I don't know if I should post this there or here, but I am curious if you have advice: if I wanted to start reading Ellery Queen, as you've got me all intrigued, where would you recommend I start? I know you've talked about the books getting better, and I don't really mind skipping the learning-process books, so I was just wondering if you had a recommendation.
Stop You're Killing Me (http://www.stopyourekillingme.com/index.html) has the handy chronological list of EQ books (http://www.stopyourekillingme.com/Q_Authors/Queen_Ellery.html). I'd say starting with anything between The Door Between (1937) and The King Is Dead (1952) should let you know whether you like him or not. The only two that benefit from being read in order are Ten Days' Wonder and Cat of Many Tails. (Those two are also, IMHO, the best of the lot.) Before 1937, I actually recommend The Siamese Twin Mystery (1933), and after 1952, it gets very hit or miss, at least for me. (I like Inspector Queen's Own Case and The House of Brass very much, but The Last Woman in his Life is deeply embarrassing in its homophobia.) The standout is On the Eighth Day (1964), which was actually written by Avram Davidson.
You'll have to brace yourself for the sexism in most EQ books, I warn you now. They never could break themselves of the habit of writing ingenues, even when the overt misogyny subsided.
Brilliant! Thank you for the detailed recommendations, and the warnings. I really appreciate it.
Also I mostly lurk, but I wanted to say how glad I am that you're on the mend from your ankle-breakery. I had my own break in 2005 and while I didn't have surgery, I felt a lot of sympathy with you, and I'm so relieved you're regaining your ability to do the things you love.
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momijizukamori
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Date: 2011-01-06 02:59 am (UTC)Thank you!
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Date: 2011-01-06 03:49 am (UTC)You'll have to brace yourself for the sexism in most EQ books, I warn you now. They never could break themselves of the habit of writing ingenues, even when the overt misogyny subsided.
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Date: 2011-01-06 03:56 am (UTC)Also I mostly lurk, but I wanted to say how glad I am that you're on the mend from your ankle-breakery. I had my own break in 2005 and while I didn't have surgery, I felt a lot of sympathy with you, and I'm so relieved you're regaining your ability to do the things you love.
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Date: 2011-01-06 04:44 am (UTC)And thank you very much. It's been an exhausting and frustrating five months, and I'm grateful for the sympathy.