James Crumley, dead at 68

Just learned the sad news (via) that author James Crumley has died. Crumley was best known for writing one of the definitive private eye novels, The Last Good Kiss. That accomplishment alone is worthy of a whole career, but he made many other fine contributions as well.

I spent an evening with Jim five years ago at Bouchercon in Las Vegas. Jim, Bob Ward, Dennis McMillan and I went to a cocktail party in the lovely Riviera hotel and casino, and then spent a few hours in the bar. It was my introduction to keeping company with book folks and initially I was a little intimidated. Jim quickly broke the ice, though, with his friendly attitude and curmudgeonly wit. My liver has never been the same.

I knew Jim had been in failing health for some time, but it's still sad news. He'll be missed.

Comments

[Cameron Hughes]

Oh no. This is so sad. I'm numb.

[Mickie]

I discovered James Crumley the summer of 2008 and read The Last Good Kiss. His book was timeless. It was a treasure for me. His writing ranks with John D. MacDonald and James Lee Burke.

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Crumley, who was born in Three Rivers, Texas, grew up in south Texas, where his father was an oil-field supervisor and his mother was a waitress. According to Crumley, his father was a gentle man, but his mother was a forceful and violent woman. She insisted that Crumley attend church, but did not do so herself because she could not afford clothes decent enough for church.

Crumley was a grade-A student and a football player, an offensive lineman, in high school. He attended the Georgia Institute of Technology on a Navy ROTC scholarship, but left to serve in the U.S. Army from 1958 to 1961 in the Philippines. He then attended the Texas College of Arts and Industries on a football scholarship, where he received his B.A. degree with a major in history in 1964. He earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in creative writing at the University of Iowa in 1966. His master's thesis was later published as the Vietnam War novel One to Count Cadence in 1969.

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