The early Chester Himes books were anything but pulp. I don't believe they have ever really gotten their due. I like pulp, don't get me wrong, but, as I understand it, Himes actively made his books less challenging in his Harlem detective series because, well, he wanted to eat.
Not having read the book, it would seem like using that era Himes to discuss pulp is not really an honest comparison.
To be fair, in Haut's treatment If He Hollers Let Him Go is really mostly biographical background to the Harlem Detective novels. I've maybe picked-and-chosen what I mentioned based on what I found interesting. Hollers is definitely not pulp. It doesn't surprise me that he dumbed things down for his later books.
Comments 2
Not having read the book, it would seem like using that era Himes to discuss pulp is not really an honest comparison.
Reply
Reply
Leave a comment