Roughneck

by Jim Thompson

Book Overview

An ebullient hybrid of a literary memoir, where Thompson consorts with corpses and con-men, gets editorial criticism from a big hearted prostitute, writes a labour history for the Workers Party of America, and nearly starts an earthquake while trying to resuscitate a defunct oil well. Bawdy, brawling and profanely funny, here is an original at his most unfettered. Hard times never sounded so good.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0375700331
• ISBN13: 9780375700330
• Release Date: May 1998
• Publisher: Vintage Books
• Length: 185 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.2" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Even Thompson couldn't make this up

Funny and exhausting. I think I slept a week after I read this. Thompson takes us across America in search of love, success and a few extra bucks. The underlying tale is how Jim tried to come to grips with his relationship with his father and himself. Luck always intervenes -- sometimes Good and sometimes Bad. As one of the kings of the character novels, Thompson does a great job on himself and his family and friends. This is a classic, sometimes funny, sometimes uplifting, sometimes sad but always real. It is also a great history of the America of the 1930s, 40s and 50s. -Mike

One of the most enjoyable Thompson reads available!

Roughneck pretty much takes up where Bad Boy left off. It was originally published in 1954. In Roughneck, as was the case with Bad Boy, we get a sort of creatively enhanced autobiography of the king of noir pulp. Follow Thompson through early adulthood, marriage, fatherhood(his description of his own children is hysterical), hobo jungles and more. He describes employment ventures that leave no doubt why he always had more ideas than time to write. He goes through stints as a collector, baker, morgue employee, writer of the labor history for the W.P.A., etc. You will love the story behind the writing and publishing of Thompson's first novel(Now & On Earth). The man was never short on audacity or irreverance. Roughneck is an absolute page-turner. Here's an added bonus for us Thompson fans...this book is absolutely coherent all the way through. There are no lunatic throw away chapters in Roughneck. If you enjoy the work of Jim Thompson, then you must read this book! As it states on the back of the book: Hard times have never sounded so good!

His Life In His Own Words

Thompson's life in his own words, what could be better? Of course, a lot of it is obviously apocryphal, but its a great ride.