It was really sad to hear that Elmore Leonard passed away today. I regard him as one of the true masters of crime writing, especially in terms of populating his novels with memorable character. Much like the Coen brothers, he just had a knack for crafting nuanced, quirky individuals that jumped off the page. It doesn’t hurt that he completely redefined crime fiction and had a writing career that spanned sixty years either (Did you know he even wrote the short story that the original 3:10 to Yuma was based on?). I’m certainly glad Justified is getting its just due on television as it is a testament to his ability to create riveting and involving stories. Raylan Givens has to be one of my favorite characters of all time and when all is said and done, I think Leonard’s creations will stand the test of time. RIP, Elmore. (nytimes)