April 2020 Group Read: Pop. 1280 by Jim Thompson

[Bill]

This is the thread for discussing Pop. 1280 by Jim Thompson. R.J. will be your friendly moderator.

A separate thread will be set up for spoiler comments.

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

Hi everyone! I started this one about a week ago so I could better discuss the book. I'll probably finish up in a week or so at which time I'll head over to the spoiler thread.

Who started reading it already? Sound off, if you don't mind. Also let us know if you've ever read anything else by Thompson before.

I have read a few books by Thompson. The first I read was The Grifters. I had seen the movie version a couple of times and really enjoyed it. The movie was very faithful to the book, if I recall correctly. Later I read After Dark, My Sweet, of which there was also a movie version, and a bit later I read Thompson's short story collection Fireworks: The Lost Writings. Most recently I read probably Thompson's most well known book The Killer Inside Me, of which there were two movie versions. That book was the hardest of his for me to read, probably because of the violence towards women and children which was brutally depicted in some cases to the point where it really turned my stomach.

There was also a movie version made of Pop. 1280 - a French film by the title of "Coup de Torchon" which moved the setting to French West Africa in 1938. I haven't seen it, but if you have please share your thoughts (on the spoiler thread, if you are going to discuss the plot in detail please).

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

Also, it's worth noting that (my source here is Wikipedia) Thompson's father was a sheriff in Oklahoma who left the office, and the state, accompanied by rumors of embezzlement. I think that sheds some light on not only the protagonist in this novel, but also the protagonist of The Killer Inside Me. It's interesting that Killer Inside Me was published in 1952, Pop 1280 was published in 1964, and most of Thompson's work including his best known books were published in between those two novels.

[Lisa]

I just started reading. This is my third JT novel, having read The Grifters and The Killer Inside Me. So far, I love the dialogue and the main character’s inner monologue. Pretty funny stuff.

[Nancy, Co-Moderator]

This is my favorite Thompson novel.

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

Lisa wrote: "I just started reading. This is my third JT novel, having read The Grifters and The Killer Inside Me. So far, I love the dialogue and the main character’s inner monologue. Pretty funny stuff."

So far I've found it funnier than Thompson's other novels.

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

It strikes me that it is never stated what time period the story is set in. The book was published in 1964 but most folks in the book use horses, horse-drawn buggies, or the train to get around, unless they're walking. There is mention of telephones but they appear to be scarce and aren't used often. So I'm thinking maybe it's set in the Depression-era? It could even be earlier though I suppose. There's no mention of or reference to either World War.

[Lisa]

RJ from the LBC wrote: "It strikes me that it is never stated what time period the story is set in. The book was published in 1964 but most folks in the book use horses, horse-drawn buggies, or the train to get around, un..."

Good question. I read an Amazon review that estimated it as set in 1918.

[Aditya]

I have only read a short story by Jim Thompson before this in a noir collection which was riff on the Double Indemnity plot. Though Thompson has been on my radar for some time, nothing I have read about him had prepared me for this. I expected it to bee on the bleaker side of things but this is so uproariously funny. He manages to get a dig in about every brand of hypocrisy that exists in society without letting things get morose. I laughed along quite a few times specially that scene when Nick literally gets an ass kicking from an old friend. The thing that did not work was the abrupt ending but I will post about in the spoilers thread.

My spoiler free review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Madeline]

Just got this out of the library. Looking forward to reading it.

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

Madeline wrote: "Just got this out of the library. Looking forward to reading it."

Glad to hear it Madeline! Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

[Suki]

RJ from the LBC wrote: "...Also let us know if you've ever read anything else by Thompson before."

I've read 7 or 8 of Thompson's other books, and plan to read more as I come across them.