Main characters in books that smoke a pipe?

[Thisisme]

I thought it would be interesting to get a list together of main characters in books that smoke a pipe. Of course, Sherlock Holmes is obvious, but I am more interested in less famous ones.

For example, Ralph McInerny's character Father Roger Dowling in his series of "Father Dowling Mysteries". The author makes frequent reference to the pipe.

[Mad Hatter]

Quintus "Fiver" Ells - Old Glory and the Real-Time Freaks

[ghe]

Philip Marlowe was a pipe smoker (as was his creator, Raymond Chandler).

[bazookajoe]

Inspector Maigret of the Maigret mysteries by Georges Simenon

The Official Maigret Site - Inspector Maigret - Maigret the Man

[drastic_quench]

In a new book that just came out in 08, Leif Enger's So Brave, Young, and Handsome, one of the main characters, Glendon Hale, is often mentioned to be lighting up his little briar.

[nuke999]

The characters of The Lord of the Rings. Gandalf, Aragorn, and all of the hobbits.

[JacksonCognac]

I'm reading "Zorba The Greek" - I'm not very far along and there has already been several pipe references and even a cool quote about pipes that I should probably throw in my signature.

[morefifemusicanyone]

Originally Posted by drastic_quench

In a new book that just came out in 08, Leif Enger's So Brave, Young, and Handsome, one of the main characters, Glendon Hale, is often mentioned to be lighting up his little briar.

I grew up near Lief, though I have never read his stuff. We were friends with his kids.

How is the book? I hear they are making a movie of Peace Like a River.

On topic --->>> I am reading through the Wheel of Time Series. All of the male characters in that book smoke a pipe at one time or another. Thumbing in the tobac is somewhat the expression Robert Jordan usually uses.

[Requiem]

If it is of interest, in comic books/graphic novels, particullary in the mid 20th century ones, there are a lot of pipe smokers, like Captain Haddock (from Tintin) depicted in my avatar, Popeye, almost all the characters in Blake and Mortimer (including those two), Max Friedman (from italian artist V. Giardino).
In the future I´ll probably run an exhaustive list of pipe smokers in comics.

[Mad Hatter]

Some of the characters in the fantasy series Thieves' World smoked pipes but they also did herf and other drugs so there's no telling what was in their pipes.

[paperairplane]

Originally Posted by morefifemusicanyone

.....
On topic --->>> I am reading through the Wheel of Time Series. All of the male characters in that book smoke a pipe at one time or another. Thumbing in the tobac is somewhat the expression Robert Jordan usually uses.

Stop now... save yourself... no good comes from that end. I promised that I would stop referring to him as THJ (The Hated Jordan) now that he is deceased. I will also not give my usual WOT related rants, again in respect to the deceased.

However, I will state that I think he died on purpose. He knew that after book 7 there was no way he would ever be able to tie up all the loose ends and have a satisfactory conclusion. Sure, he could have been like King and the Dark Tower and just gone "Ta-DA!!!" here's an ending. But to get a true, well done conclusion to that series would take a minimum of 5 more books - and I mean WOT, 750+ page books. So rather than face all of us readers, who spent years and years following his story - he bailed.

Sure, he dictated his outline to some friends, sure they could has something together.... ever read the Dune books not written by Frank... the old talent level drops off a fair bit.

[Mad Hatter]

Originally Posted by paperairplane

Stop now... save yourself... no good comes from that end. I promised that I would stop referring to him as THJ (The Hated Jordan) now that he is deceased. I will also not give my usual WOT related rants, again in respect to the deceased.

However, I will state that I think he died on purpose. He knew that after book 7 there was no way he would ever be able to tie up all the loose ends and have a satisfactory conclusion. Sure, he could have been like King and the Dark Tower and just gone "Ta-DA!!!" here's an ending. But to get a true, well done conclusion to that series would take a minimum of 5 more books - and I mean WOT, 750+ page books. So rather than face all of us readers, who spent years and years following his story - he bailed.

Sure, he dictated his outline to some friends, sure they could has something together.... ever read the Dune books not written by Frank... the old talent level drops off a fair bit.

I have to agree. I called it quits when Ren(?) became the Dragon Reborn but then again RJ had an uphill climb to reclaim his dignity IMO after the liberties he took with Conan. Then again long series of fat books and I aren't long in parting company. With Terry Brooks I didn't go past the Elfstones nor The Black Unicorn, Saberhagen I only made it to the Third Book and Glen Cook I stopped at the 3rd Book of the South, which BTW kudos for pipesters and pipe smoking in Anals of the Black Company.

[morefifemusicanyone]

Originally Posted by paperairplane

Stop now... save yourself... no good comes from that end. I promised that I would stop referring to him as THJ (The Hated Jordan) now that he is deceased. I will also not give my usual WOT related rants, again in respect to the deceased.

However, I will state that I think he died on purpose. He knew that after book 7 there was no way he would ever be able to tie up all the loose ends and have a satisfactory conclusion. Sure, he could have been like King and the Dark Tower and just gone "Ta-DA!!!" here's an ending. But to get a true, well done conclusion to that series would take a minimum of 5 more books - and I mean WOT, 750+ page books. So rather than face all of us readers, who spent years and years following his story - he bailed.

Sure, he dictated his outline to some friends, sure they could has something together.... ever read the Dune books not written by Frank... the old talent level drops off a fair bit.

Originally Posted by Mad Hatter

I have to agree. I called it quits when Ren(?) became the Dragon Reborn but then again RJ had an uphill climb to reclaim his dignity IMO after the liberties he took with Conan. Then again long series of fat books and I aren't long in parting company. With Terry Brooks I didn't go past the Elfstones nor The Black Unicorn, Saberhagen I only made it to the Third Book and Glen Cook I stopped at the 3rd Book of the South, which BTW kudos for pipesters and pipe smoking in Anals of the Black Company.

*Begin Rant*



I agree with both of you two. I am on book six or seven (can't remember atm because I am listening to them on CD as I commute) and I am noticing how things are unraveling.

Jordan's blatant rip from every fantasy book written in the last century is clearly inexcusable.

I particularly take issue with much of his "borrowing" from J.R.R. Tolkien (Lord of The Rings, Hobbit, Silmarillion, Etc.) and Frank Herbert (Dune Series, sans bastardizations from his son and Kevin Anderson). I am a VERY AVID fan of the Dune Series. The similarities between WOT and Dune are uncanny (there are even several websites dedicated to the topic).

Granted, all writing is plagiarism in some senses, but putting a twist on it or making it your own is a good idea.

Though each successive book feels like more of a regurgitation of the previous books material.

I am also sick of how patronizing the books are in their assumption that the reader has read non of the previous books. Take out all of the restatement and the books would be 3/4 or 1/2 the number of pages.


That said, I am still enjoying the story moderately. Nothing else has really grabbed my attention. Maybe it's time to read the Silmarillion again.

Actually though, I just got Children of Hurin. I might have to pick that one up unless I can convince the wife to read the Silmarillion with me.

*End Rant*

[morefifemusicanyone]

Originally Posted by paperairplane

ever read the Dune books not written by Frank... the old talent level drops off a fair bit.

I just noticed this part of your post and had to again reiterate my .02.

[Mad Hatter]

Fifemusic you should try reading The Iron Tower Trilogy if you want a rewriting of LOTR. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Iron_Tower I think the warrows smoked pipes too (as if there's any doubt that small detail got overlooked in the plaguerizing process 'cause I don't think any other did).