Photo by Lee Nye
Letter from James Crumley to Les Standiford, 1987. (click for full-size image)
The New York Times is reporting the death of critically acclaimed crime novelist James Crumley. He was 68.
We had the pleasure of hosting Mr. Crumley in 1988, for Whodunit?, our Seminar devoted to the art and tradition of mystery literature. In a correspondence between Crumley and Les Standiford, our program chair that year, Crumley explained his preference for detectives who are "more rebel than hero:"
They should put their hearts and minds on the line to find whatever limited justice can be found in an injust world, should oppose greed, the sorriest of evils, and ignorance, and should prefer forgiveness over revenge. We don’t need heroes stalking mean streets, but human beings, imperfect as they might be, seeking a justice beyond law."
The letter reproduced here, typed on Hellgate Productions stationery, shows a lighthearted, funny, and gracious Jim Crumley. He will be missed.
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