Robert Polito
Auteur de Crime Novels: American Noir of the 1930s and 40s
A propos de l'auteur
Robert Polito is the author of Savage Art: A Biography of Jim Thompson, which won the National Book Critics Circle Award and an Edgar Award. (Bowker Author Biography)
Crédit image: Robert Polito (1951- )
Photo by David Shankbone, Aug. 19, 2006,
Bowery Poetry Club, New York City
Photo by David Shankbone, Aug. 19, 2006,
Bowery Poetry Club, New York City
Œuvres de Robert Polito
Crime Novels: American Noir of the 1930s and 40s (1997) — Directeur de publication — 647 exemplaires
Farber on Film: The Complete Film Writings of Manny Farber (2009) — Directeur de publication; Introduction — 119 exemplaires
American Noir: 11 Classic Crime Novels of the 1930s, 40s, & 50s (Library of America) (2012) 59 exemplaires
Crime Novels 1 exemplaire
Oeuvres associées
Étiqueté
Partage des connaissances
- Date de naissance
- 1951
- Sexe
- male
- Nationalité
- USA
- Lieu de naissance
- Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Études
- Harvard University (PhD - English and American Language and Literature)
- Professions
- professor (Writing)
poet
biographer
cultural critic
editor - Organisations
- Poetry Foundation (President, 2013- )
The New School
Harvard University
Wellesley College
New York University
Membres
Critiques
Listes
Edgar Award (1)
Prix et récompenses
Vous aimerez peut-être aussi
Auteurs associés
Statistiques
- Œuvres
- 11
- Aussi par
- 7
- Membres
- 1,997
- Popularité
- #12,894
- Évaluation
- 4.2
- Critiques
- 25
- ISBN
- 26
- Langues
- 2
Highsmith achieves a singular tone: Ripley is entitled, contradictory, isolated, and seemingly traumatised from prior social relationships. His sociopathy manifests in a predominant concern for appearances, but not only to fool others -- he displays a consistent preoccupation with personal appearance as a measure of self-worth, in terms of projecting what he wants to be in the world, and how he wants others to value him. In fact, by the end it appears he is an empty shell of a person: no identity, nothing to define him as a person, ever at the whim of events and emotions.
Interestingly, Ripley is neither a sympathetic criminal mastermind nor a figure of fear a la Hannibal Lecter. His plans often do not work, and he is suspected almost from the start with multiple suspicions raised: boat at San Reno, forged signatures, Marge, friends of Dickie. He is both pathetic and pitiful, if not pitiable. Undecided about following along for more adventures at this point, perhaps if the "identity" or "authenticity" theme nags at me.
It's my idea the reader is meant to consider the possibility Ripley is gay, and reflect upon what implications flow from the supposition. I don't think Highsmith has a definitive answer, let alone one the reader is meant to figure out, rather the reader is supposed to consider it. Many suggestions woven into the story: Ripley wanting to get Dickie alone, to have him "like" him, observations on whether Ripley finds various men attractive, only commenting on women if they are linked to one of the men he's dealing with. But much less on direct consequences, either of plot or of character. So the question is left dangling: what would it mean if he were?
A re-read, first read in high school and possibly a bit earlier.
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to be read:
THE KILLER INSIDE ME | J Thompson
DOWN THERE (SHOOT THE PIANO PLAYER) | D Goodis
PICK-UP | C Wileford
THE REAL COOL KILLERS | C Himes… (plus d'informations)