Help with the "Dresden Files"
 

I'm currently reading the "Dresden Files" books. I'm very much enjoying them, but there's one thing I'm curious about. There are frequent references to Harry Dresden's coat being a "duster". What is a "duster"? It's not a word I'm familiar with (in the context of coats, anyway!).

I'd appreciate any enlightenment on the matter :).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duster_(clothing)

There, fixed the dead link. :)
(And it is a loose-fitting long coat).

Aha! Those long coats they wear in cowboy films! Thank you :).

Yes - it was meant to be worn on horse back - has a slit back so that the back panels could follow and protect the legs. In American culture, it has continued to be associated with modern incarnations of "the lone gunslinger" - on motorcycle or on foot.

A duster is a light, loose-fitting long coat.

The original dusters were full-length, light-colored canvas or linen coats worn by horsemen to protect their clothing from trail dust. These dusters were typically slit up the back to hip level for ease of wear on horseback and were the recommended "uniform" for Texas Rangers. Dusters intended for riding may have features such as a buttonable rear slit and leg straps to hold the flaps in place. For better protection against rain, dusters were made from oilcloth and later from waxed cotton.

At the turn of the twentieth century, both men and women wore dusters to protect their clothes when riding in open motorcars on the dirt roads of the day.

cover art by christian mcgrath
 

Shock horror.....
 

[QUOTE=HarryT.......... What is a "duster"? It's not a word I'm familiar with (in the context of coats, anyway!).
I'd appreciate any enlightenment on the matter :).[/QUOTE]

Harry, there's a vast gap in your entertainment upbringing ! ;)

Clint "The Man with No Name" hardly took his off - and Lee Van Cleef slept in his many a time ................ :cowboy:

Personally, I think it's just 'cos they're always......dusty. :smack:

Duster + Cowboy hat = Sexy!! :)

I just finished the first omnibus (1-6) myself. Definitely an enjoyable read that I could help but gobble up quickly.

Probably not much of a surprise, but I also watched the few episodes they made of the TV show adaption over the weekend, and it was quite disappointing. They completely sucked the humour and fun out of it :-(

interesting....
 

i really don't agree and neither does jim butcher, who actually appeared in an episode as a morgue attendant and supported the series during the filming. of course, one difference between your experience and mine is that i saw the entire tv series before i began reading the novels and since then i've read all 13 of them + side jobs + some other dresden short stories that have appeared elsewhere. i'm grateful for the tv series for introducing me to the books and i watch it over again from time to time.

Yes, thanks, I know what they are, now. I just didn't know that that's what they were called :).

I really enjoyed this series and really don't like to wait for the next book. You can also read his Codex Alera series. It reads totally different, but I found it also to be good reading.

The duster is quite an important asset of his character in my opinion, so I understand that you asked the question.

Always good to have more Dresden fans.

My perceptions are coloured by having seen the TV series before reading the books, so my mental pictures of the characters are of the actors. Enjoyed both, does anyone know if there will be a second TV series?

I'm deliberately avoiding the TV series until after I've read the books.