Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Detectives Beyond Borders in a book, Part II

I like The Cultural Detective: Reflections on the Writing Life in Thailand by Christopher G. Moore for its street-level yet outsider's view of Bangkok, for its unsentimental takes on Moore's craft and country, and for the contents and titles of its essays. (My favorite is “The Culture of Complaining.”)

I'm especially attached to this item from its table of contents, though:

Introduction by Peter Rozovsky ... vii

Moore, author of the Vincent Calvino crime novels about an American P.I. in Bangkok, probing commentator on and questioner of his adopted country, and member of one of my panels at Bouchercon 2010, has given me my second appearance between covers, following on Following the Detectives: Real Locations in Crime Fiction.

Here's a recent bit of Moore's writing to give you an idea of what you'll find in the book.

Here's a bit of my introduction:

“I once was a prisoner in the cult of authenticity, skeptical of crime writers who wrote about countries other than their own. (Tourist that I am, I sneered at tourists.)

“Christopher G. Moore plugs that attitude between the eyes early in the collection of essays you’re about to read. `There is a tradition of pundits saying foreigners can’t understand how Thais think,' he tells us. `That is in itself an interesting theory of mind, suggesting that non-Thais are basically rendered autistic when it comes to understanding how Thais form intentions and the true nature of their beliefs.'

“That’s a neat trick, isn’t it? With a few taps on his keyboard, Moore demonstrates that authenticity snobs of the kind I once was are nothing more than upscale propagandists for the old belief that Orientals are inscrutable.”
Here's some info on ordering the book. Stay tuned for your chance to win a copy.

© Peter Rozovsky 2011

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6 Comments:

Blogger Kiwicraig said...

Congrats Peter.

Don't worry - if we ever write a book about NZ crime fiction, I'm sure you'll get a mention in that too!

January 18, 2011  
Blogger Peter Rozovsky said...

Thanks. After these two books, I have five continents left to conquer, and I think the publishing scene is even slower Antarctica than in the rest of the world. So your continent would make a welcome addition.

January 18, 2011  
Blogger Loren Eaton said...

Now that's pretty neat! I hope we get to see plenty more intros from you, Peter. They're much deserved.

January 19, 2011  
Anonymous HeathCliff Rothman said...

Congrats, Peter. Wonderful writing.

January 19, 2011  
Blogger Peter Rozovsky said...

Loren, there's a thought. If I write enough intros, some publisher could collect them in a book. What a honor it would be to be asked to write the intro to such a collection.

January 19, 2011  
Blogger Peter Rozovsky said...

Many thanks, HC.

January 19, 2011  

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