In lots of books I read, the writer seems to go haywire every time he reaches a high point. He’ll start leaving out punctuation and running his words together and babble about stars flashing and sinking into a deep dreamless sea. And you can’t figure out whether the hero’s laying his girl or a cornerstone. I guess that kind of crap is supposed to be pretty deep stuff—a lot of the book reviewers eat it up, I notice. But the way I see it is, the writer is just too goddam lazy to do his job. And I’m not lazy, whatever else I am. I’ll tell you everything.
I found out long ago that the place where the law is apt to be abused the most is right around a courthouse. - Jim Thompson
I found out long ago that the place where the law is apt to be abused the most is right around a courthouse.
- Jim Thompson
When life attains a crisis, man’s focus narrows. […] The world becomes a stage of immediate concern, swept free of illusion. - Jim Thompson
When life attains a crisis, man’s focus narrows. […] The world becomes a stage of immediate concern, swept free of illusion.
I ain't saying you're a liar, because that wouldn't be polite. But I'll tell you this, ma'am. If I loved liars, I'd hug you to death. - Jim Thompson
I ain't saying you're a liar, because that wouldn't be polite. But I'll tell you this, ma'am. If I loved liars, I'd hug you to death.
There is only one plot-things are not what they seem. - Jim Thompson
There is only one plot-things are not what they seem.
There are things that have to be forgotten if you want to go on living. - Jim Thompson
There are things that have to be forgotten if you want to go on living.
I kissed her, a long hard kiss. Because baby didn't know it, but baby was dead, and in a way I couldn't have loved her more. - Jim Thompson
I kissed her, a long hard kiss. Because baby didn't know it, but baby was dead, and in a way I couldn't have loved her more.
It doesn't matter what answers you get if you ask the wrong questions. - Jim Thompson
It doesn't matter what answers you get if you ask the wrong questions.
There are thirty-two ways to write a story, and I’ve used every one, but there is only one plot – things are not as they seem. - Jim Thompson
There are thirty-two ways to write a story, and I’ve used every one, but there is only one plot – things are not as they seem.
We're living in a funny world kid, a peculiar civilization. The police are playing crooks in it, and the crooks are doing police duty. The politician… - Jim Thompson
We're living in a funny world kid, a peculiar civilization. The police are playing crooks in it, and the crooks are doing police duty. The politician…
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