Tuesday 20 January 2009

The Guardian 100 Crime Books - extra

I received an email from Mike Ripley this morning drawing my attention to another "1000 Novels" to read before you die list (the Telegraph did a 100 list only a week ago). Mike said: "In the crime section, there were some odd choices to say the least ("Jurassic Park" a crime novel - the T Rex did it??) but no authors I would say shouldn't be there per se, even if I would argue about the particular books picked.
As with all lists, though, it's who was left out and my quick scan of the online version suggests the following notable ommissions:
Margery Allingham, John Ball, John Bingham, Christianna Brand, Sarah Caudwell, G K Chesterton, James Crumley, CHARLES DICKENS!!!!, C.S. Forester, Dick Francis, David Goodis, Cyril Hare, Fergus Hume, Dennis Lehane, Ted Lewis, John D Macdonald, Philip MacDonald, Ross MacDonald, Leo Malet, Horace McCoy, William McGivern, William McIlvanney, Manuel Montalban, Robert B. Parker, Anthony Price, Ellery Queen, Minette Walters,Hilary Waugh, Charles Willeford, Charles Williams.
There are many other personal favourites (Jonathan Latimer, Kenneth Fearing, Alan Furst, P M Hubbard, Robert Player etc. etc.) I would make case for were I asked, but ignoring some or all of the above is ridiculous.
I'm sorry, but picking three James Bond books and two Michael Crichtons and thus (in theory) missing out any 3 of the above is disgraceful.
Any other howlers spotted?"
I had a quick scan and was surprised that Michael Connelly, John Harvey, Michael Dibdin, HRF Keating, Philip Kerr, Steig Larsson, Stef Penny, Mickey Spillane and Gaston Leroux were missing.
Have a look and tell me what you think.

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