I have yet to read anything fictional written by James Ellroy although I have some books home that is waiting. And all I can say about this book is that James Ellroy likes women, a lot! Now I knew from the beginning that it would be about his relationship with women, I just thought the book would be more interesting to read than it was since his tragic background. Instead, I got a young peeping Tom obsessed with women. At least, the book got better as he grew up, got over his addictions and stop being so creepy with women. The books felt very personal to read I just didn’t like it that personal. I don’t need to know every fantasy about women a man has had I’m not his shrink.



Anyway if you really want to know more about Ellroy James, then there is probably better books than this to start with...


( )

Weeping-Jesus-on-the-cross, what sort of wayward trip was that? I suppose blazing through such in one sitting is the ideal route, but I am left here shaking my head and searching for ashes in my mouth. ( )

As you would expect from Ellroy, the prose has a spark and rhythm that pulls you through from start to finish at pace. It's more relaxed than The Cold Six Thousand, but then this is a memoir.

For those of you who want exacting details of events, from early childhood to the present day, you're going to be disappointed. Be sure, this is a thematic memoir that deals strictly with one aspect of Ellroy's life: women. Everything that else that has happened in his life, from his wayward beginnings to the intricate and spellbinding novels, are just sideshows. Only Bloods a Rover is mentioned by name.

That said, by exploring this thread of his life, it's easy to see why his novels turned out as they did, and for this reason it's a revealing read.

If you like Ellroy, you'll like this. If you've never read Ellroy, go and do so first. ( )

As you would expect from Ellroy, the prose has a spark and rhythm that pulls you through from start to finish at pace. It's more relaxed than The Cold Six Thousand, but then this is a memoir.

For those of you who want exacting details of events, from early childhood to the present day, you're going to be disappointed. Be sure, this is a thematic memoir that deals strictly with one aspect of Ellroy's life: women. Everything that else that has happened in his life, from his wayward beginnings to the intricate and spellbinding novels, are just sideshows. Only Bloods a Rover is mentioned by name.

That said, by exploring this thread of his life, it's easy to see why his novels turned out as they did, and for this reason it's a revealing read.

If you like Ellroy, you'll like this. If you've never read Ellroy, go and do so first. ( )

Ellroy met son existence à nu dans un livre exceptionnel à tous égards. D’abord par la lucidité et l’honnêteté dont il fait preuve, la sincérité avec laquelle il parle de lui (y compris de sa dépression). Mais ce qui frappe aussi, c’est sa capacité à éviter le piège du déballage racoleur grâce à une écriture sans équivalent. Il fait partie de ces créateurs qui métamorphosent leur vécu le plus intime en objet littéraire : Ellroy devient le personnage d’Ellroy. Il y parvient au moyen d’un style ramassé jusqu’à l’abstraction, qui soudain devient grave et élégiaque, transformant alors le récit en une déchirante confession, en un hommage aux femmes, en une œuvre palpitante de vie, remplie de contradictions folles et d’extraordinaires intuitions sur la nature féminine. Mélange de rigueur, de mysticisme et de sexualité, ce livre à la forme austère et au contenu électrique rassemble toutes les fulgurances et les faiblesses d’un homme hors du commun qui a mis sa vie tumultueuse au service de la littérature.