Description
Book SynopsisL.A. Private Eyes examines the tradition of the private eye as it evolves in films, books, and television shows set in Los Angeles from the 1930’s through the present day. This book explores the metamorphosis of the solitary detective figure and the many facets of the genre itself.
Trade Review"Slip into the gritty romantic noir of the LA detective scene with Dahlia Schweitzer and you won’t want to leave—at least not until she’s helped you unlock the genre’s mysteries, its place in American culture and its evolution. Bring a fedora, a stiff drink and a desire to understand, as Schweitzer does, the light and dark sides of the private eye." -- Jonathan Allen * coauthor of Shattered: Inside Hillary Clinton’s Doomed Campaign *
"Much more than a deftly written and comprehensive chronicle of the enduring appeal of the LA detective, Schweitzer’s book compellingly traverses the fields of history, geography and popular culture so that we might more fully grasp this absorbing character and its inflections over decades of literature, radio, film and TV. From Philip Marlowe to Easy Rawlins to Veronica Mars, the author invites the reader on a compressed tour of the mean streets, stifling suburbs and sprawling highways inhabited by this private eye, with insight and acumen. If you think you know this icon already, Schweitzer’s writing will make you think again." -- Deborah Jermyn * reader in Film and TV, University of Roehampton, and author of Prime Suspect *
“With the same punchy, elegant concision true to the noir style, Schweitzer reappraises the long line of L.A. gumshoes from Philip Marlowe and Easy Rawlins through Veronica Mars.” -- Noah Isenberg * author of We’ll Always Have Casablanca *
"Dahlia Schweitzer pounds the pavement in search of the gumshoes who pervade the city and popular culture. She uncovers the clues, weighs the evidence, and presents her case in yet another terrific, informative read." -- Mike White * host of the Projection Booth Podcast *
"The Projection Booth" interview with Dahlia Schweitzer * The Projection Booth *
WICN.org "Inquiry" podcast interview with Dahlia Schweitzer * Inquiry podcast *
The Mo'Kelly Show interview with Dahlia Schweitzer * The Mo'Kelly Show *
iZombie podcast interview with Dahlia Schweitzer * iZombie podcast *
"With noir still a hotly debated genre, Dahlia Schweitzer takes a welcome approach in
L.A. Private Eyes to a subset of the style....Scwheitzer’s detailed look at this central figure of noir helps to clarify the investigator’s point of view and its effects on the narrative." * Film and History *
Table of ContentsCONTENTS
Introduction
1 Los Angeles
2 The Detective Story
3 The Detective
4 The Black Detective
5 The Lady Dick
6 The Girl Sleuth
Acknowledgments
Further Reading
Works Cited
Index
