Books I Read in 2020, Part 3

The year drags on, there's no end to the plague in sight, and on top of everything else, I find myself out of work. More time to read, I guess, right? Right?

"The Big Sleep"
I've seen the movie several times, but never read the book. I figured this version -- which I got for Christmas in 2019 -- was the perfect way to not only experience Chandler's story but also the world of late 1930s Los Angeles. Full of maps, photos and constant commentary about even the smallest details, it might not be the most straightforward way to take in the narrative (admittedly, it gets pretty distracting) but it's very educational. For example, I had no idea that the underground pornographic novel publishing industry was such a big deal back then. Ah, the good ol' days.
"Scoundrels & Spitballers" 
And speaking of Los Angeles in the '30s (and the '20s and '40s), this excellent volume collects hundreds of anecdotes from that era about screenwriters you've heard of and many, many more you have not. One of my favorite books of the whole year, it pulls off the impressive trick of taking you back decades and somehow making it all feel current and modern. My favorite chapter was probably the one focusing on defunct Los Angeles bookstores, but heck, every chapter is good. Check this one out.
"American Madness"Like more than a few people in the past several years, Richard McCaslin went a little mad, fueled by every conspiracy theory he could latch onto, then convinced himself that he alone could save his country. Dressing up and calling himself the Phantom Patriot, he became a part-time costumed "hero," invaded the legendary Bohemian Grove and descended deeper and deeper into the title of the book. Journalist Tea Krulos tells his whole story, and though it's not a happy one, it's definitely timely. More timely now, in fact, than when I read this book a few months ago.
"The Invention of Sound"
Another one from the advanced copy pile at my wife's library. It's an entertaining but fairly slight read from Palahniuk (which, to be honest, is a relief after his previous novel, the interesting but too long "Adjustment Day.") The story focuses on a sound engineer famed in Hollywood for her ability to create convincingly blood curdling screams, and if you don't suspect a horrible secret at the heart of her work, you haven't read enough Palahnuik. Not as good as "Consider This," but not a bad way to pass an afternoon or two.

"Kent State"
Derf Backderf's graphic retelling of the National Guard shootings of May 4, 1970, is my pick for book of the year, though I might be a big biased, having graduated from the college in question in 1989. Backderf does a mesmerizing job of relating the events, delivering plenty of background on the people involved and the forces at play, then depicting the shootings themselves in stark, unsparing detail. It's historically revealing and emotionally devastating. And, more than that, he depicts the campus the city itself in incredible detail, with the building, backgrounds, streets and scenery all astonishingly accurate. I spent years at Kent and trust me, he got it all right. An incredible piece of work.
"Wasteland"
Just the sort of movie book I love: one that takes a period of film -- in this case, silent and early sound horror -- and then examines in fascinating detail the forces at play behind the scenes (and deep in the subconscious). With World War I more than a century in the past, it's hard to imagine how it changed the world, introducing the idea of thousands of people being slaughtered in just a few hours. But the echoes of those horrors reverberated throughout Europe and America (and, specifically, Hollywood) in the decades since, and Poole's intelligent examination of the era and its films inspires a whole new look at those black-and-white chillers.

"Red Harvest"
Having (finally) read Hammett's "The Maltese Falcon" in 2019 (review -- it's really good!), I pulled this long-owned book off the shelf in 2020. It might be even better. The Continental Op travels to Personville (aka Poisonville) on a half-assed assignment and proceeds to turn the whole place upside down, deftly pitting everyone against everyone else and leaving a trail of bodies in his wake. Fast paced and surprisingly funny, it's the inspiration for everything from "Yojimbo" to "A Fistful of Dollars" to "Last Man Standing." But the story is at its best -- and purest -- in these pages.
"The Glass Menagerie" 
My daughter was assigned this Tennessee Williams play for class, and seeing as how we read it together, I'm slipping it onto this list. Typical jolly, lighthearted romp from Mr. Williams, but with some great, meaty dialogue and a character who is a big movie fan (or at least pretends to be just to get out of the house.) 

Up next: We wrap up the year with two books devoted to art (modern and theft of), some warped short fiction, the romance of skyjacking and a detailed look at one of my favorite movies.