Sunday, April 11, 2010

Paperback 306: High Sierra / W.R. Burnett (Bantam 826)

Paperback 306: Bantam 826 (1st ptg, 1950) (ex-lib)

Title: High Sierra
Author: W.R. Burnett
Cover artist: Harry Schaare

Yours for: $15


Best things about this cover
  • "Yeah, so, I like to grab the shaft real tight with one hand, like so, and then rub the tip back and forth with the other hand, real slow, like so, you see? And then ... what? What're you mugs starin' at? Ain't you never seen a guy polish his gun before?"
  • I *love* the expression on her face. It's like she's saying, quietly, out of the side of her mouth: "Uh ... are you seeing what I'm seeing?" Clearly the dude with the cards is as stunned as she is ... staring intently ... clawing the chair arm ...
  • In other news about the guy stroking his rod: those are some high pants. Tie-swallowing pants. And the girliest suspenders imaginable.


Best thing about this back cover:

  • Only the Cincinnati Times Star really appears to be tapping into what I'm seeing on the cover.

Page 123~

Roy was appalled at the change in Big Mac's appearance and sat studying him covertly. Mac had lost a lot of weight and the skin under his chin hung in pale folds. His hands shook and he kept drinking glass after glass of straight whisky.

I can't help but picture a haggard, embittered, world-weary, alcoholic Mayor McCheese.

~RP

[Follow Rex Parker on Twitter]

5 comments:

laura linger said...

Rex...why am I never at your blog anymore? It is one of my top three favorites and I just love you to bits. I promise to show my face around here more often. XOXOXOXOXOXO

Rex Parker said...

It's OK. This little blog is used to going long stretches where hardly anyone seems to be paying attention. I mean, seriously, a guy is simulating masturbation using a machine gun and no one has anything to say?

You know I love your blog too, LL.

rp

Anonymous said...

44th Greatest, huh? Is 43rd in the cards? I say go for it!

L. said...

Am I the only one who thinks the woman bears a slight resemblance to a young Marilyn Monroe? I was also going to say the card-playing dude has a freakishly large head and right hand compared to the rest of his body, but then I noticed the gun-masterbating guy also seems to be disproportionate.

Pax said...

The young woman is rather aroused and certainly attracted to the man and his big gun. Slight smile, heavy lids on her eyes, parted lips....come on guys it's the big three.