The Autobiography of Matthew Scudder – Lawrence Block

Lawrence Block is an entertaining writer. My husband (a used book dealer) and I were introduced to his work through a customer and went on to buy everything he’d written to that point (sometime in the mid-1980s) and every book that came out after. So, I was excited to see Matthew Scudder rise from the ashes and I found this “autobiography” a completely engaging story. Block is a writer who keeps me reading and while it’s been awhile since Scudder and I met, I remembered his back story more than I recollect the specific novels he starred in. It was a hoot to have him pull down one of Block’s books and describe how the author got things wrong, including Scudder’s birthday. It was sad and interesting to see him make his way through a rough childhood and not get to go to college when his mother’s death orphaned him. It was fun to have him meet Anita, generally remembered in a sour way when he was in a Block story, but sharing their early love when things went right. It was also fun to have a comprehensive explanation of his falling for, then losing, then falling for Elaine, his partner to the end (well, at least in old age). He is old and that comes through in funny ways that are familiar to us who kind of got old along with him and will be amusing to those who laught at us oldies instead of with us. He breaks the fourth wall routinely,: He is both Block’s creation and he is autonomous. At one point, Block chimes in, conversing with Scudder about the autobiography, a nice conceit. All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this and highly recommend it to Matthew Scudder/Lawrence Block fans.