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Who We Are
Writers like Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler and James M. Cain sired this bastard child of American Realism, and were soon followed by Horace McCoy, Cornell Woolrich, David Goodis, Charles Willeford and Jim Thompson. Modern writers like James Ellroy and Andrew Vachss are keeping the style alive.
Thus, NoirTexas. And if you don't believe that Texas is a suitable setting for a roman noir, just read the Jim Thompson classic Pop. 1280. Critics seldom agree on the delineations or definitions of a genre. But whether you call it noir, hardboiled, or pulp fiction--these are the books and the writers that have me hooked. Like any addiction, you won't necessarily find comfort here--just as likely cold-chills, night-sweats and fever dreams. But I hope this web site serves as an introduction to our business, and as a useful resource for those, like me, who are drawn to the dark world of noir. Mike Cable August 5, 2001
Purveyors of Fine, Rare, Out-of-Print & Collectible Books Established in the Year 2000 A.D.Michael P. Cable & Camille D. Parrish -- ProprietorsServing bibliophiles worldwide via the Internet from Abilene, Texas
Contact InformationIf you have any comment, suggestions, or questions about this site or our books, feel free to contact us.
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While we sell fiction of all genres and nonfiction on
all subjects, my special area of interest is noir fiction. Noir,
pronounced 'nwahr', is the French word for black. The noir
protagonist struggles to survive in a crazy-house labyrinth of a universe,
beyond any understanding or control. It is a world of dark alleys,
wet pavement, concrete edifices looming like prisons. A world of
dusty, rural back-roads, where the sun is relentless in the day, and the
nights are moonless voids. A world populated by platinum blondes
with hearts like railroad steel, and cackling, giggling psychopaths with
no hearts at all. If there is a hero, his or her task is like that
of Sisyphus--fighting unbeatable odds, because it's the only game in
town. When you play the black, the red comes up. There is no
exit. Even death is not an alibi. The only hope is for the big
sleep, but then, perchance, to dream. To dream of nightmare alleys. 
These writers also
inspired the cinematic
version of the style, known as film noir. During the classic period
of film noir, hundreds of movies were produced, starting with The
Maltese Falcon in 1941, and ending with the Orson Welles' classic Touch
of Evil in 1959. But like the fiction, the film style endures--Chinatown,
Body Heat, Blood Simple and L.A. Confidential are just a
few examples of neo-noir film classics. 
