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Donald E. Westlake

79quotes

Donald E. Westlake
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Full Name and Common Aliases


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Donald Ellington Westlake was an American author, screenwriter, and comic book writer best known for his crime fiction novels and scripts.

Birth and Death Dates


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Born: July 7, 1933, in Brooklyn, New York
 Died: February 2, 2008, in Tierra Verde, Florida

Nationality and Profession(s)


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Westlake was an American author and screenwriter, primarily working in the genres of crime fiction, thriller, and comedy.

Early Life and Background


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Donald Westlake grew up in Brooklyn, New York, during a tumultuous time in American history. His early life was marked by the Great Depression and World War II. Despite these challenges, Westlake's love for reading and writing began at an early age. He developed a passion for storytelling and soon started creating his own stories.

Westlake attended Brooklyn Technical High School, where he met his future wife, Sheila McGraw. The couple married in 1956 after Westlake graduated from college with a degree in economics. They had two children together, but their marriage ended in divorce in the early 1960s.

Major Accomplishments


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Westlake's writing career spanned over five decades and included numerous bestselling novels, screenplays, and comic books. He is perhaps best known for his Parker series, a collection of crime fiction novels featuring the iconic thief Parker. The series includes titles such as "The Hunter" (1962), "The Score" (1960), and "Butcher's Moon" (1981).

In addition to the Parker series, Westlake wrote numerous other novels, including "13 Bullets" (1964) and "The Dying Animal" (2007). He also worked on several screenplays for films like "The Grifters" (1959), starring Steve McQueen.

Notable Works or Actions


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Westlake's notable works include:

The Parker Series: This collection of crime fiction novels follows the adventures of Parker, a professional thief.
 13 Bullets (1964): A thriller novel that explores themes of crime and redemption.
* The Grifters (1959): A screenplay adaptation for the film starring Steve McQueen.

Impact and Legacy


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Donald Westlake's impact on popular culture is undeniable. His Parker series has influenced numerous other authors, including Richard Stark and Andrew Vachss. The character of Parker himself has been featured in various forms of media, from films to comics.

Westlake's writing style and unique blend of humor and suspense have made him a beloved author among fans of crime fiction. His legacy continues to inspire new generations of writers and readers alike.

Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered


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Donald Westlake is widely quoted and remembered for his contributions to the world of crime fiction. His Parker series has had a lasting impact on the genre, while his numerous novels and screenplays have cemented his place as one of the most influential authors of his time.

Westlake's unique writing style, which blends humor with suspense, has made him a favorite among fans of crime fiction. His ability to craft complex characters and intricate plots has raised the bar for writers in the genre.

In conclusion, Donald Westlake was an accomplished author, screenwriter, and comic book writer whose work continues to captivate readers worldwide. His Parker series, numerous novels, and screenplays have left a lasting legacy that will be remembered for generations to come.

Quotes by Donald E. Westlake

I did the first Parker novel, in which he got caught, and the editor at Pocket Books took me to lunch and said, 'Is there any way that this guy could get away at the end, and you could do three books a year for us?' And I said, 'I think so.'
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I did the first Parker novel, in which he got caught, and the editor at Pocket Books took me to lunch and said, 'Is there any way that this guy could get away at the end, and you could do three books a year for us?' And I said, 'I think so.'
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A guy named Peter Rabe wrote a batch of books for Gold Medal in the '50s, and he was absolutely the single largest influence on writing style. I was completely in love with the way the man wrote.
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A guy named Peter Rabe wrote a batch of books for Gold Medal in the '50s, and he was absolutely the single largest influence on writing style. I was completely in love with the way the man wrote.
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I love Hammett, never liked Chandler - I'm one of the few.
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I love Hammett, never liked Chandler - I'm one of the few.
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The tortured similes, the brooding introspection, the jaundiced view of society - nobody ever has any fun in a Ross Macdonald book.
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The tortured similes, the brooding introspection, the jaundiced view of society - nobody ever has any fun in a Ross Macdonald book.
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With writing, I prefer the solo effort, but when a team is working right, as it did on 'The Grifters,' boy, it's exhilarating.
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With writing, I prefer the solo effort, but when a team is working right, as it did on 'The Grifters,' boy, it's exhilarating.
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I started writing when I was 11. In my late teens, I was writing short stories of every conceivable type and sent them to everything from 'Future Science Fiction' to 'The Sewanee Review.'
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I started writing when I was 11. In my late teens, I was writing short stories of every conceivable type and sent them to everything from 'Future Science Fiction' to 'The Sewanee Review.'
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Westlake is allusive, indirect, referential, a bit rococo, Stark strips his sentences down to the necessary information.
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Westlake is allusive, indirect, referential, a bit rococo, Stark strips his sentences down to the necessary information.
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The critics didn't like it at all. They felt it was crude and violent without meaning, and they dumped on it. 'Point Blank' marked a shift in movie-making, and they weren't ready for it. However, I think those were the last negative words ever said about it.
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The critics didn't like it at all. They felt it was crude and violent without meaning, and they dumped on it. 'Point Blank' marked a shift in movie-making, and they weren't ready for it. However, I think those were the last negative words ever said about it.
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The older a man gets... the longer it takes for him to get a grin organized.
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The older a man gets... the longer it takes for him to get a grin organized.
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However, inflation and unemployment have affected the shopping centers at least as much as the rest of the economy, so that here and there among the brave enticements stood a storefront dark, silent, its windows black, its forehead nameless, its prospects bleak. The survivors seemed to beam the more brightly in their efforts to distract attention from their fallen comrades, but Dortmunder could see them. Dortmunder and a failed enterprise could always recognize one another.
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However, inflation and unemployment have affected the shopping centers at least as much as the rest of the economy, so that here and there among the brave enticements stood a storefront dark, silent, its windows black, its forehead nameless, its prospects bleak. The survivors seemed to beam the more brightly in their efforts to distract attention from their fallen comrades, but Dortmunder could see them. Dortmunder and a failed enterprise could always recognize one another.
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