Straight Cut
by Madison Smartt Bell
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A film editor takes a job in Italy only to find that half of the gig is cutting film, while the other half is moving uncut dopeFreelance film editor Tracy Bateman has hit a string of bad luck. His country home is crumbling, his marriage is floundering, and his beloved dog just died. But things begin looking up for Tracy when a film producer and old friend, Kevin Carter, offers him a truckload of money to help with a job in Italy. Despite his suspicions over the job's legitimacy and doubts show more about Kevin's trustworthiness, Bateman accepts. But when he gets to Italy, things quickly spin out of control. Bateman has been maneuvered into a deadly plot involving his ex, a few suitcases of heroin, and some of the sleaziest members of Europe's underworld.Straight Cut is one of Bell's purest thrillers, and a wild, hard-boiled romp through the bars and backrooms of 1980s Europe. show lessTags
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The story begins with a man named Tracy who has to put his dog to sleep. Quite a bummer. Then he gets a call to fly to Italy to edit a film. But first, a stop in NYC. And a bizarre love triangle between him, his 'good' friend Kevin, and his ex-wife(or actual wife...) Lauren. The film editing in Italy bored me to tears. As did all of the text dedicated to Tracy walking around, eating, and drinking booze. Boring.
That story fills Parts I and II of the book, about 135 pages! Almost 60% of the book!
Then there is a heroin sub-plot, complete with a skin-diving maneuver?!??
It's not a very good read, in my opinion.
That story fills Parts I and II of the book, about 135 pages! Almost 60% of the book!
Then there is a heroin sub-plot, complete with a skin-diving maneuver?!??
It's not a very good read, in my opinion.
The Hard Case Crime series offers pulp noir at its finest. They re-publish classics; give a voice to new talent; and wrangle bug names to stretch a little (Stephen King has penned two books for them). They're not high-minded, life-changing literature. But if you're looking for fun quick reads, I recommend them. At one point, I was getting 2 paperbacks a month direct from the publisher for $8/month. Great deal! Don't know if it's still out there. But seek them out regardless. You'll be happy you did.
The only disappointment that Hard Case Crime has handed me yet.
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Author Information
Madison Smartt Bell was born and raised in Tennessee; he studied at Princeton University and Hollins College. He has taught in a variety of capacities, including the Iowa Writers' Workshop, the Johns Hopkins University Writing Seminars, the University of Southern Maine, Goucher College, and as a Fellow at the MacDowell Colony. Much of his writing, show more which reflects a concern with race relations, has been critically acclaimed. Bell was awarded the 1989 Lillian Smith Award for Soldier's Joy. His 1996 historical novel All Soul's Rising was nominated for both the National Book Award and the PEN/Faulkner Award. All Soul's Rising, which depicts the slave uprising in Haiti in the late eighteenth century, also led to his selection to the Granta's list of Best Young American Novelists. His books include The Washington Square Ensemble (1983), Waiting for the End of the World (1985), Straight Cut (1986), The Year of Silence (1987), Zero dB (1987), Soldier's Joy (1989), Barking Man (1990), Doctor Sleep (1991), Save Me, Joe Lewis (1993), and All Soul's Rising (1996). His short stories have been frequently anthologized, including selection for the annual Best American Short Stories for 1984, 1987, 1989, and 1990. Bell teaches at Goucher College in Baltimore, Maryland. (Bowker Author Biography) Madison Smartt Bell is the author of eleven previous works of fiction, including All Souls' Rising, which was a National Book Award finalist; Save Me, Joe Louis; Dr. Sleep; Soldier's Joy; and Ten Indians. He lives in Baltimore, Maryland. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Straight Cut
- Original title
- Straight cut
- Original publication date
- 1986
- People/Characters
- Tracy Bateman
- Important places
- Rome, Italy; Brussels, Belgium; New York, New York, USA
- Epigraph*
- Ainsi, le papillon a complètement oublié qu'il a été chenille. Peut-être oubliera-t-il qu'il a été chenille. Peut-être oubliera-t-il encore qu'il a été papillon, et si complètement qu'il pourra devenir poisson. Les... (show all) natures profondes ne perdent jamais le souvenir d'elles-mêmes, et ne deviennent jamais que ce qu'elles ont été.
Sören Kierkegaard,
Crainte et tremblement. - Dedication*
- Pour Sara Spinelli et Jean de La Fontaine
- First words
- The dog was suffering, mainly from old age.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)What child will be born of this union, I do not know.
- Blurbers
- Percy, Walker
*Some information comes from Common Knowledge in other languages. Click "Edit" for more information.
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- Members
- 290
- Popularity
- 109,951
- Reviews
- 3
- Rating
- (3.23)
- Languages
- English, French, German
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 11
- ASINs
- 3
