tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9995718.post8303759615672893573..comments2024-02-11T11:32:57.567-05:00Comments on Olman's Fifty: 20. Loan Shark by J.W. O'DellOlmanFeelyushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17521657876810568251noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9995718.post-66065414964509767992012-03-28T08:50:36.912-04:002012-03-28T08:50:36.912-04:00Thanks for the comment! Your point about its &quo...Thanks for the comment! Your point about its "crude, compelling power" does remind me that I didn't fully emphasize that this book has some sleaze in it. Lots of racist talk, almost all the women in it are prostitutes. But most of this is in the dialogue of the characters or in their actions. The author doesn't force any gratuitous sex or violence into the book for its own sake. When it does happen, its perfunctory, not glamourized at all and written in the same terse style as the rest of the book. It's a great example of how you can write about the dark side of the world without exploiting it.OlmanFeelyushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17521657876810568251noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9995718.post-37469260965076601932012-03-27T21:41:06.181-04:002012-03-27T21:41:06.181-04:00I read this when it first appeared and I've re...I read this when it first appeared and I've read it a few times since. It has a crude compelling power and, as you say, realism that more acclaimed and refined novels don't. I wish I knew something about J.W. O'Dell, too. He wrote a fine little novel. I'm going to link to your review tomorrow night on my blog. Nice wok.Ed Gormanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06126267358266480356noreply@blogger.com