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All that said, the quality of the stories varies. Some of the writers had yet to really find their voice and some (especially the older) stories are somewhat by-the-numbers. Nevertheless, the book is an inetersting historical artifactfor those who want insight on how their heros developed. My personal favorites are Block's and Estlemen's. They show again why they are, for my money, the two best and most consistent private eye writers currently working in the genre.
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The book does have some useful information when it starts talking about fitting clothes and finding quality. However, Josh Karlen's "The Indispensable Guide to Classic Men's Clothing" does a superior and more comprehensive job in this department.
The best part of this book is when it starts talking specifics about ensembles. Unfortunately the captions that go along with the pictures often lack details that are necessary for a clueless shopper. If I had a clue I probably wouldn't be looking in this book. What kinds of slacks are those? What color are they? What fabric are they made of? I know that I need to find my own what suits my own style and tastes but give me something to at least start with!
The downside is that this kind of information -- displays of men's clothing ensembles -- can be found in magazines like GQ for a fraction of the cost of this book. If you want to learn more about some of the "theory" of fashion look to another book. If you want more "concrete" examples then leaf through this book at the bookstore...and get a subscription to GQ.
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