The Lost GetBack Boogie Author:James Lee Burke The Lost Get-Back Boogie appeared to wide acclaim in 1986, James Lee Burke had been out of print in cloth for thirteen years and his fifth novel had received a record 111 rejection letters. "LSU Press put me back in the game and turned my career around," Burke says. The novels and stories Burke had written during those years of rejection eventu... more »ally became the stuff of the Dave Robicheaux series, which has earned him two Edgar Awards. The novels title is also the name of the song that Iry Pareta honky-tonk musician, Korean vet, and ex-conwants to write to hold his memories of a "more uncomplicated time," before the war, before prison. The book opens the day thirty-year-old Iry leaves Louisianas Angola state penitentiary, after serving two years for manslaughter, and follows him to Montana, where he hopes to stay cool and out of trouble by working hard on a ranch owned by the father of his prison pal, Buddy Riordan. Iry finds the fresh start he seeks, joins a weekend band, and even falls in love. But the Riordan familys problems deal Iry a new sort of trouble with some ultimately tragic consequences. The Lost Get-Back Boogie is a novel about loyalty and friendship, betrayal and loss. It is about essentially good people and their attempts to define the value of their lives and to find their place in a changing, complicated world. And it is the work of James Lee Burke at the top of his form.« less
This is a novel that was written before he started on his popular series (Robicheaux)and has been reissued. It's a good read and, as always, he conjours up terric, believable characters and magnificent country atmosphere. In this case it's Montana and ex-cons. Great read.
I read this book in one sitting. If you like Dave Robicheaux you will love Iry Paret. Originally shopped around 18 years ago and rejected 111 times, this book was finally published and you have to ask yourself "What were the people who rejected it thinking and where are they working now?" Now re-released (2006)it has all the grittiness of Robicheaux but in James Lee Burke's other hometown state of Montana. This book is not to be missed if you are a Burke fan.