Criminal: Episode 13: The Big Sleep

January 3, 2015 5:43 AM

Raymond Chandler is often called the greatest American crime novelist, famous for murder mysteries like "The Big Sleep" and "Farewell, My Lovely." He's the subject of several biographies, and his correspondence and manuscripts are archived at Oxford. But something very, very important to Chandler had gotten lost. No one noticed until a pair of Chandler's biggest fans, newlyweds in their seventies, got on the case.

Loren Latker's Chandler website, Shamustown, which has it's own extensive podcast collection (warning: audio autoplay). The LA Times report and video of the 2011 service.

posted by Gin and Broadband (9 comments total)

Having listened this morning, I was absolutely delighted by this. It was so sweet, and even though Loren doesn't believe in ghosts, I do like to think that Raymeo and Cissy are dancing through the cemetery, so happy to be back together.
posted by Katemonkey at 1:32 AM on January 5, 2015 [1 favorite]

I enjoyed it as well, though my wife was somewhat brought out of the whole thing by her "does this really belong on this podcast?" reaction to it. My borderline obsession with law makes me wish they'd used it to spend more time talking about the legal question of standing, which presented them with a court difficulty.
posted by phearlez at 10:56 AM on January 6, 2015 [1 favorite]

phearlez - are you listening to the excellent Life of the Law podcast series?
posted by Gin and Broadband at 2:15 PM on January 6, 2015

I will be now. Thank you.
posted by phearlez at 7:37 AM on January 7, 2015

Funny enough I was in the middle of The Long Goodbye when I listened to this. I don't know a ton about Chandler's life and didn't realize that he drank as much as Marlowe. The Long Goodbye is one of his later books and it's not his best - confusing and disjointed IMHO - and it makes sense now knowing that he was pretty impaired by the alcoholism. Poor guy. I'm so glad that he and his wife were reunited.
posted by radioamy at 5:34 PM on January 14, 2015

Just binged on all the criminal episodes and I'm still not sure I understand what the connecting thread is.
posted by bq at 2:19 PM on January 15, 2015

Loren and his wife were so charming I squeed the whole time and I rarely squee. 'Well, Loren was devoted to Chandler, and I'm devoted to Loren." Aww.
posted by zutalors! at 2:29 PM on January 15, 2015 [1 favorite]

bq, I agree that occasionally it's a stretch. This one was a major stretch. But it's a good story and I like the way it's told so I'm just gonna go with it.
posted by radioamy at 8:12 PM on January 15, 2015

Just binged on all the criminal episodes and I'm still not sure I understand what the connecting thread is.

CRIMERS
posted by zutalors! at 8:13 PM on January 15, 2015