The Big Blowdown [Paperback]

George P. Pelecanos (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: St Martins Pr; 2nd edition (1996)
• ASIN: B000OTHS5C
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,354,789 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

George P. Pelecanos was born in Washington, DC in 1957. His first novel was published in 1992 and alongside his consequential success as an author, he has also worked as producer, writer and story editor for the acclaimed and award-winning US crime series, The Wire. His writing for the show earned him an Emmy nomination.

He is the author of fifteen crime novels set in and around Washington, DC. The Big Blowdown was the recipient of the International Crime Novel of the Year award in both Germany and Japan; King Suckerman was shortlisted for the Gold Dagger Award in the UK. His short fiction has appeared in Esquire and the collections Unusual Suspects and Best American Mystery Stories of 1997. He is an award-winning journalist and pop-culture essayist who has written for the Washington Post.

Pelecanos can also claim credit for involvement in the production of several feature films. Most recently, as a screenwriter for film, he has written an adaptation of King Suckerman for Dimension Films, and was co-writer on the Paid in Full.

His novel Right as Rain is currently in development with director Curtis Hanson (LA Confidential, Wonder Boys) and Warner Brothers. He is a writer on the upcoming World War II miniseries The Pacific, to be produced by Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg, and HBO. Pelecanos lives in Silver Spring, Maryland, with his wife and three children. He is at work on his next novel.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A very satisfying period piece, April 4, 2000

By 

Doug Vaughn - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Big Blowdown (Paperback)

Fans of George Pelecanos will not be disappointed in this excellent novel. Set in D.C. during the years just before and after WWII, his familiar cast of characters inhabit a world of hope and violence that somehow seems appropriate to the American Dream. The plot is engaging and believable, the action is fast paced, and the character portrayals are as satisfying as a reader could want. This is a great story of friendship, betrayal and flawed redemption. Much more than just a 'crime novel' (and this is true of his other books as well) The Big Blowdown evokes a time when everthing seemed possible, from great success to 'the Big Blowdown' (atomic annihilation) and tells the story a few immigrant kids whose future turns out to be quite different from any they would have imagined.

Reading a Pelecanos book always leaves me feeling as though I had touched a piece of real life. This book has the added appeal of touching a real piece of time gone by as well. Very satisfying. I highly recommend it.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Washington In the 40s, July 5, 2001

By 

Untouchable (Sydney, NSW Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Big Blowdown (Paperback)

We follow the fortunes of Peter Karras, a Greek American living in Washington DC, before, during and after World War II. After coming out of the war a hero, Karras, along with his childhood friend Joe Recevo, finds himself drifting along, occasionally providing muscle for the Mafia in their protection rackets. When Karras makes the mistake of showing leniency towards one of his boss's "clients", it's inevitable that he has to be taught a (painful) lesson. The story is ultimately a commentary on how the two friends deal with the different directions their lives have taken, particularly when their paths cross again.

The mood of the time and place are captured with remarkable vividness. Even the street noises are described in such a way that it almost feels as if we are there watching the drama unfold in front of us. I feel this is the defining novel for George Pelecanos and a must read for Pelecanos fans. I can't recommend it highly enough without appearing to gush, so I'll just say that it's a fantastic piece of American literature that manages to capture the 40's very nicely.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful, different kind of crime novel, March 19, 1998

By 

A. N. Smith (Minnesota) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Big Blowdown (Hardcover)

This was the first Pelecanos book I read, almost by accident. When I was done, I was completely satisfied and hooked on this writer. This is set in the '40s, around the Washington DC and Maryland area, and I loved the history, the subtle ways of establishing place and time and community through dialogue and action. It is a very character driven novel, the best type, right on the edge of what a crime novel is considered to be. I'm grateful to see Pelecanos joining the ranks of those writers who are pushing the envelope in crime writing. This novel is more the story of the life of a man who attracted violence more than about the violence itself. Great, great work.