You're invited to use this topic to discuss the quotations from The Big Sleep (1939) – a Philip Marlowe “hard-boiled” mystery novel by Raymond Chandler.

You may also use this thread for general discussions about this literary work; you do not necessarily need to discuss specific quotations.

Or, if you'd like to talk about anything else related to Phil Marlowe or Raymond Chandler, feel free to create a new discussion topic.

Haha.... All I can say regarding that quote from page 8 you've just posted, Adonis, is that I agree with Phil Marlowe, not with Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin, when it comes to the appeal of orchids.

Good heavens, but that was quick off the mark! My head is spinning!

I would most definitely agree; I think orchids are too fussy. One problem I have always had with Stout's characterisation of Archie is his shared interest in Wolfe's passion for the plants; I've just never pegged him as the type of man who would give two hoots for flowers, bar that his boss is something of a connoisseur, and yet his rapturous praise of the rooms on the roof is almost on a par with his admiration of Saul. Timothy Hutton in 'Disguise for Murder' plays it better: knowledgable, as he would be after cataloguing them, but not bowled over by their beauty. And as a woman says in 'Mother Hunt', I think it is, 'Men don't wear orchids'.

Anyway! I have started the ball rolling - I have to pay attention with Chandler, otherwise I would have noted more; the four I picked either amused me or painted a vivid image (the bead curtain).

And I had a mini-mental debate about the second book - I have 'Farewell My Lovely' sat on my shelf, with the number 2 emblazoned on its spine, but I thought 'The Long Goodbye' was more baffling, so I lumped for that. You are correct, though; 'The Long Goodbye' was Chandler's opus, and he didn't resort (as much) to previous short stories for the plot. I shall have to read them both again!

Edit: I've just added a previous evaluation of the orchids - 'fingers of dead men', how could I forget that? - and corrected the chapter reference for the first quote. Sorry for the errors, I always make a couple to keep you on your toes!