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Type of bind: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN num: 9780312242916
ISBN number: 0312242913
Label: St. Martin's Minotaur
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Minotaur
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 320
Printing Date: September 24, 1999
Publishing house: St. Martin's Minotaur
Sale Popularity Level: 89853
Studio: St. Martin's Minotaur
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Product Description:
For Joey Recevo and Pete Karras, two kids from one of Washington's rougher neighborhoods, the easiest work to find after the War is all criminal---providing a little muscle for a local boss. But Karris is soft on his fellow immigrants, and the boss can't let his mob get soft, so one of his boys gives Karras a painful lesson. Three years later, it's the same mob that figures big Nick Stefanos's grill needs protection---and this decision will once again bring Joey and Pete face-to-face. In this final confrontation, the two of them will find the meaning of friendship, the heart of honor, and the cost of both. Powerfully told, elegantly wrought, The Big Blowdown is a knockout.
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Rated by buyers 
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I'm am an ardent fan of George Pelecanos. I think he is one of the best, if not the best, writer of this type of crime drama, or noir, or whatever you wish to call it.
This book is actually 'background' for much of his later works. It fills in the history of several characters and, to my mind, really adds to the his on-going description of Washington DC.
I think Peleganos extended himself on this piece and did so very well. If you've never read him, this is a good start. If you are an old fan like me, you'll really enjoy this. Buy the book.
Rated by buyers -
An excellent book. As one reader put it, 'I love this period piece.' As I had conversations with my father about his growing up in New York, it always seemed to me that this was a cool period to hang out in, the '40s and the early '50's. Life is easier now but it doesn't seem as much fun. Spend a few minutes watching MTV and suits yelling at eachother on Fox, and tell me about the shortcomings of radio.
Anyhow, it has it's dark side. Imagine my surprise when I learned as a young man that the Cole Porter lyrics "I get no kick from champagne, mere alcohol doesn't thrill me at all, so tell me why should it be true, that I get a kick out of you?" was originally written as 'I get no kick from cocaine.' And here I thought my generation invented it.
The problem is that Pete Karras is such a self centered, self absorbed hero, you have trouble liking him. And I still think that whether it's Odysseus, Shane, 'the Man with No Name,' the Harrys, Callahan and Bosch, or Jack Reacher, you have to like the hero a little. Pete Karras? If I lived subsequent door to him I would move.
I like that the Pelecanos characters have clay feet. Don't we all? But Karras the father (see Dimitri in later novels) did nothing for me. I prefer for reasons that I can't explain given Pelecanos' heritage, the African American characters that evolve with Derek Strange and now, Lorenzo Brown. So this is in no way a knock on George, who together with his brilliant work screenwriting parts on The Wire, continues to put out top shelf stories. Definitely 5 stars +. Larry Scantlebury
Rated by buyers -
This book is really good. I liked the characters, their stories and the relationships between them.
Rated by buyers 
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George Pelecanos must really love or hate his home town of Washington. He always seems to write about it, but what he writes about won't appear in any Chamber of Commerce brochure. Druggies, organized crime, and ethnic violence seemingly permeate the lives of all Washingtonians.
"The Big Blowdown" departs from the author's other works in that much of it reads as a biopic. We are given a "Reader's Digest" biography of a young Greek-American man raised in 1930s/1940s Washington. While it is all not uninteresting even fans of the author will find it to be a prosaic. Fortunately halfway through the book all the characters from this man's childhood come together for a very violent, and well-written, conclusion. The author deftly tackles subjects like loyalty and personal ethics along the way.
Bottom line: despite its slow start this book ultimately comes together with "oomph". Recommended.
Rated by buyers -
This is the fourth Pelecanos book I have read and I have to say I was blown away. No pun intended with regard to the title of the book.
Pete Karras has to be one of the most complete and flawed characters I have read in a long time. His constant struggle in life (from surviving the battle in Leyte to surviving the beating he received from members of organized crime) makes him all that more appealing. He is always searching for the meaning of his life.
This book just reaches out and hits in the gut. Pelecanos really does transport you back to the 40s. I felt like I was there as much as when I read Chandler.
Couldn't put this one down. A must read. I enjoyed this one more than Right as Rain and Hell to Pay combined. And both of those books were excellent also.
I'll have to rent an old John Hodiak movie to see what he looks like since Pete favors Hodiak.
Thanks for a great read.
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