In Jimmy Smith's book, THe Grinning Gargoyle, he talks about a famous author (FA) he met in San Ignacio. Jimmy did not speak very highly of him and
set him up with some arrowheads.
Who was the author? Earl Stanley Gardner? Jimmy references the author saying his gimmick was a shyster lawyer who through devious means soundly
thumped a demented police detective in about 200 pages with nauseating regularity. I thought he was talking about Gardner but the timing didn't seem
right. Jimmy's book was published in 2001 and he says he met the author some 30 years ago making it 1970. Gardner died in March 1970. But in reading
about Gardner I came across this.
"He also wrote another noteworthy series of novels about District Attorney Doug Selby and his opponent, the rascally Alphonse Baker Carr. This series
is interesting in that it is an inversion of the motif of the Perry Mason novels, with prosecutor Selby being portrayed as the courageous and
imaginative crime solver and his perennial antagonist A.B. Carr being a wily shyster whose clients are always "as guilty as hell".
Was it Gardner that Jimmy was talking about?Natalie Ann - 5-25-2008 at 12:19 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by TW
Was it Gardner that Jimmy was talking about?
yes
Edit: Our member Eli is Jimmy Smith's daughter.... perhaps she will offer more info on this.
Nena
[Edited on 5-25-2008 by Natalie Ann]Eli - 5-25-2008 at 12:56 PM
Yes, it was Earl Stanley that dad refers to as FA. Although his book was not published until 2001, he started writing the stories for it in the early
"60"s, which would explain the time line. As I recall his relationship with FA began in the late 50"s mas o minos.
Dad's first landing in San Ignascio was around "53", I was 2 years old, so I don't have any memory of it other than his tales.
Funny, but I expect David K could give you a better reference to exact dates as he pays attention to such things that I don't.bajalou - 5-25-2008 at 01:09 PM
Think DK's on Shell Island this weekend - no internet there--Debra - 5-25-2008 at 02:13 PM
I once went for a visit at Jimmy's and asked him the same question.....he got that gleam in his eye that he had and told me yes it was (he commented
that I was pretty smart to fiqure that out) I laughed and told him it didn't take a rocket scientist! Then he told be some "back-ground" stories.
It was a visit I will never forget. I count myself a very lucky lady to have had that few hours with him!
PS, it was Choral Pepper that gave Jimmy the name. I also had the great honor (thanks to David K.) to spent a few hours with her shortly before her
death.........What a great lady she was! She gave me one of her books which I hold dear.
[Edited on 5-25-2008 by Debra]alkijeff - 5-25-2008 at 11:12 PM
It is a fun book, and I'm looking at it on my bookshelf as I write this. The first thought that comes to my mind is how he "peppered?" or "salted"
the cave with arrowheads.
JeffTMW - 5-26-2008 at 08:35 AM
