenwriter Elmore Leonard (1925-2013), died this summer, he was eulogized as a national treasure. The beloved author of more than 40 novels that form the backbone of American crime writing over half a century (Get Shorty; Rum Punch; Tishomingo Blues) deserves to be taken seriously by the academy, argues Rzepka (English, Boston Univ.; Inventions and Interventions). More pointed than earlier biography and analysis of the author's work from Paul Challen, James E. Devlin, and David Geherin, Rzepka's work sets about defining "cool" through Leonard's many quirky, engaging characters, revealing a great deal more about the writer. Drawn from a dozen hours of conversation with Leonard and years of attention to his writings, the book includes a photo insert as well as a comprehensive bibliography and a useful sampling of secondary sources. VERDICT Rzepka's close reading of Leonard's fiction is an insightful, thorough, and timely addition to scholarship on the author. Although the analysis here has a distinct academic bent, Rzepka's prose and arguments are accessible, with an eye toward attracting lay readers interested in a deeper understanding of Leonard's fiction.--Patrick A. Smith, Bainbridge Coll., GA

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