Willeford [Hardcover]

Don Herron (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Mystery writer Charles Willeford (Miami Blues, New Hope for the Dead, Sideswipe, and The Way We Die Now) died in relative obscurity at the age of 69 in 1988. Now this colorful, careful biography from writer/editor Don Herron helps us find out a lot more about one of the most important and interesting crime writers of our time. An exhaustive bibliography documents Willeford's surprisingly large output, while newly discovered letters show how his life in the U.S. Cavalry shaped much of his work.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 469 pages
• Publisher: Dennis Mcmillan Pubns; 1st edition (December 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0939767260
• ISBN-13: 978-0939767267
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.4 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,464,725 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you love Willeford, you must own this book!, February 5, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Willeford (Hardcover)

I've been a Willeford fan for many years. This is a great way to gain insight into the life and mind of a great writer. Having read all the books by Willeford I could get my hands on, it was wonderful to read words from a man that knew and loved Charles Willeford. I use the book as a constant resource for infomation (it has a complete bibliography)to make sure I'm not buying a book (renamed) that I already own.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great insight into a great writer., May 2, 2002

By 

Steven R. Harbin (Southeastern USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Willeford (Hardcover)

This book is a must for any fan of Charles Willeford's books and writing. Author Don Herron actually met and got to know Willeford during the latter's lifetime, and the book is as much a memoir of how Herron came to discover and appreciate this little known literary crime writer as it is a conventional biography/bibliography/critique of Willeford. I first read it at about the same time I was discovering Willeford's Hoke Moseley series, which are marvelous stories about a middle aged Miami cop's confused personal life intertwined with his encounters with some very memorable pyschopaths. Herron's book gave some great insights into Willeford's creative processes during the creation of Hoke and other works and gradually shows how Willeford came to be such a powerful storyteller.
My own recommendation is to purchase this book even if you've not discovered Willeford, as Herron is a pretty good storyteller in his own right. I'm certain that after reading this work you'll want to check out CW's titles. Of course, for the long time fan of Willeford this book is the answer to most questions you may have had.
A definite 5 stars.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Indispensible, November 10, 2005

By 

Drummer (Fort Myers, FL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Willeford (Hardcover)

If you're a Willeford addict (and Lord knows he is addictive), this book is an indispensible addition to your collection. Although he discovered Willeford late (like a lot of us), Herron is truly an insider who hung out with the man, collaborated with him, and had access to his private letters and archived files.
There's so much Willeford minutiae here that it's like a reference book. There's also an incredibly long taped conversation with Willeford, among friends at home. The book also includes the most extensive Willeford bibliography I've seen.
Thank you, Don Herron!