On This Day In History: Crime Writer Elmore Leonard Was Born

As History.com notes, Elmore Leonard, author of Get Shorty, 52 Pick Up and other crime classics, was born on this day in 1925.

You can read about the late, great crime novelist via the below link:

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/elmore-leonard-is-born?et_cid=82082182&et_rid=1227406676&linkid=http%3a%2f%2fwww.history.com%2fthis-day-in-history%2felmore-leonard-is-born  

You can also read my Crime Beat column on Elmore Leonard via the below link:

http://www.pauldavisoncrime.com/2009/05/return-to-elmoreland-elmore-leonards.html 

Shrimp And Grits, Ernest Hemingway And Simple Southern Hospitality: University Of South Carolina Acquires Crime Novelist Elmore Leonard's Archive

Susan Whital at the Detroit News offers a piece on the University of South Carolina acquiring Elmore Leonard's papers.

Shrimp and grits, Ernest Hemingway and simple Southern hospitality helped convince Detroit author Elmore Leonard to place his archive of papers at the University of South Carolina.

The university announced its acquisition of the Elmore Leonard archive Wednesday in Columbia, S.C. All five Leonard children flew in to be present: daughters Jane Jones and Katy Dudley and son Peter from Metro Detroit; Chris Leonard from Tucson, Ariz., and Bill Leonard from Denver. Also in South Carolina for the announcement were: Otto Penzler, owner of New York's Mysterious Book Shop; longtime researcher Gregg Sutter; and Dan Schechter, the director of the Jennifer Aniston film "Life of Crime," based on Leonard's novel "The Switch."

The author died in August 2013, at 87. He'd spent more than 60 years as a writer, starting with the Western stories and potboilers he wrote in the dawn hours before his advertising job at Detroit's Campbell-Ewald. At the time of his death, he was one of the most acclaimed crime novelists in the world, and a Hollywood favorite.

You can read the rest of the piece via the below link:

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/entertainment/books/2014/10/15/elmore-leonard-archives-university-south-carolina-detroit-crime-author/17299509/

You can also read my Crime Beat column on Elmore Leonard via the below link:

http://www.pauldavisoncrime.com/2009/05/return-to-elmoreland-elmore-leonards.html

Raymond Chandler Died On This Day In 1959

As biography.com notes, Raymond Chandler died on this day in La Jolla, Califronia in 1959.

Born on July 23, 1888, in Chicago, Illinois, Raymond Chandler went on to become a highly successful and influential crime novelist known for such works as The Big Sleep, Farewell, My Lovely and The Long Goodbye, all of which were made into films. Chandler was also a Hollywood screenwriter, receiving Academy Award nominations for his work on Double Indemnity and The Blue Dahlia. 

You can read the rest of the piece via the below link:

http://www.biography.com/people/raymond-chandler-9244073

You can also read my interview with Raymond Chandler biographer Tom Williams via the below link:

http://www.pauldavisoncrime.com/2014/03/my-crime-beat-column-mysterious.html  

Elmore Leonard In Hospital Recovering From Stroke

Susan Whital at the Detroit News reports on the hospitalization of crime novelist Elmore Leonard.

Crime writer Elmore Leonard suffered a stroke a week ago and remains hospitalized at an undisclosed Detroit area hospital, his longtime researcher Gregg Sutter confirmed today.

“Elmore had a stroke; it happened a week ago, last Monday,” Sutter said. “He’s doing better every day, and the family is guardedly optimistic. He’s showing great spirit. He’s a fighter, and we’re glad to see that.”

With 45 novels under his belt, if Leonard, 87, had slowed down his writing schedule prior to the stroke, it’s only compared to his prolific earlier days. He’s been working on his latest book.

“He’s very much into his 46th novel,” Sutter said, “working very hard.”

 

You can read the rest of the piece via the below link:

 

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20130805/ENT06/308050096/Elmore-Leonard-hospital-recovering-from-stroke?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CEntertainment

You can also read my column on Elmore Leonard via the below link:

http://www.pauldavisoncrime.com/2009/05/return-to-elmoreland-elmore-leonards.html 

Award Buoys Novelist Elmore Leonard To Write Again

Kurt Anthony King at Reuters offers a piece on one of my favorite writers, the great crime novelist Elmore Leonard.

As he struggled writing his forthcoming book, "Blue Dreams," best-selling American author Elmore Leonard thought his 47th novel would probably be his last.

Then, inspiration came in the form of a medallion.

Leonard won the National Book Foundation's Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters in November, joining such U.S. literary luminaries as Toni Morrison, John Updike, Gore Vidal and Norman Mailer.

Now, the award has given Leonard, 87, the vigor and motivation to write at least two more books, he told Reuters in an interview at his home in Bloomfield Village, Michigan, in suburban Detroit.

"I don't have any reason to quit," he said. "I still enjoy writing."

You can read the rest of the piece via th below link:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/31/us-books-elmoreleonard-idUSBRE8BU0A820121231