Gene Wolfe's favorite Nero Wolfe novels

William Ansley · 17 Aug 2001, 00:28 · from urth-v0030.mbox · original

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From: William Ansley <wansley at warwick.net>
Subject: Re: (urth) Gene Wolfe's favorite Nero Wolfe novels
Date: Fri, 17 Aug 2001 00:28:47
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At 3:47 PM -0700 8/15/01, Michael Andre-Driussi wrote:
>Here's another bit of trivia that I've stumbled upon in correspondence with
>Gene Wolfe.  Maybe someone can use it as an inspiration to write about Gene
>Wolfe and genre mysteries?
>
>Gene Wolfe ranks the following as the best (not in any order):
>TOO MANY WOMEN
>BEFORE MIDNIGHT
>THE LEAGUE OF FRIGHTENED MEN
>CHAMPAGNE FOR ONE
>THE FINAL DEDUCTION
>IF DEATH EVER SLEPT
>PLOT IT YOURSELF
>THE DOORBELL RANG
>
>He ranks the worst as:
>THE BLACK MOUNTAIN
>FER-DE-LANCE

I pretty much agree with the above, except that I would include=20
_Counterfeit for Murder_ in the best category.

>Some while ago I had the madcap notion of reading, for the first time, some
>Nero Wolfe novels (all by Rex Stout, I hasten to add: Nero is the hero),
>and (here's the madcap part) I was going to read them in order of
>publication.

I wouldn't say the notion of reading a series of books in order of=20
publication madcap; it is the way I prefer to read multiple books by=20
any author, if I have the opportunity.

>
>Well!  First one is FER-DE-LANCE, and no sir, I didn't think it was very
>good.  After a month or two, I read the next one, THE LEAGUE OF FRIGHTENED
>MEN, and it was much better!  I mentioned this to Gene Wolfe and he gave me
>his list.

_Fer-De-Lance_ is the first of the Nero Wolfe novels and the worst, I=20
agree. I have read all of the Nero Wolfe books (there are over 30 of=20
them) more than once. I guess you'd have to call me a fan of the=20
series. I think most of them are good and some are very good indeed.

For anyone who has read any of these books in the past and enjoyed=20
them or anyone who thinks they sound interesting, I highly recommend=20
the new TV series based on the books which is on the A & E cable=20
network. The good news: these shows are very well done. The bad news:=20
the first season is over and I have no idea when the programs will be=20
repeated.

The actor who plays Nero Wolfe, Maury Chaykin, was once suggested=20
(tongue in cheek and not by name) as Baldanders in a long ago attempt=20
to cast a movie based on _The Book of the New Sun_.

--=20
William Ansley

*More Wolfe info & archive of this list at http://www.urth.net/urth/

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