My fiction selection process is pretty simple. If the book is not on the bottom shelves and it has an interesting cover and blurb I will give it a try. Naturally I end up reading (and not reading) books that should be left unopened. Vaguely aware of Towles’ reputation, I checked this out. According to the back cover it includes a collection of New York stories and a novella set in LA. Being contrary, I started at the end with “Eve in Hollywood,” a noir story which is a continuation of an early Towles story, Rules of Civility. The story is split into seven vignettes, each from the point of view of one of the main characters. Each character has a clear voice, a motive and a part to play. Excellent writing. What a treat. This is classic noir with double-crosses, muted brutality, blackmail and vice. Equally entertaining, but not obtrusive, is Towles’ description of Hollywood in 1938. He explains the studio system and the attendant turmoil generated by the movie industry and the moguls who ran it. The reviews say it all – exhilarating, witty, humorous, erudite and sophisticated.
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