Travis McGee

[tomgar]

I greatly admire your writing, especially the Robicheaux series. Dave and Clete are such well developed, unique, and ultimately complicated, yet sympathetic characters. I was hooked on the series after the first read. The first time I was similarly drawn to a series character was when I read a John D.Macdonald novel featuring Travis McGee and his sidekick Meyer. Alot of similarities in the philosophies of Robicheaux and McGee. Have you read any of the McGee novels and, if so, do you feel you were influenced by them ?

[jamesleeburke]

I'm glad you have enjoyed the books and I appreciate your question. Many critics have mentioned Mr. Macdonald's work and its similarity to mine or its influence upon mine. Many years ago, while in a San Francisco book store, I read two paragraphs of one of his books and have never read any of his work since and know little about him, except I think he was a friend of Charles Willeford, my oldtime compadre in Miami.

Best,

JLB

[TomTeryl]

Tomgar,
Having read most of the McGee series...and having read all(exc the latest which im working on) of the the Robicheaux books;I can honestly say that
I find little similarity between them.There may be a few little things about Dave and Clete vs Travis and Meyer that are vaguely similar.But in totality
the two series have very very little in common IMHO.
McGee was a bit like a Bond character;although more of a loner type.-McDonald's books were very satisfying-but were not at the same depth as Jim's books.
Tom

[lucimay]

i'd have to agree with tom. i have read all of both authors (with the exception of rain gods which i haven't got to yet as i'm reading the short stories first) and tho i found travis and meyer entertaining for the two weeks it took me to read through all of them, i found travis and meyer (very unlike dave and clete) to be sort of flat and imcomplete as characters. they're just not whole. more like graphic novel toons.

i just find a lot more depth in burke's writing and characters.

[tonyd]

I'm a big fan of both John D. MacDonald and Mr. Burke, and I half-way agree that I don't see much similarity. But I also think we are overlooking one obvious similarity. Both authors had/have an obvious love and concern for the environment. In some ways, JDM is very dated...McGee bedding down two or three different women a book seems so 1960's, but he was WAY ahead of his times in his writing about how we spoil our earth. When you read a McGee book from the 60's and he's bemoaning the canals be dredged through the Everglades to sell "waterfront" property, it is kind of easy to see at least one connection with the work of James Lee Burke.

[siderussianlegsweep]

After having read of Mr Burke's and about half of the Travis McGee series, I can say that there are some similarities in the writing. Not so much in the style and the atmospheric creations in the novels, but the fact that every so often there is a page/paragraph/sentence in both writer's books that make you step back and think about what you just read.

The characters themselves are quite different. Travis McGee is a man who sleeps with multiple damsels in distress and seems to have a very idyllic life while Dave Robicheaux has a very disturbing life at times.

Meyer is usually a sounding board for Travis's musings while Clete is quite a complete character.

Both writers are first-rate yet different.