A master of his craft

Listening 8-th form

A master of his craft

Look in the "Thrillers" section of any book-shop English or German, and you're sure to find books by Raymond Chandler there. Chandler, who died in 1959, wrote only seven novels, but they became classics of their kind.

The central character in all of them is Philip Marlowe, a private detective who lives and works in the Los Angeles area. One may say that Marlowe is a typical American hero: tough, honest, quick-witted, always ready to risk his life for somebody who suffers injustice. Marlowe is poor, because Chandler believes it is impossible for a decent man to become rich. He is, in a way, a failure. As Chandler writes in a letter: "I see him always in a lonely street, in lonely rooms, puzzled but never quite defeated." And Marlowe is an idealist. In Chandler's words: "He doesn't talk or behave like an idealist, but I think he is one at heart; and I think he rather hates to admit it, even to himself."

Unlike his hero Philip Marlowe, who was born in Santa Rosa, California, Raymond Chandler was born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1888. When his father left the family, his mother took him to England to stay with her relatives in London. From 1900 to 1905 he attended an English public school and then spent some time in France and Germany in order to learn the languages.
After various jobs in London and Los Angeles, and service in France during the First World War, Chandler returned to the United States to live in southern California, where he eventually became director of a number of oil companies. Fired from his job for drinking, he turned to writing, publishing his first short story in 1933. In 1939 he brought out his first novel, The Big Sleep. This and the novels that followed, together with the film scripts he wrote for Hollywood, made him one of America's leading writers.

His books were ideal material for films. The Big Sleep (Howard Hawks, 1946), with Humphrey Bogart as Philip Marlowe, was one of the best films based on a novel by Chandler. For Chandler, Bogart was just the right actor to play Marlowe. "Bogart can be tough without a gun," he wrote in a letter.

Together with his wife - they married in 1924 - Chandler lived a rather secluded life. Perhaps for this reason he was a great letter writer. His "Selected Letters", like his novels and short stories, show him as a master of the American language.

A master of his craft

Tasks for Listening

I variant

1. Mark the following statements true (T) or false (F).

1. Chandler died in 1961.

2. Chandler wrote only six novels.

3. The central character in all of them is Philip Marlowe.

4. Philip Marlowe is a private detective.

5. Marlowe is poor.

2. Choose the correct variant.

1. Philip Marlowe, who was born in ________.

1. Los Angeles; b) Santa Rosa; c) Mexico.

2. . From 1900 to 1905 he attended an_______ public school.

1. America; b) English; c) Italian.

3. After various jobs Chandler eventually became________ of a number of oil companies.

1. director; b) manager; c) secretary.

4. In 1939 he brought out his first _______, The Big Sleep.

1. poem; b) story; c) novel.

5. Fired from his job for drinking, he turned to _________.

1. writing; b) reading; c) speaking.

II variant

1. Mark the following statements true (T) or false (F).

1. Chandler died in 1959.

2. Chandler wrote only seven novels.

3. Raymond Chandler was born in Chicago

4. Philip Marlowe lives and works in the Los Angeles area.

5. Marlowe is rich.

2. Choose the correct variant.

1. Raymond Chandler was born in__________.

a) 1876; b) 1898; c) 1888.

2. When his father left the family, his mother took him to _________.

a) England; b) America; c) Italy.

3. After various jobs in London and Los Angeles Chandler returned to _________.

a) France; b) Germany; c) the United States.

4. Together with his wife - they married in _________.

a) 1924; b) 1928; c) 1930.

5. His works show him as a master of the _________ language.

a) English; b) Italian; c) American.