The Crime of Our Lives

The Crime of Our Lives by Lawrence Block
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Crime of Our Lives is a collection of Lawrence Block's non-fiction writing, taking from columns, tributes, introductions, and other sources.

Ever wonder what a crime writer thinks of other crime writers? Wonder no more! In the Crime of Our Lives, Block covers a wide variety of writers, starting with himself and running through a great portion of the alphabet, from Anthony Boucher and Frederic Brown, all the way to the great Donald E. Westlake and Charles Willeford.

Along the way, Block touches on such diverse topics as going on a bender with Ross Thomas, working at Scott Meredith's literary agency, writing erotica to cut his teeth and pay the bills, and whether or not it's a good idea to finish another author's work.

Some of the selections are taken from introductions Block wrote to other author's books, and I'm happy to say he doesn't ruin any plot points in them, unlike the intro to Lonesome Dove I read a couple weeks ago that spoiled the last hundred pages of the book for me.

I'd say my favorite parts of the book were the parts focusing on Block himself and also the ones about Donald Westlake, which reminds me that I'm due for a reread of the Parker books.

Lawrence Block's non-fiction is just as enjoyable and accessible as his fiction. Four out of five stars. Go buy it.

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