Martin Edwards: The Story of Classic Crime in 100 Books — Part 1: Chapters 1-5

Reading progress update: 98 of 357 pages.

Well, I’ve read chapters 1 through 5, and I suppose this is what it sounds like when you get a walking encyclopedia talking. Even though it’s, in a way, the print equivalent of having your favorite actor reading the phone book, however (which I expected going in — the format itself suggests as much), it’s addictively compelling, and I am racing through this book much more than I expected I would.  I also know I’ll be revisiting it often for reference in the future.

When reading the chapters on the beginning of the Golden Age and on the Great Detectives, I also dipped into Edwards’s The Golden Age of Murder for further background, “met” the members of the Detection Club … and learned that Ngaio Marsh was not a member (which I admit I’d heretofore taken almost for granted she was), but rather, “dined for weeks” on the experience of her one invitation to a Detection Club dinner.

Incidentally, for those who are interested, I’ve created a reading list for the “100 [main] Books” presented by Martin Edwards in “The Story of Classic Crime” here:

Martin Edwards: The Story of Classic Crime in 100 Books — the “100 Books” Presented

I’ve also started a listing of the other books mentioned by way of further reference in the individual chapters.  As Edwards easily manages to toss in an average of 20+ extra books per chapter, I’ve decided to break up the “other books mentioned” listing into several parts, with the first list going up to the end of chapter 5 (i.e., as far as I’ve read at present):

Martin Edwards: The Story of Classic Crime in 100 Books — Other Books Mentioned; Part 1 (Ch. 1-5)

I’m reading The Story of Classic Crime for the free (center / raven) bingo square, as well as by way of a buddy read.

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Addendum:

The full lists are here:

The Story of Classic Crime in 100 Books & The Golden Age of Murder: List of all books referenced

The BookLikes Breakup:
The “100 Books” Presented

Other Books Mentioned:
Part 1: Chapters 1 – 5
Part 2: Chapters 6 & 7
Part 3: Chapters 8 – 10
Part 4: Chapters 11 – 15
Part 5: Chapters 16-20
Part 6: Chapters 21-24

Original post:
ThemisAthena.booklikes.com/post/1600375/reading-progress-update-i-ve-read-98-out-of-357-pages