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Dashiell Hammett was born in 1894, and died in 1961. Among many other jobs, he worked for seven years with The Pinkerton Detective Agency. He developed much of his insight and underworld Point of View during this period of his life, although his varied background allowed him to write credibly about any scene or situation.
I use the word scene because Hammett could portray scenes with his words in such an evocative way, that you can't help but picture them in your mind. Hammett did with his prose what no artist could ever do with a brush. No paintings are hung in the galleries of my mind, but many of Hammett's scenes still play in my head.
Hammett's characters outlive him. Sam Spade (The Maltese Falcon), Nick and Nora Charles (The Thin Man), and the nameless detective who appeared in so many of Hammett's short stories and novels (dubbed "The Continental Op). Meet them now. If You wish to purchase a book or video, click on the title or picture, and you will go to Amazon.com. Please use your back button to return here. Enjoy!
The Maltese Falcon
For most people, This is the only Sam Spade story. Spade appeared in one other
novella and two short stories, but
The Maltese Falcon is the defining Sam Spade story. If you have
only seen the movie, you have missed some of the crucial life-defining wisdom
Hammett has to share. Look for the passage about Flitcraft, a man who left
his wife and ordinary life to start over. It was left out of the movie for
time reasons, and it doesn't affect the plot, but it does a lot to explain how
we can't get away from ourselves, and why Spade can't run away with
Brigid O'Shaughnessy. An excellent book.
The Maltese Falcon (1941)
The movie version is also excellent. It was filmed in black and white on
purpose. Don't waste your time on the colorized version. The visuals are
best in black and white.
The Thin Man
Nick and Nora Charles! Clever, witty, terribly in love, and drawn into a mystery by circumstance. It was made into a very successful movie, followed by many sequels, but this is the only book about Nick and Nora.
Nick Charles is not The Thin Man , by the way. Nick and Nora are searching for The Thin Man . A delightful book.
The Thin Man
The movie is delightful, although it is a different mood than the book. Nick
and Nora's banter translate very well to the screen, and William Powell and
Myrna Loy are perfectly cast. Followed by many sequels.
Red Harvest
Told in the first person (as are all the stories of the Continental Op) Red Harvest
deals with murder, bank robbery, and a town ruled by organized crime.
The Continental Op
An entire book of Op adventures. Includes The Tenth Clew,
The Golden Horseshoe, The House In Turk Street, The Girl With The Silver Eyes,
The Whosis Kid, The Main death, and The Farewell Murder.
The Big Knockover : Selected Stories and Short Novels
More of The Continental Op. Includes The Gutting Of Couffignal,
Fly paper, The Scorched Face, This King Business, The Gatewood Caper,
Dead Yellow Women, Corkscrew, Tulip (Not an Op story), The Big Knockover,
and $106,000 Blood Money.
The Dain Curse
The Continental Op solves a murder and helps a wealthy girl kick a drug habit.
The Glass Key
One of my favorites. Moral ambiguity surrounds our hero Ned Beaumont,
but he remains true to his friends and his personal moral code. Political
corruption, A beautiful blonde, and intrigue. The only Ned Beaumont novel.
The Glass Key (1942)
Not a bad adaptation. William Bendix is marvelous as a tough thug. Alan Ladd
is heroic and romantic as Ned Beaumont, and of course does the obligatory
shirtless scene. Too bad Veronica Lake stays clothed. She is wonderful as the vulnerable yet
dangerous blonde. These kind of movies are what black and white film is made
for.
Woman in the Dark
Originally published in 3 installments in Liberty magazine in April 1933
. Appeared after all the other novels. Long forgotten, but worth a read for
Hammett's portrayal of well-to-do crooks and working-class good guys.
Where to Next?
Kree-Lah The Warrior
Raymond Chandler
Calvin and Hobbes
The Calvin and Hobbes Compendium!
