I have to admit that I would not be the person I am today had I not discovered Travis McGee as a youth. To this day, and I'm now over 70, whenever I find myself in some conundrum or other, I just ask myself, " What would Travis McGee do?" In that way, he's been like my guiding star, pointing my way towards doing the right thing...
I love the Travis McGee series, so fun! I think the attraction is the use of 1st person narrative, MacDonald traps us in McGee’s head. A similar style is Max Allen Collins’ QUARRY series
@@Scottmbradfield I think the QUARRY books are up to about 15 or 16 now...don't go by that tv show under the same name a few years ago - it had it's merits, but it really was at best peripherally attached to what goes on in the series (I think the producers wanted to imitate BREAKIN BAD too much)...I'm checking out your James Joyce lecture now
Four years later, I re viewed your John D MacDonald bathtub episode. Loved that passage and triggered a recollection of a passage at a British private school by LeCarre, who I know you don’t care for. I may just hunt it down and post it for you to reconsider 😂
Best, most accurate, most perceptive review of any book or film that I've seen. Thank you. I've read all but four of the Travis McGee series and several others and your analysis is absolutely correct....in my "expert opinion." The first parts of the books - the buildups, descriptions of scenes and characters - are wonderfully done by MacDonald. The last parts - with a few exceptions (and not of the Travis McGee books) - are predictable. But, McDonald, like Tony Hillerman, is terrific at setting the scene and the mood for the book. Great analysis, Mr. Bradfield.
Thanks, John, nice to have you in the bathtub. I haven't read Hillerman, but eventually hope to! I would like to get back to some Travis, esp. the early ones... stay safe. s
Nice job! I particularly like the books from the fifties, before the Travis McGee series for the snapshot of mid century American culture that they provide. He shows that the “good old days” weren’t always so good. To my knowledge he never touched on the racial injustices of those days but he did skewer many of the other character defects of post war American culture.
Completed The Turquoise Lament. After contemplating Kingsley Amis' remark comparing Macdonald with Saul Bellow, I decided to take the Pepsi Challenge. First came The Adventures of Augie March and then TL. I still like both writers, but for different reasons. Macdonald is a mile away the more efficient and engaging storyteller. I agree Macdonald is the man who teaches you how build a plot. The narrative sprawl of AAM was intentional and not from a lack of skill. Bellow was committed to writing philosophical epics and not stream lined novels. Augie moves through life like some Whitman character. Travis McGee hurls himself in the direction of justice. The narrative styles reflect each author's intent, it seems to me. Can I assume when Amis labeled Bellow "a human heart chap" he was calling Bellow a pretentious show off?
If it is well written, can it be schlock? From what I understand, the publisher wanted him to create a recurring character, like Bond or Archer, but MacDonald wasn’t sure he could. So before a single book was published he wrote the first five titles, to get the characters down and consistent and so they could be released in quick succession to get a leg up in a crowded market at the time
Awesome review. If you get the chance, can you do a review of Elmore Leonard. The Library of America has collection of his novels. Out of sight and Tishomingo Blues and Rum Punch are nice reads. And his prose style is pretty unique. Martin Amis said Leonard makes Raymond Chandler’s prose look clumsy. I’d really like to hear your take on his prose style and fun characters. Now, I have to get The Deep Blue Good-By.
Thanks, Rain Drops. Yeah, Leonard definitely deserves an All-Bathtub Hall of Fame Award, I just need to find some bath-space to read him again! Stay safe. The Deep Blue Good-Bye is great!
Just finished Cape Fear, the third MacDonald novel I have read. He truly had "technique" down cold. Just from this sampling, I believe MacDonald was efficient and never boring. And I noticed a Darwian vision in his plots. Max Cady, the villain of Cape Fear, seems to be the severest example of the hostile reality protagonist Sam Bowden finds himself in. Bowden's law partners are unethical chislers and most of the people Bowden encounters cannot or will not help him deal with Cady. The same world exists in the Travis McGee series, but McGee is like Marlowe and Maigret, who bring justice to a world of criminals.
There's definitely a strong naturalistic/Darwinian streak in most of noir fiction, especially MacDonald. I really love those morality paragraphs he writes, esp. in the McGee books, where Travis judges the weaknesses and dishonesties of the Florida culture around him. Some of them are the most perfect paragraphs in modern fiction. Fun writer.
The character Travis is a bit like Magnum, being independent, free spirited, but not rich, not a pretty boy. Because of the time they were written, he is a combination tough guy and connoisseur and therapist, a carryover from the hard boiled detective novels that was ending, and one who can discuss modern art in the beatnik age and 1960s. At least the early books I've read.
When I was 15 I preferred James Bond, but at 65, George Smiley. Travis McGee is like that too, loved his exploits as a kid but as an old man the last one I read left me appalled McGee used a girl as bait to catch a violent dangerous murderer. If McGee fumbled the play the girl was dead, but he lucked out. It struck me as coward- ly and stupid and didn't fly under my radar the way it did as a kid. Sometimes knowing too much about how the real world works spoils the fiction I thrived on as a youth, to the point I no longer enjoy it. That's how this burnt sienna curmudgeon sees it . . .
I completely disagree with your use of the word schlock. And also the 21 McGee novels are not the same. Character building and scenic descriptions are what made MacDonald a prolific and fantastic writer. Your description of these wonderful works of prose is mundane-beautification. In other words you are not from South Florida and cannot relate to the lifestyles in the heat and slime that permeates in paradise. I suggest giving Travis McGee more personality... Peace
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I have to admit that I would not be the person I am today had I not discovered Travis McGee as a youth. To this day, and I'm now over 70, whenever I find myself in some conundrum or other, I just ask myself, " What would Travis McGee do?" In that way, he's been like my guiding star, pointing my way towards doing the right thing...
Thanks, Patrick, and welcome to the bathtub! So I'm assuming you must live on a houseboat called The Busted Flush? Stay safe! s
John D. Mac Donald has through his Travis McGee novels much inside knowledge of female / male relationships and rejection of society norms.
I love the Travis McGee series, so fun! I think the attraction is the use of 1st person narrative, MacDonald traps us in McGee’s head. A similar style is Max Allen Collins’ QUARRY series
I know Max Collins but haven't read his Quarry books. I do think JDM write beautiful prose and paragraphs, on top of it all! s
@@Scottmbradfield I think the QUARRY books are up to about 15 or 16 now...don't go by that tv show under the same name a few years ago - it had it's merits, but it really was at best peripherally attached to what goes on in the series (I think the producers wanted to imitate BREAKIN BAD too much)...I'm checking out your James Joyce lecture now
If taking pleasure in John D. MacDonald is evidence of guilt, I'm in for a long stretch.
At least you'll have lots to read while you're on the inside!
Four years later, I re viewed your John D MacDonald bathtub episode. Loved that passage and triggered a recollection of a passage at a British private school by LeCarre, who I know you don’t care for. I may just hunt it down and post it for you to reconsider 😂
Interesting... I need to get back to the Travis McGees soon, just so much to read and so little time! s
@@Scottmbradfield 👍and don’t forget Ross, his west coast alter ego.
Are there any audio interviews with Macdonald?
@@miguellasala5765 there should be many, he was a popular writer and did lots of tv and radio…check TH-cam! S
Best, most accurate, most perceptive review of any book or film that I've seen. Thank you. I've read all but four of the Travis McGee series and several others and your analysis is absolutely correct....in my "expert opinion." The first parts of the books - the buildups, descriptions of scenes and characters - are wonderfully done by MacDonald. The last parts - with a few exceptions (and not of the Travis McGee books) - are predictable. But, McDonald, like Tony Hillerman, is terrific at setting the scene and the mood for the book. Great analysis, Mr. Bradfield.
Thanks, John, nice to have you in the bathtub. I haven't read Hillerman, but eventually hope to! I would like to get back to some Travis, esp. the early ones... stay safe. s
@@Scottmbradfield Thank you, Scott. When you do get around to Hillerman, plse give us your review/thoughts. Cheers!
@@SeanOLennon Will do! But will probably read/reread me some more Travis first... s
Nice job!
I particularly like the books from the fifties, before the Travis McGee series for the snapshot of mid century American culture that they provide. He shows that the “good old days” weren’t always so good. To my knowledge he never touched on the racial injustices of those days but he did skewer many of the other character defects of post war American culture.
Completed The Turquoise Lament.
After contemplating Kingsley Amis' remark comparing Macdonald with Saul Bellow, I decided to take the Pepsi Challenge.
First came The Adventures of Augie March and then TL.
I still like both writers, but for different reasons. Macdonald is a mile away the more efficient and engaging storyteller. I agree Macdonald is the man who teaches you how build a plot.
The narrative sprawl of AAM was intentional and not from a lack of skill.
Bellow was committed to writing philosophical epics and not stream lined novels. Augie moves through life like some Whitman character. Travis McGee hurls himself in the direction of justice. The narrative styles reflect each author's intent, it seems to me.
Can I assume when Amis labeled Bellow "a human heart chap" he was calling Bellow a pretentious show off?
Interesting, I don't know the Amis quote, but I have always found Bellow unreadable, and I've tried many times. Much prefer JMD! s
If it is well written, can it be schlock? From what I understand, the publisher wanted him to create a recurring character, like Bond or Archer, but MacDonald wasn’t sure he could. So before a single book was published he wrote the first five titles, to get the characters down and consistent and so they could be released in quick succession to get a leg up in a crowded market at the time
@@chanceotter8121 I have a high regard for “schlock” and it’s often much better written than non schlock!
Awesome review. If you get the chance, can you do a review of Elmore Leonard. The Library of America has collection of his novels. Out of sight and Tishomingo Blues and Rum Punch are nice reads. And his prose style is pretty unique. Martin Amis said Leonard makes Raymond Chandler’s prose look clumsy. I’d really like to hear your take on his prose style and fun characters. Now, I have to get The Deep Blue Good-By.
Thanks, Rain Drops. Yeah, Leonard definitely deserves an All-Bathtub Hall of Fame Award, I just need to find some bath-space to read him again! Stay safe. The Deep Blue Good-Bye is great!
Just finished Cape Fear, the third MacDonald novel I have read. He truly had "technique" down cold. Just from this sampling, I believe MacDonald was efficient and never boring.
And I noticed a Darwian vision in his plots. Max Cady, the villain of Cape Fear, seems to be the severest example of the hostile reality protagonist Sam Bowden finds himself in. Bowden's law partners are unethical chislers and most of the people Bowden encounters cannot or will not help him deal with Cady.
The same world exists in the Travis McGee series, but McGee is like Marlowe and Maigret, who bring justice to a world of criminals.
There's definitely a strong naturalistic/Darwinian streak in most of noir fiction, especially MacDonald. I really love those morality paragraphs he writes, esp. in the McGee books, where Travis judges the weaknesses and dishonesties of the Florida culture around him. Some of them are the most perfect paragraphs in modern fiction. Fun writer.
Imagine if you hadn't like the books!
His books sound like a Magnum PI episode.
The character Travis is a bit like Magnum, being independent, free spirited, but not rich, not a pretty boy. Because of the time they were written, he is a combination tough guy and connoisseur and therapist, a carryover from the hard boiled detective novels that was ending, and one who can discuss modern art in the beatnik age and 1960s. At least the early books I've read.
When I was 15 I preferred James Bond, but at 65, George Smiley.
Travis McGee is like that too, loved his exploits as a kid but as an
old man the last one I read left me appalled McGee used a girl as
bait to catch a violent dangerous murderer. If McGee fumbled the
play the girl was dead, but he lucked out. It struck me as coward-
ly and stupid and didn't fly under my radar the way it did as a kid.
Sometimes knowing too much about how the real world works
spoils the fiction I thrived on as a youth, to the point I no longer
enjoy it. That's how this burnt sienna curmudgeon sees it . . .
I completely disagree with your use of the word schlock. And also the 21 McGee novels are not the same. Character building and scenic descriptions are what made MacDonald a prolific and fantastic writer. Your description of these wonderful works of prose is mundane-beautification. In other words you are not from South Florida and cannot relate to the lifestyles in the heat and slime that permeates in paradise. I suggest giving Travis McGee more personality...
Peace