Travis McGee Fan Club discussion
Currently Reading? Just Finished?
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Michael
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May 23, 2011 02:49AM
I just finished "A Deadly Shade of Gold" over the weekend. Wow, what a terrific book. I'm re-reading the series in order and this one is number 5. Clearly the best one so far. McGee really finds his "voice" in this story which is a great one-off book (in case you didn't want to read the whole series). Well plotted, lots of colorful characters, changes of scenery (from Florida, we're off to NYC, Mexico and L.A.), a high body count and the usual musings about the general state of society that still ring true 45 years later. A great book to recommend just as an overall great mystery.
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After taking a break, I began Bright Orange for the Shroud"Bright Orange For The Shroud" over the weekend. It should be a quick 190 pages. One quarter of the way in and so far, so good. Poor Arthur Wilkinson has been bilked out of his life savings (and then some) and shows up at The Busted Flush in the first stages of starvation. Who did this to him? And will Travis take the case? We'll see.
Finished "Bright Orange For the Shroud" by John D. MacDonald. This is number 6 in his series about Travis McGee, "salvage consultant." This time around Travis is helping a poor schmuck that got conned out of $250K in a setup that was quasi-legal. The story itself is pretty thin, so there's a lot of filler in the book, but to MacDonald's credit, even filler is enjoyable when it comes from his typewriter. This book wasn't the best in the series (I'm re-reading the books in order), but I'd have no trouble reading it again. 3 stars.
A Deadly Shade of Gold is one of my favorites. Down in Mexico, if I recall.
Mike wrote: "Finished "Bright Orange For the Shroud" by John D. MacDonald. This is number 6 in his series about Travis McGee, "salvage consultant." This time around Travis is helping a poor schmuck that got c..."I found the rape scene poignant, sad, and disturbing. The antagonist in this one is truly one MacDonald's most depraved and loathsome
Some interesting websites:http://www.thrillingdetective.com/tri...
Salvage consultant, beach bum, tarnished knight ... It's no secret that John D. MacDonald's Travis McGee got around. But someone actually took the time to sit down and compile a list of all the ladies (about 53) he has been with...
Found a 1984 copy of
in great condition, I already had a copy from a much later run. Also bought
and
. The latter has a brilliant metallic green cover...so great an addition to my set. Found all of these in a great used book store in Brighton, Ont., while on a road trip to visit my mom in Belleville. Time to,start rereading from the beginning.
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in great condition, I already had a copy from a much later run. Also bought and [bookcover:The Gr..."Congratulations! And good for you...
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http://www.thrillingdetective.com/tri...
Salvage consultant, beach bum, tarnished knight ... It's no secret that John D. MacDonald's Travis McGee got aroun..."
Jeffrey:
Great link! And the names sounded so familiar especially Jean "Puss" Killian. Sure don't recall that Travis could have been the father of her child. I'll read more carefully when I come to that book.
Thanks for the post.
Yes, thank you, Jeffrey, for Travis McGee's "Little Black Book."Some of them may still be alive and sexually active. And I love Older Women!
Ah-Oh, Cathy, here our comments are, nestled together again on a discussion. As usual, you're on top.
@hg47
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Some of them may still be alive and sexually active. And I love Older Women!
Ah-Oh, Cathy, here our comments are, nestled togethe..."
Watch out, Harv. I'm still on top and I'm also older!
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Beginning my reexploration of MacDonalds main protagonist. I've read the Green Ripper and Cinnamon Skin, can't remember If I have any others. Eager to begin.
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Hi Peter:
Not, trust me, not saying anyone is crazy but something is definitely wrong if they don't like (in my case love) Travis McGee...and John D. MacDonald's writings. He's the best...one of the best of all time in my opinion, humble as it is. (Forgot, everyone here it McGee fan and/or fanatic. Me, a fanatic!
Let me know if you enjoy him as much as I do...third time around for me and Travis series.
Chow! Cathy
Been a year since anyone commented here.....just read Ted Bell's book, Tsar. In it there is a very brief exchange between two characters. Two of the characters are in a book club where there read the Travis McGee series - they even have made a trip to the famous Slip F-18. I nearly fell of my chair when I came to that. Awesome bit. Just thought I would share it somewhere
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I'm a very serious McGee fan and live in Florida. Went to a spring baseball game (Braves and NY Mets) and was near enough to stop by but had a date so didn't. (Next spring I'll do that, watch game then drive to Slip F-18 to see the plaque but not with the same guy! That's a promise.)
Are you familiar with D. R. Martin and his Travis McGee and Me blog? He talks about it, the slip, there. His blog is really fun and interesting.
Do you know how to get a picture for this site? I tried a couple of time, then just forgot.
Yes, we need to post more here so thank you for stirring the pot.
Yes I am aware of his blog, had not checked it recently, so it was good to see it again.I am not sure how to post pictures here. Would be good to learn.
Good luck on your trip next year! Keep us posted
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On way to Dr. appt but will follow-up later this week. Too much going on the first part of this week. Sorry.
Currently reading Cinnamon Skin , I purchased a whole ™ series of books on Ebay and have been mowing them down one after another in their release order. I had read many of the books back in the 1980's and wanted to read all of them .
Enjoy....have read the series many times
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Good for you, Trevor. I'm doing the same thing but this is my third time around. My first was in the early 70's, the second about seven years ago. This time I'm not reading back to back but in order.
If I remember right, "Cinnamon Skin" was one of my favorites. Would pick one up now but have three library books. Damn, I'm jealous. :D
Its incredible the insight that JDM had about pollution , overcrowding and corporate greed . I especially love the books from the mid 60's to mid 70's and the changes he was noting .
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Hi Trevor: I agree about JDM's insight. Would you believe a fellow (who sounded in his early 30's m/l) said in his review that he didn't like JDM's writing because of how he went on "about pollution, overcrowding and corporate greed." My comment to him was that all his reasons for disliking MacDonald were the same reasons I loved MacDonald.
I just happened upon his review; we weren't GR friends thanks goodness. Would have had to have dumped him!
Wow that is a real responsible attitude I don't like to get political but I can guess what party that guy is a member of . The lets just bury our head in the sand and leave all the problems for people of the future to deal with as long as we wring every cent we can out of nature and everything else we can exploit for profit . I think from his writings in ™ series we can surmise what JDM thought about that topic .
Does anyone have a fav T. M. book ? I like them all but some are better than others for sure .
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Trevor, you're probably right re: political party. And I'm with you, I'm very hesitant to get into politics but understand where you're coming from and agree.
I just find readers untenable who read books which were published many years ago, then complain because a character has to have dimes in his pocket and has to locate a telephone booth. (I like that word untenable and seldom use it...but like it anyhow.)
When I read, I always look at the date the book was first published, then attempt to wrap my mind around that period when reading. By the way, that's just generally speaking.
And I try very hard not to criticize any reader for anything but that (i.e. complaining because a laser isn't available in 1936) is difficult for me not to notice and say something. I try to ignore them except when it comes to JDM and TM. I'm a bit protective of those two.
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Ahhh, easy for me; #1 Blue and Tan and Sandy Silence.
I like The Empty Copper Sea I think but The Lonely Silver Rain is a very good read also , they ALL are :)
I love how JDM upgraded Travis's equipment over time including Miss Agnes and TM's music even from reel to reel to cassettes eventually hehe .
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I had forgotten about the upgrade TM did to Miss Agnes...I need to get these library books finished and pick up my next book in the series..."Pale Gray..." #9 in the series.
A friend of TM and JDM said he thought it was a slight contradiction of Travis' personality because Miss Agnes was so flashy and Travis tried to live and work mostly unnoticed. I thought he had a point. I can't remember right now how Travis got Miss Agnes. Was it payment from someone? It was definitely flashy though.
I forget too , most likely a debt and I agree she was way too flashy for a man that wanted to be basically invisible and off the grid . Travis should have drove a Olds Cutlass it was like the number one seller and very incognito back in the early to late 70's . I am so glad to have stumbled upon this website, thanks for the responses , I guess I am not the only one who thinks T.M. is a total badass .
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Trevor: This is a scale model of Miss Agnes that a JDM/TM fan made and posted on "JDMHomepage". The link is JDM HP
Yeah, I liked the way you said that..."invisible and off the grid." I agree and you are not I can assure you, the only one who thinks TM is a total badass. In a good way, of course. What would be today's translation, The Bomb?
No idea where everyone else is because usually someone is piping in.
I love that model its way cool ! Today they might say " its FLY " lol
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Yeah...forgot about fly. D. R. Martin who has blog on TM posted something so talking with him. He found a great JDM site that he had never seen and wanted everyone to know. Can't remember name now of site.
Wanted to tell him of your Olds Cutlass comment. Oh, the other thing that bothered D. R. and I have to agree with him, was the women in Travis' life. After meeting and saying hello, they're like "darling this and daring that." JDM could have dropped a few "darlings" in my opinion. (Personally, I would slap a guy who called me darling. Fortunately I never had to do it, slap that is.)
Fly, I'll have to remember that. I'll use it and readers will think I'm a hipster. :D
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Ha...you're not in reach you lucky dog. :D
And how about a Ford Fairlane? Is that unobtrusive enough?
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Just found this site and need to spend more time on it. I love noir/hard boiled paperback book covers. There are some nice ones this fellow (I assume) has collected and posted. They're not only TM but all of JDM books.
JDM Book Covers
Cathy wrote: "Trevor wrote: "lol ok darling ;) just kidding !"Ha...you're not in reach you lucky dog. :D
And how about a Ford Fairlane? Is that unobtrusive enough?"
Fairlane would work for the early years for sure but after 1970 not so much .
One of my first books by JDM I read was Condominium
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Have you ever read his essay "Reading for Survival?" It's listed on GR and there's a free link. It was the last he wrote.
Recalling from memory, The Library of Congress asked him to write something about reading and he wrote the essay as a conversation between Travis and Meyer.
Here's a link for you and others who may not have read it:
Reading for Survival
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Ha...you're not in reach you lucky dog. :D
And how about a Ford Fairlane? Is that unobtrusive enough?"
Fairlane would work for ..."
Guess I'm showing my ignorance of cars, so I'll be quiet now.
Thanks for the link ill check it out and get back on here and comment ! Don't worry about knowledge of cars you have excellent taste in literature and that trumps all
By the way I visited the alleged haunted lighthouse in St Augustine , I loved it there and consider the S.A. a definite possibility as a retirement choice .
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Thank you, Trevor! How nice to say.
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Yeah, born here, I've seen the changes and at one time nothing was haunted. Then an in-law went to Charleston, SC, and saw they had haunted this and that, so she brought the idea to SA. Now every damned thing is haunted. Now you have good taste with SA being a possible retirement choice.
Let me know via my profile if you have other questions re: SA. I like to stay on topic because...because Travis said I should. Purrr. :D Have I shouted out recently that I love Travis? You've already said I have good taste. So thanks again for that!
One of the best parts of the T.M. series is the rapport between Meyer and Travis they counterbalance each other perfectly , each making up for something lacking in the other . It seems whenever one needed the other they just instinctively would show up with something to say or even just to sit and say nothing .
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Thinking about the earlier noir and hard-boiled, many didn't have a 'side-kick' they worked as loners. Wondering if JDM started that or made it a great idea for writers following him? Spencer has Hawk and Elvis Cole and Joe Pike, there are so many examples. I bet there's a discussion topic somewhere on GR.
BTW, Robert Crais' (Elvis Cole) new book just came out but can't remember the name. He's said he was influenced by JDM as many writers have publicly said.
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Doug...damned I can't remember a rape scene. I'll have to go back and skim through to refresh my memory.
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Hi Trevor...no doubt, Travis and Meyer are the best of friends. Maybe JDM realized that down the line Travis was going to need a 'sidekick' of some kind...wa-la, Meyer! Travis could not have found a better one either.
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Some of them may still be alive and sexually active. And I love Older Women!
Ah-Oh, Cathy, here our comments are, nestled togethe..."
I had forgotten how funny you can be, Harv.
Travis McGee Fan Club
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