Book Description
Complete in one volume, the five books that created the modern American crime novel

In a few years of extraordinary creative energy, Dashiell Hammett invented the modern American crime novel. In the words of Raymond Chandler, "Hammett gave murder back to the kind of people that commit it for reasons, not just to provide a corpse.... He put these people down on paper as they were, and he made them talk and think in the language they customarily used for these purposes."

The five novels that Hammett published between 1929 and 1934, collected here in one volume, have become part of modern American culture, creating archetypal characters and establishing the ground rules and characteristic tone for a whole tradition of hardboiled writing. Drawing on his own experiences as a Pinkerton detective, Hammett gave a harshly realistic edge to novels that were at the same time infused with a spirit of romantic adventure. His lean and deliberately simplified prose won admiration from such contemporaries as Gertrude Stein, Ernest Hemingway, and William Faulkner.

Each novel is distinct in mood and structure. Red Harvest (1929) epitomizes the violence and momentum of his Black Mask stories about the anonymous detective the Continental Op, in a raucous and nightmarish evocation of political corruption and gang warfare in a western mining town. In The Dain Curse (1929) the Op returns in a more melodramatic tale involving jewel theft, drugs, and a religious cult. With The Maltese Falcon (1930) and its protagonist Sam Spade, Hammett achieved his most enduring popular success, a tightly constructed quest story shot through with a sense of disillusionment and the arbitrariness of personal destiny. The Glass Key (1931) is a further exploration of city politics at their most scurrilous. His last novel was The Thin Man(1934), a ruefully comic tale paying homage to the traditional mystery form and featuring Nick and Nora Charles, the sophisticated inebriates who would enjoy a long afterlife in the movies. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (20)

Just the right Hammett
This was the perfect vol for the survey of hard-boiled detective fiction I've been doing. A nicely formatted hardcover (nothing's sexier than a hardcover book) with good info on Hammett's life and times.

Hammett Complete Novels
Complete Novels: Red Harvest / The Dain Curse / The Maltese Falcon / The Glass Key / The Thin Man (Library of America) What a great anthology of the works of the father of the modern detective novel. All of Hammett's novels in one book. It does not get any better than this.

The Maltese Falcon
An intriguing plot with just the right blend of wry humor, sex and secrets.

Very exciting and convenient
I do like these stories, though they are so rough! It is very helpful to be able to have them all together in this one good volume, I think. But it is dangerous to read them late at night, because you either get too excited to sleep, or you dream of bad men with their car headlamps switched off in the dark!

The first benchmark
Very nice edition of the master's novels.In addition to my love of Hammett's prose, I am fascinated by the subtle political aspects of his work: he was the first crime writer to question the status quo so frankly.K. C. Constantine said, "The crime writer is society's stoolie", and Hammett is still a reliable informant. ... Read more

Amazon.com
Because he was silenced by illness, debt, harassment, and writer's block for so many years before his death in 1961 at the age of 66, any fresh appearance of work by Dashiell Hammett deserves to be treated with special attention and respect. The editors of this new collection of 20 of his best--and most representative--stories from pulp magazines such as Black Mask in the 1920s and 30s remind us how much influence Hammett had on the mystery genre, both in print and on screen. The opening of the title story has all the impact of a long shot in a terrific noir film: "A Ford--whitened by desert travel until it was almost indistinguishable from the dust-clouds that swirled around it--came down Izzard's Main Street. Like the dust, it came swiftly, erratically, zigzagging the breadth of the roadway." Then, in a perfect jump cut, "a small woman--a girl of twenty in tan flannel--stepped into the street. The wavering Ford missed her by inches, missing her at all only because her backward jump was bird-quick." We know we'll see that woman again, that the driver of the Ford, "a large man in bleached khaki" who carries a thick, black walking stick will be somehow changed by the encounter.

Seven of the stories in this meaty collection are about Hammett's most autobiographical creation, the San Francisco agency detective called the Continental Op, a shorter, chunkier version of Hammett's own days as a Pinkerton agent. Sam Spade, now fixed indelibly in our minds as Humphrey Bogart, stars in three others. There are also two early versions of The Thin Man, Hammett's last detective, and both are more interesting and definitely rougher-edged than the slick Nick and Nora Charles versions, which made the author a bundle in Hollywood. Taken together, these stories will remind the forgetful how important a literary icon Hammett was and inspire first-timers to seek out such other treats as The Big Knockover, The Maltese Falcon, The Continental Op, and The Dain Curse --Dick AdlerBook Description
"Hammett's pioneering hard-boiled style has been much imitated, but the original--packs a wallop."--The New Yorker

Here are twenty long-unavailable stories by the master who brought us The Maltese Falcon. Laconic coppers, lowlifes, and mysterious women double- and triple-cross their colleagues with practiced nonchalance. A man on a bender awakens in a small town with a dark mystery at its heart. A woman confronts a brutal truth about her husband. Here is classic noir: hard-boiled descriptions to rival Hemingway, verbal exchanges punctuated with pistol shots and fisticuffs. Devilishly plotted, whip-smart, impassioned, Nightmare Town is a treasury of tales from America's poet laureate of the dispossessed. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Even Hammett's Leftovers Are Good
The stories in NIGHTMARE TOWN were originally published back in the 1920s and '30s.They run the gamut in terms of quality, with some stories being as good as anything Hammett ever wrote while others, well, there is a reason they were not kept in print.Fans of Hammett will recognize his most famous detective, the Continental Op in seven of the stories, all of which live up to the standards that the Op has set for himself and that we have come to expect.Sam Spade is better known because the movie version of The Maltese Falcon was so popular, yet he was never a major detective in Hammett's fiction.Yet Spade appears in several stories here, all of which do justice to his legacy.

The best parts of NIGHTMARE TOWN, however, are those stories in which Hammett uses a detective that was not part of his usual catalogue.Two stick out.In the story Nightmare Town itself, Steve Threefall uses his solid ebony cane to get himself out of tough situations and to persuade others to see things his way.It comes in handy given that the town he finds himself in (remember, the story is called Nightmare Town) is a cesspool.

Even better is Alexander Rush, the hero of The Assistant Murderer, a crime story set in Baltimore.Rush is an ex cop with a shady reputation who is so ugly and uncouth as to make the Continental Op look like James Bond in comparison.Rush is such a great creation it makes one truly sorry that Hammett did not write considerably more about him.It has been said that Hammett took crime out of library studies with tweed attired and handsome detectives and put it back in the back alley gutter.The Assistant Murderer and Alexander Rush embodies that perfectly and the first page of the story, in which Hammet describes Rush's office and appearance, is probably the best thing I have read in crime noir.

Other stories are little gems in themselves, though again, there is some substandard stuff included here as well.But on the whole this is a very good volume.Any fan of Hammett will find NIGHTMARE TOWN a worthy place to take a trip.

collection of20 pure Hammett stories
Dashiell Hammett put together a collection of 20 of his short stories in Nightmare Town.These 20 stories give a perfect reflection of the classic detective noir genre that Hammett gives life to.
What happens when the only choices to be made do not follow a moral path but are the choices made "between a rock and a hard place"?Hammett is what happens!His men are rough, tough and unyielding.His women are cold and calculating with no qualms about tears being shed to accomplish their desires.The dialogue is succinct. The brevity and clarity of each phrase are the hallmark of Hammett's work.
The last tale, The Original Thin Man is the precursor to his novel The Thin Man which was made into a film that while following his basic work added a touch of levity with the stars William Powell and Myrna Loy.
Hammett is the quintessential author of the classic detective story.

Capable, original Chandler precursor
This was my introduction to Hammett, but I'll now seek out some of the novels mentioned in other reviews.

A collection of short stories from a guy understandably highly praised and acknowledged by Raymond Chandler. He loved the contrast between these gritty urban stories and mannered English country manor crime stories (makes me think of the relish with which so many fans embraced the authentic feel of cyberpunk's chipped, messy worlds (Bladerunner) as an escape from the traditionally sanitised future visions (Star Trek)). Moreover Hammett actually worked as a private detective and was a wonderful source of authentic elements. But these stories are hardly documentary: indeed several are over the top pulp fiction, such as the densely violent title story.

They're a mixed bunch, hardly perfect but always engaging. Some feel a bit like experiments he never quite got back to polishing: a few times I felt he just dumped a couple of pages of explanation at the end of a story when it would have been nicer to have the problem more gradually worked through. That being said, the characters and mood are strong enough that the stories don't stand or fall on some clever piece of detection (although there are even a few instances of Holmes style clever observation and interpretation). Others are classic neat, single idea, lightly humorous magazine stories - such as the self-referencing `Second Story Angel', `Afraid of a Gun', and `A man named Thin' (OK, maybe this one has a couple of ideas). A couple of stories unusually give more thought to feminine perspectives: `Ruffian's Wife' and the excellent, tragic, stinging western style `The Man Who Killed Dan Odoms'. Some are all about mood. Curiously I think I found the only character I'd heard of before, Sam Spade, one of the least satisfying.

Much as he's an entirely capable writer who has his moments, he never soars with wit like Chandler. However here we find the backbone of Chandler's stories (what makes him more than an excellent comedic writer): straight talking streetwise detectives with their own moral code (although in contrast Hammett's guys generally get along well with the cops - although there's plenty of reference to corruption); high density urban living; and a cast of criminals, some with a good heart, grifters, women who've seen a bit much, cops good, bad, and somewhere in between.

These stories are not only worth reading as background for Chandler - they stand alone. Apart from the other merits previously mentioned, they've got that wonderful dark mood.

Words shot out like armor-piercing bullets
echo through the twenty short stories and novellas by Dashiell Hammett contained in Nightmare Town.

Before turning to a full-time writing career, Hammett traveled around the country holding a series of different jobs.Most notably he spent considerable time as a detective for the Pinkerton Agency.He worked in Baltimore, San Francisco, and in mining towns throughout the American west.He was exposed to murderers, grifters, con artists, graft, violent union-busting by the Pinkertons (which he abhorred and which help turn him into a lifelong radical) and corporate and governmental corruption. He made friends with other hardboiled detectives and saw first hand how life was on the dark side of town.He drank in bars that served `hard drinks for hard men.These experiences suffused Hammett's writings and the ultra-realistic atmosphere he created lifted almost single-handedly the detective genre from parlor room mysteries to the very real, very gritty streets of the country.

Although best known as the author of such detective classics as The Thin Man, The Maltese Falcon, and The Glass Key,Hammett wrote almost one hundred stories in a twelve-year period from 1922 to 1934 for pulp detective magazines such as Black Mask, True Detective Stories, and Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine. Many of the stories in Nightmare Town have not been seen in print since their original publication.Some of the stories are rough around the edges but they are all terse and well-written.It is easy to see how Hammett's craft evolved from these short stories evolved into his full length classic.

The title story, "Nightmare Town", is a barn-burner.Steve Threefall awakens from a drunken bender in a small-town jail on the California-Nevada border.The town is violent and corrupt. From the time he awakes from his drunken stupor until the stories climax the reader is taken on a dramatic roller coaster ride.This short story reminded me of a classic boxing match between Marvin Hagler and Tommy Hearns which lasted under three short rounds but which many boxing fans claim to be the most intense nine minutes of boxing they have seen.This is early Hammett and the story is not terribly polished but it is immensely enjoyable.This sea-change brought about by Hammett was described succinctly by Raymond Candler (noted in William Nolan's excellent introduction): "He took murder out of the Venetian vase and dropped it into the alley.Hammett gave murder back to the people that commit it for reasons, not just to provide a corpse."

In "Ruffian's Wife" we see the hard-edged life through the eyes of the wife of a seemingly violent thug.She takes delight in having such a husband and living on the edge of violence, until the violence comes to her door step.There are stories involving Sam Spade and the Continental Op, two figures made famous in Hammett's full-length novels.The cynical world-weary view of the world is already apparent even if it is clearly a work in progress.In an unusual turn the detective in "The Assistant Murderer" is painted by Hammett as fat, squat, and ugly.No matinee idol for Hammett.

The last story is perhaps the most intriguing.Entitled "The First Thin Man", it is an early, incomplete, draft of The Thin Man.The story line is dramatically different even if some of the characters remained the same.Further, Nick and Nora Charles are nowhere to be found. It is the equivalent of a literary archeological dig and well worth the price of the book on its own.

Nightmare Town may not be the best place to start for someone who has not yet read Hammett.Because these stories represent some of Hammett's earliest work I think it best for a reader to start with The Thin Man, Maltese Falcon, and the like.Once someone reads those books I think it a safe bet they will thirst for more.Nightmare Town is an excellent way for someone to drink in a bit more Hammett than I previously thought existed.These are terrific stories.

L. Fleisig

Collection Spans Hammett's Career & Narrative Techniques.
"Nightmare Town" is a collection of 20 stories written by Dashiell Hammett between 1924 and 1934, spanning nearly his entire writing career. Seven of the stories feature the indomitable Continental Op: "House Dick", "Night Shots", "Zig Zags of Treachery", "Death on Pine Street", "Tom, Dick, or Harry", "One Hour", and "Who Killed Bob Teal". "Zig Zags of Treachery", about the apparent suicide of a prominent San Francisco surgeon, is superb, perhaps the best story in this collection. The Continental Op is a character rooted in realism whom Hammett based on a fellow detective from his days at Pinkerton Detective Agency, Jimmy Wright, and on himself. Hammett's second most famous detective, Sam Spade, hero of his novel "The Maltese Falcon", is featured in 3 stories: "A Man Called Spade", "Too Many Have Lived", and "They can only Hang You Once". These are the only short stories Hammett wrote about Spade, who was in some ways the flip side of the Continental Op. At first glance, the two detectives have more in common that not, but where the Op represents the way detectives of the era really were, Sam Spade represents the way they wanted to be.

The stories in this anthology demonstrate the variety of writing techniques that Hammett applied to hard-boiled detective fiction. "His Brother's Keeper" and "A Man Named Thin" feature first-person narration, but are otherwise divergent in style. "A Man NamedThin" is narrated by a poet who is a reluctant detective. I can't say that I like the ornate prose style, but it suits the narrator. "The Second-Story Angel" shows that Hammett wasn't above making fun of himself. The last story in this collection is the first ten chapters of a story that Hammett wrote in 1930 and never finished. The editors have called it "The First Thin Man". Hammett apparently intended the story to be called "The Thin Man", but by the time that novel was published in 1934, he had reworked it entirely. The only resemblance this story bares to the later novel is that one of characters is named "Wynant". "The First Thin Man" is interesting, though. It introduces a new detective, John Guild of the Associated Detective Bureau, Inc. Guild's manner is smoother than than Hammett's earlier detectives. The story is pretty good; it's a shame it wasn't completed. Hammett may have intended to make a novel out of it, but it lends itself well to a novella, which would have taken little further work.

"Nightmare Town" offers a broad selection of Dashiell Hammett's short stories, representing a variety of narrative techniques. All but one ("A Man Named Thin") are from the hard-boiled school of detective fiction, which Hammett invented and perhaps perfected. Hammett biographer William F. Nolan has written an informative introduction to the book. So this is an excellent collection for Hammett fans and and a good introduction for newcomers as well. If you have other Hammett short story collections and are wondering what might be repeated in this one: Nothing from the two Vintage Crime collections, "The Continental Op" and "The Big Knockover", is found in "Nightmare Town". Four short stories plus the novel fragment "The First Thin Man" in "Nightmare Town" are also found in the Library of America's "Hammett: Crime Stories and other Writings". ... Read more

Book Description
(Book Jacket Status: Jacketed)

One of the most popular American writers of the twentieth century, Dashiell Hammett gave us crime fiction stripped down to its most subtle and searing essentials and, at the same time, elevated to literature. The diamond-sharp prose and artfully manipulated intrigue for which he is known are on full display in the four classic short stories and two riveting novels published here in one volume.

The Continental Op, Hammett’s anonymous antihero, was the indelible prototype for generations of tough-guy detectives. Single-minded, emotionally detached, and decidedly unglamorous, he narrates the four linked stories collected here—“The House in Turk Street,” “The Girl with the Silver Eyes,” “The Big Knockover,” and “$106,000 Blood Money.” In THE DAIN CURSE, the Continental Op takes on his most bizarre case, that of a wealthy young woman who appears to be the victim of a deadly family curse. And THE GLASS KEY—Hammett’s own favorite among his works—features his most cynical and morally ambiguous hero, Ned Beaumont, caught in a hard-boiled love triangle. ... Read more

Book Description
"If Dashiell Hammett ends up rubbing (or bending) elbows with MarkTwain, why, probably neither man will mind." (Chicago Sun Times, on Hammett:Complete Novels)

In scores of stories written for Black Mask and other pulp magazines inthe 1920s and 1930s, Dashiell Hammett used the vernacular adventure tale toregister the jarring textures and revved-up cadences of modern America. Hisstories opened up crime fiction to the realities of American streets andAmerican speech. These texts, along with some revealing essays and an earlyversion of his novel The Thin Man, are reprinted here for the first timewithout the cuts and revisions introduced by later editors.

Hammett's years of experience as a Pinkerton detective give even his mostoutlandishly plotted mysteries a gritty credibility. Mixing melodramatic panacheand poker-faced comedy, his stories are hard-edged entertainment for an era ofheadlong change and extravagant violence, tracking the devious, nearlynihilistic exploits of con men and blackmailers, slumming socialites and deadpanassassins. As guide through this underworld he created the Continental Op, thenameless and deliberately unheroic detective separated from the brutality andcorruption around him only by his professionalism.

Steven Marcus is the editor. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Who was that detective?
Dashiel Hammett, along with Raymond Chandler, reinvented the detective genre in the 1930's and 1940's. They moved the genre away from the amateurish and simple parlor detectives that had previously dominated the genre to hard-boiled action characters who knew what was what and didn't mind taking a beating to get the bad guys. And along the way they produced some very memorable literary characters as well. Nick Charles, Sam Spade and Phillip Marlowe are well known exemplars of the action detective. However, on the way to creating these literary works of art Hammett did journeyman's work at the detective genre in various pulp detective magazines. The series of stories produced here in one volume is from that period. Kudos to the Library of America.

The unnamed universal Continental Operative who is the central character of the stories is the prototype for Hammett's later named detectives. He has all the characteristics that mark a noir detective-tough, resourceful, undaunted, and incorruptible with a sense of honor to friend and foe alike that sets him apart from earlier detectives. Although the stories are mainly set in San Francisco the Op branches out to other locales in some of the stories but he keeps those same virtues. If you want mainly well-thought out stories that are also well-written this is for you. Additionally, and this may be as good a reason to read this book as the stories is an early version of his classic Thin Man. A very different take from the one we know and love.

Large Collection of Hammett Stories in One Enduring Volume.
"Crime Stories and Other Writings" contains 24 short stories and 3 additional selections, arranged chronologically, which Dashiell Hammett wrote between 1923 and 1934. The stories all first appeared in pulp fiction magazines and span all but one year of the master of detective fiction's career. "Crime Stories" offers three stories which cannot be found in any other volume currently in print: "Arson Plus" and "Slippery Finger", which were first published in "Black Mask" magazine under the pseudonym Peter Collinson, and "Creeping Siamese". These stories all feature the Continental Op detective, an always nameless, stubbornly practical character whom Hammett based on a fellow detective from his days at Pinkerton Detective Agency, Jimmy Wright, and on himself. Nineteen of this book's stories feature the Continental Op, making it the largest collection of Op stories available. Among the best of these are "Zig Zags of Treachery", "The House on Turk Street", "The Whosis Kid", and "The Big Knockover". "The Girl with the Silver Eyes" is a follow-up to "The House on Turk Street", so be sure to read "Turk Street" first. "The Big Knockover" and "$106,000 Blood Money" were originally a two-parter, but were published as a single novella in 1943. As their styles differ somewhat, the stories are more successful when separated, as they are here. The story called "Women, Politics and Murder" in this volume has been called "Death on Pine Street" in other volumes; they're the same story. It's interesting to note that "Fly Paper" was inspired by two real cases of murder that employed the same peculiar method. Among the five stories that do not feature the Continental Op is the novella "Woman in the Dark". It's mediocre, but has often been published as a stand-alone volume.

The three "Other Writings" to which the book's title refers are: "The Thin Man: An Early Typescript", "From the Memoirs of a Private Detective", and"Suggestions to Detective Story Writers". The early version of "The Thin Man" was written in 1930, four years before the final product was to be published and bears only the most superficial resemblance to the now-famous sleuthing of Nick and Nora Charles. It's a good story that introduces a new detective, John Guild of the Associated Detective Bureau. That it was never finished is regrettable. "From the Memoirs of a Private Detective" is 29 short anecdotes and words of wisdom gained from Hammett's experience as a real detective, first published in "The Smart Set" in 1923. Some of these are very funny. In "Suggestions to Detective Story Writers", Hammett, frustrated by the abundant inaccuracies in detective fiction written by non-detectives, sets the record straight on 24 common errors. This was first published in "The New York Post" in 1930 and isinteresting, if out of date at this point. Editor Stephen Marcus has included a Chronology of the important events in Dashiell Hammett's life in the back of the book, as well as explanations of potentially cryptic slang terms and period references in "Notes", also found in the back.

With 24 short stories and 3 additional pieces of writing, "Crime Stories and Other Writings" is the most comprehensive single volume of Dashiell Hammett's short fiction available. Hats off to the Library of America for publishing 3 stories that are not currently found in any other volume. Unfortunately, you will still have to buy all four collections of Hammett's short stories to get all available stories: this one plus "Nightmare Town" from Knopf and "The Continental Op" and "The Big Knockover" from Vintage Crime. If you don't care to have every story, but would like a sizable sampling that includes some of Hammett's best, "Crime Stories and Other Writings" is an excellent choice. It contains the largest number of stories, presented in an attractive compact hardback volume and printed on thin acid-free paper, making it far more durable than other collections. This is a nice volume for both the casually curious and the addicted Dashiell Hammett fan.

What's wrong with the Library of America?
First they claimto have all of Raymond Chandler's stories in one volume. They don't, four are missing, and just happen to be the ones most sought after by true fans. Not to mention the eight they admit to omitting. They're excuse? Considerations for length and theme, it's true that three of the missing four are not mysteries, and that is what makes them unique. But why did they leave out "The Pencil"? The length problem could have been solved by omitting the section of Chandler's letters, there are whole volumes dedicated to those. And they could have cut some of the essays that are also included in other volumes, and replaced them with other essays that are rotting away in issues of the Atlantic Monthly. And they could have omitted the "Double Indemnity script and repalced it with "The Blue Dahlia" which is out of print.
That is how they messed up their "definative"' collection of Chandler and they seem to have made worse editing choices with their collection of Hammmett's stories. The way it stands now, if you want every story Hammett wrote you must buy this book. It includes five stories that appear to be collected here for the first time. But, then you'll have to buy "Nightmare Town" and the "Big Knockover". Why did LOA do it this way? Why not omit the four stories already available in "Nightmare Town" amd replace them with the three that are missing from "The Big Knockover"? That way if you bought "Nightmare Town" you'd have the twelve remaining stories and you're collection is complete. If they were strapped for space they could omit the 58 page typescript for "'The Thin Man".

Collected Pulp Fiction
I debated whether this should be 3 stars or 4, and decided on 4 because of the creative plots and characters. Dashiell Hammett (1894-1961) dropped out of school at the age of 15, working at a variety of jobs before joining the Pinkerton Dectective Agency at the age of 21, working there before and after his service in the US Army during World War I. He came down with TB in the Army, and continuing illnesses made it difficult for him to work, so he became a writer. He is best known for the "Maltese Falcon" and other novels. He died penniless, largely due to judgements by the IRS for unpaid income taxes.

It is apparent from some of the other reviews that reviewers are unfamiliar with the process of publishing a collection.There are copyrights involved, and it is necessary to obtain permission from the copyright holders, often a different publisher (which may or may not be forthcoming).There are also fees payable to copyright holders, and demands sometimes make it impractical to include material (I am speaking from personal experience).

This collection contains 24 shorter stories originally published between 1923 and 1934, mainly in "Black Mask," with one each from "Argosy," "Mystery Stories," "Liberty," and "Colliers." The 20 stories from "Black Mask" feature the Continental Op, a detective from the Continental Detective Agency who is described as fat but never identified by name - call him "the Fat Man" for purposes of reference. The stories are in narrative form, as told by the main character. There is also an early typescript of "The Thin Man," various notes by the author, and biographical material on his life.

Rather than being literary masterpieces, these stories were written as entertainment for the masses. They are written in the somewhat macho style of that time period, with dead bodies left about the landscape. The Fat Man is not quite Fearless Fosdick, but he survives more than a normal amount of blows, knife wounds, and near misses from bullets. The stories will appeal to those readers who like live action. They may have less appeal to readers looking for high tech (computers, cell phones, etc.). There are interesting references to the time period with people driving Locomobiles, etc., and directing someone to "keep the steam up." A lot of the action is in San Francisco in the 1920's. This was an era before Miranda Rights, etc., when police were more inclined to kick in a door and sometimes slap people aside the head.

There are interesting characters sprinkled through the stories. One man has the ultimate con game, hiring himself out as a hit man and collecting the advance with no intention of performing the hit. What can his clients do, complain to the police? His idea of a money tree is someone with lots of enemies.

Like most collections, there is some variation in quality. The volume is good value for the money with 900 pages of stories. While well bound, the volume is printed on somewhat thin paper which could be easily damaged.

An undeniable "must" for any mystery buff!
Dashiell Hammett was the celebrated author and experienced detective who has been acclaimed as the father of the American hardboiled crime novel. This anthology of his work proves him to be a master of short stories as well. His tales, originally written for pulp magazines such as Black Mask in the 1920's and 1930's, drew upon the realities of American streets and American speech to create adventures felt and sounded truly real. This comprehensive collection from the original texts as they appeared in the pulps is free of the cuts and revisions imposed by later editors. In addition to 24 stories, Dashiell Hammett: Crime Stories And Other Writings also contains essays and an early version of Hammett's novel "The Thin Man." Dashiell Hammett: Crime Stories And Other Writings is an undeniable "must" for any mystery buff! ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (8)

All Right for Hammett Fans
The `Background' by Vince Emery says this book has 21 Hammett stories that were never published in a book or are otherwise unavailable (p.1). The commentary gives the events in Hammett's life. Emery created the book he wanted to read (p.2). Hammett's stories reflect his life (p.3). The `Introduction' by Joe Gores tells of his life as a writer and private detective. He wrote the novel "Hammett" that was made into a film. Hammett's work influenced a lot of other writers (p.15). He quotes Raymond Chandler as to the importance of Hammett (p.18). Gores traces the Hammett influence on TV series (pp.29-30). "A Rough Start" tells about Hammett's life around the Great War. [The Spanish Flu was so named because it was first reported in Spain. Spain was at peace and had no censorship of the press like the warring powers (p.35).] "1922, New Writer" lists "Hammettisms" the recurring style of Hammett. They are all in "The Barber and His Wife".

Hammett's "The Road Home" went against the traditions of detective fiction (pp.76-77). The 8 innovations are listed (pp.82-83). ["Spicy slang"?] `Part Three' contains 8 stories that show Hammett's earliest writings. "The Green Elephant" is an interesting and ironic story. [O. Henry?] "Laughing Masks" shows more skill as a writer. `Part Seven' tells of Hammett's life in the 1930s. Hammett seems to have gambled away much of his earnings. [Some say gamblers really want to lose their money because of a subconscious hatred of money. Would that apply here?] Hammett's drinking was irresponsible (p.290).

In January 1936 Hammett had a "mental and physical breakdown" (p.292). Could this have affected his mind and explain his later actions and loss of writing skills? Hammett was involved with the Screen Writer's Guild in its battle against the mob-run and corporate favored IATSE. Hammett became a supporter of Stalin's policies; his personal life had problems (p.297). Was Hammett embarrassed by the Hitler-Stalin pact? No, he just reversed himself (p.301). Then he flip-flopped again in 1941 (p.305). ["Sam Spade" knew the value of putting on an appearance, but he had a purpose in that.] Did Hammett join the Army to make a break with his past or as a penitent?

One effect of the suit against Hammett was the ruling that a writer owned the rights for sequels to their stories (p.339). His last years were spent in poverty and poor health. He died of lung cancer (smoking) and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery. Hammett's works are still popular today, unlike the then better selling "S.S. Van Dine". Could this be due to the simplicity of the stories? Sam Spade wants to find out who killed Miles Archer. He can rule out Floyd, Joel, Wilmer, and Casper. Sherlock Holmes said that when you eliminated the likely suspects the unlikely suspect was the guilty party (or words to that effect). There is a similar surprise in "The Murder of Roger Ackroyd". [Did that story influence Hammett?]

Hybrid Hammett Biography and Collection of Long-Lost Work.
"Lost Stories" is a compilation of 21 long-unavailable pieces of writing by Dashiell Hammett crossed with a biography by Vince Emery that follows Hammett's life and career in between the stories. I say "pieces of writing" because only about a dozen of them could be called "stories". The pieces range from one-paragraph vignettes to the 41-page story "Laughing Masks". All originally appeared in magazines between 1922 and 1941 and have not been available in recent decades -though "Night Shade" also appears in the "Vintage Hammett" sampler. I recommend "Lost Stories" to Hammett enthusiasts and scholars, not to casual fans. Combining a biography of Hammett with assorted obscure pieces of writing gives less informed readers a misleading picture of Hammett's work, because his best and most iconic work is absent.

Mystery writer Joe Gores introduces "Lost Stories" with discussion of Hammett's influence on 20th century American writers, his style, and themes. The bulk of the book divides Hammett's life into 8 parts, introduced with biographical essays by Vince Emery. Short stories and other writings are included chronologically, in the appropriate sections, often followed by critical analysis by Emery. The first and last sections contain no stories, but relate Hammett's life before he started writing and after World War II. Emery's essays include some info that was new to me in spite of my having read several Hammett biographies. Some of the essays contain too much hyperbole for my taste, however, and the conversions of Hammett's earnings to current dollar values are exaggerated. Emery may be using the unskilled wage rate to convert the values instead of comparing purchasing power using the CPI or GDP Deflator. To estimate current purchasing power, multiply 1930s dollars by 10 or 15.

If you want to make a beeline for the stories without wading through the rest, these are my picks: "The Barber and His Wife", because it's the first story Hammett wrote. The best crime stories in this book are "The Sardonic Star of Tom Doody", "The Joke on Eloise Morey", "Laughing Masks", "The Green Elephant", and "Itchy". Two very disparate stories about a writer are "The Dimple" and "This Little Pig", which comments on a screenwriter's dilemma. "Ber-Bulu" takes place in the 1890s on a Philippine island and is Hammett's only period story.

Hammett Revisited
I have to perfectly honest: after the first chapter and first story, I was convinced that this book was going to be, largely, a forgettable exploration of the smaller, lesser, and perhaps even unknown works of Dashiell Hammett, arguably one of the singlemost unacknowledged literary genius of our times.Hammett's crisp, clean prose has influenced hundreds if not thousands of writers, not to mention the influence his work has had on countless readers of noir and even general crime fiction.Compiler and author Emery points out that the contemporary crime novel really owes its legacy to Hammett, who brushed aside the literary tradition of the elitist ubermensch as detectives and, instead, focused on less honest, far from perfect, flawed central characters who still managed to solve the case without tossing "justice" -- far more important to today's readers than "law" -- out the window.

However, after realizing that what truly mattered here through Emery's contribution was revisiting Hammett's artful prose not so much against the perspective of only world history but equally against the private, personal, flawed life of the author.Stories are broken up with Emery's biographical summation, and it becomes much easier to see how Hammett's own life -- the people, the places, the persuasions both good and bad -- helped contribute to the overall shape and spectacle that was to become these works and the larger works such as THE MALTESE FALCON and THE THIN MAN novels.Hammett's prose takes center stage here, but, under Emery's direction, it shares screen time with Hammett, a writer arguably as flawed as he was gifted.

The final accomplishment here is the principle reason for the five-star review: there's no way any reader can go back and enjoy any of Hammett's work WITHOUT rethinking what influenced the work.The stories will all have new meaning, and, quite possibly, you'll never read one of Hammett's handful of novels without turning back to LOST STORIES to get a better grasp of the personal context under which the tome was written.

For Those Who Want to See Hard-to-Find Hammett Material
Hammett fans owe Vince Emery a big "Thanks!" for putting this volume together.I spent a lot of delightful time going over this enjoyable book and reconsidering the origins of the detective as the focus for a story . . . rather than the mystery.

As the title of this volume suggests, these are Hammett stories that you cannot easily find elsewhere.Since they are not usually available in complete form, these are obviously not his most famous stories.

There are other available collections of the better known Hammett stories (such as The Big Knockover edited by Lillian Hellman, The Continental Op Short Story Collection edited by Steven Marcus, Nightmare Town edited by Kirby McCauley, Martin H. Greenberg and Ed Gorman, and Dashiell Hammett: Crime Stories and Other Writings edited by Steven Marcus).You'll probably like the stories in those collections better than in Lost Stories.

But after you've finished all of Hammett's novels and short stories, you'll yearn for more.And that's where Lost Stories will become a treasure for you.

This extensive volume also contains a running commentary on Hammett's life and times which will give you a good perspective on his career and family life. . . especially through the lenses of being a soldier, tubercular invalid, new husband and father, private detective, hungry writer, advertising man, famous writer, incorrigible drunk and gambler, script doctor and Communist.I found it helpful to know where he was in his life when each story was written.I also appreciated understanding how his earnings translate into buying power today.

I didn't expect a lot from these stories.But I was pleasantly surprised to find that Hammett was always a good writer . . . before he became an astonishingly good writer.

Since many of these stories are quite brief, I won't attempt to describe each one except to note which ones I especially enjoyed.The book begins with Hammett's very first story, The Barber and His Wife, which displays a powerful ability to portray character with a few actions and words.The first published story (for Smart Set) was the anecdote-length tale called The Parthian Shot. Hemingway would have admired such a story.

The Road Home was his first detective story . . . and you can already feel the power of Sam Spade in it.

By 1923, Hammett's skill as a satirist was fully developed in such stories as The Master Mind and The Sardonic Star of Tom Doody.The stories begin to take on a special quality with The Joke on Eloise Morey as he employs stream of consciousness narrative and a dark-tinged sense of humor. Some of the stories seem almost autobiographical like Holiday.Plot lines begin to emerge in stories like The Green Elephant, Laughing Masks, Itchy,Ber-Bulu and This Little Pig that have the germs of full-fledged novels in them.

I particularly commend Laughing Masks, Ber-Bulu and This Little Pig to you.They are the crown jewels of this collection.

Ardent Hammett fans will also cheer for Joe Gores' delightful introduction.

Get these stories!

Extremely disappointing
As a hardcore Hammett fan you are always excited about the discovery of additional Hammett stories coming back into print.Alas, these stories are a real disappointment.There's a reason they aren't in print.Short (several less than 2 pages), mostly disconnected from the Continental Op & Novels that Hammett fans love; they often simply showcase a talented writer's future, much the way some early pencil sketches done by a famous painter are intersting but not worth purchase.The book was written not so much as to present unpublished Hammett as for the author/editor to get his 15 minutes of fame.I will admit, that if you don't know much about Hammett's life the book has some value as the biographical pieces are accurate and interesting.

Perhaps all the Hammett that's worth being in print has already been printed.Put simply, my copy of this book had to be purchased shrink wrapped - and it is obvious why the book was shrinkwrapped. If you had a chance to open and review it before puchasing, you simply wouldn't pay the price. ... Read more

Book Description
Short, thick-bodied, mulishly stubborn, and indifferent to physical pain, Dashiell Hammett's Continental Op was the prototype for generations of tough-guy detectives. He is also the hero of most of the nine stories in this volume. The Op's one enthusiasm is doing his job, and in The Big Knockover the jobs entail taking on a gang of modern-day freebooters, a vice-ridden hell's acre in the Arizona desert, and the bank job to end all bank jobs, along with such assorted grifters as Babe McCloor, Bluepoint Vance, Alphabet Shorty McCoy, and the Dis-and-Dat Kid. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

The epitome of hard-boiled
I've been a fan of Hammet for quite some time and I really like the Thin Man and the Maltese Falcon but my favorite of his is the Continental Op. Here we have a hero whose name we are never told! He is the epitome of hard-boiled, a man who can dish it out as well as he can take it.

The Big Knockover is a nice collection of ten perfect short stories. The first, The Gutting of Couffignal, is the story of a small village under seige and has a neat twist. Fly Paper will keep you guessing.

GET IT- CRIME DOES NOT PAY
Dashiel Hammett, along with Raymond Chandler, reinvented the detective genre in the 1930's and 1940's. They moved the genre away from the amateurish and simple parlor detectives that had previously dominated the genre to hard-boiled action characters who knew what was what and didn't mind taking a beating to get the bad guys. And along the way they produced some very memorable literary characters as well. Nick Charles, Sam Spade and Phillip Marlowe are well known exemplars of the action detective. However, on the way to creating these literary works of art Hammett did journeyman's work at the detective genre in various pulp detective magazines. The Big Knockover series of stories is from that period.

The unnamed universal Continental Operative who is the central character of the stories is the prototype for Hammett's later named detectives. He has all the characteristics that mark a noir detective-tough, resourceful, undaunted, and incorruptible with a sense of honor to friend and foe alike that sets him apart from earlier detectives. Although the stories are mainly set in San Francisco the Op branches out to other locales in some of the stories but he keeps those same virtues. If you want mainly well-thought out stories that are also well-written this is for you. Additionally, and this may be as good a reason to read this book as the stories is the Introduction provided by Hammett's long time companion the playwright Lillian Hellman.

Classic Adventures of the Indomitable Continental Op.
"The Big Knockover" is a collection of 10 short stories, 9 of which originally appeared in "Black Mask" or "Mystery Stories" magazines, 1923-1929,and feature Dashiell Hammett's famous hard-nosed, always unnamed Continental Op detective. Several of these stories find the Continental Op out of his usual element infar-flung or exotic locales. "The King Business" takes place in a fictional Balkan nation of Muravia, of all places, and involves a political coup. "Corkscrew" is so named after an Arizona desert town, complete with cowboys, where the Op has been sent to break up an illegal immigration operation. The Op's adventures with the customary mode of transportation -horses- provides some comic relief. "Dead Yellow Women" takes place in San Francisco's Chinatown, where the mysteries of this immigrant culture prove confusing for the very American detective. I was surprised to see a Hammett detective in these unusual environments, but was entertained to findthat there are thugs and grifters everywhere in Hammett's stories. The Op is never really out of sorts. He may not speak the language, but he's always at home in the criminal underworld. "The Gutting of Couffignal", "Fly Paper", "The Scorched Face", and "The Gatewood Caper" are more conventional Hammett, revolving around the debauchery of lowlifes and the dirty laundry of the wealthy. "The Big Knockover", after which the book is named, and "$106,000 Blood Money" are a two-parter about a spectacular caper in which an army of 150 crooks hold up an entire San Francisco city block and its aftermath. "Tulip" is the odd story out. It is the beginning of an unfinished novel that Hammett started late in life. It is unlike any work that Hammett published. The story concerns two older men, both educated and literate, both with criminal pasts. One is a writer who is working on a book. The other consciously rejected the literate lifestyle many years before, but is always anxious to tell his own story. It isn't very good. The style is tortuous and difficult to follow, the opposite of Hammett's typical lean, direct prose. "Tulip" appears to be an almost ridiculously overt allegory of the author's inner struggles with the value of words versus actions and the meaning of telling stories.

"The Big Knockover" was edited by Dashiell Hammett's longtime companion, the playwright Lillian Hellman, who wrote the introduction to the book in 1965, 5 years after Hammett died. She affectionately describes how they met, their relationship, how he died, and provides some insight into Hammett's personality from someone who knew him well. It's worth reading. "The Big Knockover" is a solid collection of Hammett stories featuring the wry, indomitable Continental Op. Dashiell Hammett was one of the 20th century's best short story writers, and, apart from "Tulip", which is a curiosity, this is classic Hammett and well worth reading whether you are new to Hammett or already a fan.

A great writer flexes his muscles
There are some great stories here.Let's discuss some of them in a minute.First, however . . .

During most of the 1920s and early 1930s, Dashiell Hammett was a compulsive writer and storyteller, possibly due to a personal need to make sense of his world and experiences.Later, he lost that compulsion.Following a brief prison term in the early 1950s (for his refusal to take part in the McCarthy-era witchhunts), he began to rediscover that earlier compulsion.Hence, the fragment of "Tulip," which he apparently intended as an semi-autobiographical novel.One wishes he could have lived long enough to complete more of it, at least.

Now to the meat of this short-story collection from his earlier days.

Hammett's most enduring character, the anonymous first-person narrating Continental Op, is the protagonist throughout.The stories vary widely, from the old-west (but not that old at the time of its writing) atmosphere of "Corkscrew" -- which would later serve as theme material for the novel "Red Harvest" -- to the comedy of "The Gatewood Caper"; there's the sinister undertones, interspersed with more comedic touches and a superb punchline at the end, of "Dead Yellow Women" as well as the total 'shaggy dog story' feel of "The Gutting of Couffignal" (in which everything apparently is intended to lead up to yet another punchline).

And then there's the title story itself, "The Big Knockover," perhaps the pre-eminent 'caper story' of all time: a carefully planned and executed bank robbery which falls awry in a trail of double-cross and deduction, yet which leaves its protagonist at the end to wryly remark (perhaps echoing Hammett's sentiments?): "What a life!"

Note: Subsequent editions of this collection sometimes include "$106,000 Blood Money," which Hammett ill-advisedly wrote as a sequel to "The Big Knockover."Good as this second tale may be, I believe it could have been written just as easily -- and to better effect -- as an independent story.(There is some evidence that Hammett at one point thought of combining the two as a novel.)I much prefer to leave "Knockover" on its own and let it end there, without the more-than-slightly unsatisfactory resolution of "$106,000 Blood Money."

Each story in this collection shines on its own and reveals facets of Hammett's innate genius.

Oh, yeah: There's also a reminiscince by playwright Lillian Hellman, which may or may not have any bearing upon the actual Dashiell Hammett.Decide for yourself.

Novellas from a Private Detective
These stories were written in the 1920s. If you liked his short stories and novels, you will want to read this book."Corkscrew" is a short version of "Red Harvest" - get one gang to attack another in order to eliminate both and benefit a third group. "Dead Yellow Women" is about a scheme to provide cover for smuggling.Some things never change!"Tulip" was written in the 1950s, is partly autobiographical, and different from the other stories; not as good, in my opinion.The monetary figures from 80 years ago are way out of date!

Some of these stories appear to be similar to the turmoil in early 16th Century Italy.Could a Cesare Borgia have planned the "The Big Knockover"?In "$106,000 Blood Money" the Continental Op arranges the death of a traitorous detective, and then the bounty hunter who would claim this reward (leading to a nice bonus later?).

Why have detective stories gone out of fashion after the 1950s?Could a form of censorship be responsible for this (to hide the actions of these secret agents of the rich and powerful)?Are the "James Bond" stories an updated version of the private detective stories?Or have none-fiction writings become more popular since then ("The Invisible Government")? ... Read more

Book Description
(Book Jacket Status: Jacketed)

The three classic novels published here in one volume are rich with the crisp prose, subtle characters, and intricate plots that made Dashiell Hammett one of the most admired writers of the twentieth century.

A one-time detective and a master of deft understatement, Hammett virtually invented the hard-boiled crime novel. In The Maltese Falcon, Sam Spade, a private eye with his own solitary code of ethics, tangles with a beautiful and treacherous woman whose loyalties shift at the drop of a dime. The Thin Man introduces Hammett's wittiest creations, Nick and Nora Charles, who solve homicides in between wisecracks and martinis. And in Red Harvest, Hammett's anonymous tough-guy detective, the Continental Op, takes on the entire town of Poisonville in a deadly war against corruption.

"Dashiell Hammett is a master of the detective novel, yes, but also one hell of a writer."—Boston Globe

”Hammett was spare, hard-boiled, but he did over and over what only the best writers can ever do. He wrote scenes that seemed never to have been written before.”—Raymond Chandler

”Hammett’s prose was clean and entirely unique. His characters were as sharply and economically defined as any in American fiction.”—The New York Times

”As a novelist of realistic intrigue, Hammett was unsurpassed in his own or any time.”—Ross Macdonald

”Dashiell Hammett’s dialogues can be compared only with the best in Hemingway.”—André Gide

”Hammett is one of the best contemporary American writers.”—Gertrude Stein ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

a great collection
The Maltese Falcon is a masterpiece.I love Red Harvest as well.The Thin Man isn't quite as good, but it's a lot of fun.All in all, reading this collection is a great way to spend a rainy weekend as I discovered.

Classic Hammett
Dashiell Hammett is best known as the man who wrote "Maltese Falcon," the classic noir mystery behind the classic noir film. That book is included here, along with the confusing "Red Harvest" and magnificent, polished "Thin Man," two other crime novels by Hammett.

The mysterious "Maltese Falcon" is at the center of international intrigue -- and murder. Cynical Sam Spade and his partner Miles Archer are hired by a beautiful, seemingly helpless woman to find a man who she says has run off with her sister. Not only is the woman lying, but someone kills Archer. A slimy fop, a cultured gangster, and a breathy femme fatale are all in the same web of crime and murder, centered on a bejewelled bird called the Maltese Falcon.

"Red Harvest" is the full-length novel introduction of the cool-as-ice Continental Op. He travels to Personville (or "Poisonville," depending on your accent) to meet a client. Except the client has just been murdered. Rather than go home to San Francisco, the Continental Op meets the dead man's wealthy father, and begins a one-man battle against the vicious gangsters who control Personville. But the death and mayhem draw him in, threatening his life as he struggles to stay afloat.

"The Thin Man" was Hammett's last and lightest novel. Nick and Nora Charles are a wealthy couple who have a weird kind of compatibility, but ex-private-eye Nick is through with crime solving. Or so he thinks. One day when Nick is out drinking, he encounters young Dorothy Wynant, daughter of peculiar inventor Clyde Wynant. Her dad has vanished, and soon his secretary/mistress is found dead. Nick finds himself sucked unwillingly into a sordid, messy crime that will leave more murdered bodies behind it.

This collection shows the unevenness of Hammett's writing at times. "Maltese Falcon" and "Thin Man" are complicated and polished, while "Red Harvest" is a dense mass of shootings, conspiracies and mysterious crimes. What they all have in common is tense, sparse writing, and hardened, cynical anti-heroes who are surrounded by other ambiguous characters.

The three-pack of "The Maltese Falcon," "The Thin Man," and "Red Harvest" is a good way to introduce yourself to Hammett's gritty, engrossing crime novels. Highly recommended.

A classic for every home library
My two favorites in this collection are The Thin Man and The Maltese Falcon.I love these hard-boiled detective novels doubly for their sheer entertainment and their place in history.If you want a fascinating read to go allong with this collection, get The Perfect Murder: A Study In Detection by David Lehman.It will clue you into these novels and life.These classic American Novels by Hammett are about to explode in historical research as these novels create an important link in America from WWII to our morality. ... Read more

Book Description

Amazon.com
Penzler Pick, April2001: What seems a long overdue volume is finally making its appearance. (After all, The Selected Letters of Raymond Chandler was published 20 years ago.) Here, in more than 600 pages crammed with important as well as intimate letters, is a view into the mind of the most important American mystery writer of the 20th century. While I don't believe Hammett could carry Chandler's pen when it came to literary excellence, it's fair to say that Chandler couldn't have published much had Hammett not made the private eye novel both popular and acceptable in the world of American letters.

While I don't recommend starting at the beginning and reading straight through to the end, you can dip into virtually any letter and find an interesting sentence, a fresh way of looking at something seemingly familiar, or learn something you didn't know about Hammett and the people he knew. Take, for example, this brief note to his publisher, Alfred Knopf, in October 1934. The Thin Man had been published in January of that year and was by far Hammett's most successful book. Knopf wanted to capitalize on that success and attempted to get a sixth novel out of his author. Hammett wrote back: "Dear Alfred--So I'm a bum--so what's done of the book looks terrible--so I'm out here (Beverly Hills) drowning my shame in M-G-M money for 10 weeks."

And isn't this interesting? Hammett was stationed in Alaska during World War II and had an active correspondence with Lillian Hellman but also with Prudence Whitfield, the wife of Raoul Whitfield, a fellow Black Mask writer and one of Hammett's closest friends. So Hammett writes to Hellman on May 6, then again on June 3, saying "I know I'm a lowdown bastard not to have written you in all this time..." Well, he was probably right. In the interim, he'd written to Prudence, signing off with "Good night, darling, and much love..." Is there anyone out there who doesn't believe there may have been a bit of hanky-panky with his best friend's wife while darling Lillie remained sublimely unaware?

There's so much more here I could quote for pages. Nice letters to his daughters, Josephine (who wrote an introduction to this book) and Mary; correspondence with other famous writers, his publisher, the editor of Black Mask, etc. There is also a splendid editing job by Richard Layman, probably the country's leading authority on Hammett. His expertise as Hammett's biographer and bibliographer has made his footnotes useful in putting into context the references that may be obscure to some readers.

Here is a book worthy to stand right next to The Maltese Falcon, The Glass Key, Red Harvest,The Dain Curse, and The Thin Man on your bookshelf. --Otto PenzlerBook Description
A literary event: The first-ever selection from the letters of Dashiell Hammett, the genius of American crime fiction.

More than any book before it, this one gives us the complete Hammett, in his own words. Here is Hammett the family man, distant but devoted, sometimes late with the check but never too late; Hammett the student of politics, scanning the headlines from a Marxist perspective; Hammett the lover of Lillian Hellman, delighting in her style, humor, accomplishments but maintaining his independence. Celebrity, soldier, activist, survivor--Hammett was each in turn, but he was always, above all else, a writer. The artist is present in every line, and this book adds to his stature as a classic American writer. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Hammett's Interests & Values in His Own Words. An Excellent Supplement to a Biography.
"Selected Letters of Dashiell Hammett" includes 950 letters that Dashiell Hammett wrote between 1921 and 1960, spanning most of his adult life, from before his marriage to Josephine Dolan to just months before his death in 1961 -though the meaty correspondence stops a few years before that. Daughter Josephine Hammett Marshall started the project, and she nicely summarizes what these letters say about her father in the book's foreword. Editor (and Hammett biographer) Richard Layman discusses the sources in the preface. The letters were addressed to at least 17 different people plus some miscellaneous correspondence, but the most frequent recipients, in descending order, are: Hammett's friend and companion, the playwright Lillian Hellman; daughter Mary Hammett; daughter Josephine Hammett; wife Josephine Dolan Hammett; girlfriend Pru Whitfield; and Hellman's secretary Nancy Bragdon. End notes identify people and other references in each letter where needed.

The letters are organized chronologically into 5 sections, each introduced by an explanation of the circumstances of Hammett's life during the relevant time period. Part 1 (1921-1930), entitled "Writer", spans Hammett's married life, often strained by his tuberculosis and efforts to make ends meet, and the bulk of his literary achievement, beginning with early Black Mask magazine correspondence and ending with editing frustrations at Knopf. Part 2 (1931-1942), entitled "Celebrity", introduces paramour Lillian Hellman, to whom Hammett wrote longer, more formal letters than he did to his wife, discussing literature, career, and mutual friends. Teenaged daughter Mary engaged her father by asking him about the Spanish Civil War and emerging Nazi power, subjects for which he held passionate opinions, so Hammett's letters to Mary reveal his politics and values.

Part 3 (1942-1945), entitled "Soldier", is the longest section but spans the shortest period of time. Dashiell Hammett enlisted in the Army at the age of 48, eager to serve his country in its fight against fascism. He was stationed in the Aleutian islands, where he edited "The Adakian", a camp newspaper with distribution of 3,000-5,000. Perhaps due to Army discipline or the scarcity of alcohol, Hammett was a prolific correspondent during this time. He writes mostly of daily camp life and most frequently to Lillian Hellman, whose secretary provided Hammett with material for his newspaper. Part 4 (1945-1951), entitled "Activist", finds Hammett with a new sense of purpose after the War. He taught mystery writing at the Jefferson School for Social Science in Manhattan, campaigned for civil rights, and became active in communist organizations. Daughter Josephine Marshall was married by this time and a frequent correspondent -also during the 5 months Hammett spent in jail for contempt of court in connection with the Civil Rights Congress bail fund.

Part 5 (1952-1960), entitled "Survivor", is a miscellany of letters that reveal a man with diminishing vigor. He seems to have little strength left for discussions or details but always a warm, supportive word for his family. In the back of the book, there is a list of the books to which Hammett refers and an index (mostly people and titles). I have read 2 Dashiell Hammett biographies. These letters don't change my impression of Hammett, but reinforce it. They flesh out his personality a good deal. He was a talented writer, a loving but absent father, a man of strong convictions (some naive), who never complained through his share of hardships. Constant financial difficulties and frequent talk of writing projects that never materialize may seem pitiful. But they are reminders of Hammett's nagging faults, the sort that every life has.

Looking over the Thin Man's Shoulder
Reading this collection of letters by the author of "The Maltese Falcon" and other great mystery novels provides a revealing insight to the thoughts and feelings of this intensely private man. Peppered with delightful sides of humor it is easily readable. One can dip into one or another of the phases of his life: the early short story years, his service in World War I, fame and fortune in books, radio, and film; marriage, fatherhood, divorce, romances, chiefly with Lillian Hellman, service in Alaska in WWII, his jailing for defying the anti-communism of the 50's, his final illness, poverty, and death. In letters to Hellman, and his own daughters, Mary and Josephine he comments with a a few words on hundreds of books he read. A compendium of the books fills five and one-half pages at the end of the book. There is no explicit explanation of why his voice fell silent after his brilliant novels, but the perceptive reader is given clues in the man's own words, written with no intention to have them preserved for history but fortunately available to us now. ... Read more

Book Description
Short, thick-bodied, mulishly stubborn, and indifferent to pain, Dashiell Hammett's Continetal Op was the prototype for generations of tough-guy detectives. In these stories the Op unravels a murder with too many clues, looks for a girl with eyes the color of shadows on polished silver, and tangles with a crooked-eared gunman called the Whosis Kid. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (19)

Seven Continentl Op stories
These are some of the earliest of Hammet's stories featuring the unnamed 'Continental Op'. The stories are:

The Tenth Clew
The Golden Horseshoe
The House in Turk Street
The Girl With the Silver Eyes
The Whosis Kid
The Main Death
The Farewell Murder

Most of them are good, but the only one that approaches the excellence of the the Continental Op novels ('Red Harvest' and 'The Dain Curse')is 'the Main Murder'. In this story Hammet displays his talent for creating memorable secondary characters and crackling dialogue.

Seven Stories From the Twenties
The "Introduction" is by Professor of English Literature Steven Marcus. Marcus mentions Hammett's marriage, but not the name of his wife and daughters. Why did Hammett become a Stalinist Communist (p.xii)? Hammett certainly knew about organizations and their faults. The story of "Charles Pierce" may be a clue about a person who changed their name and location but not their habits (like Miss Wonderly). "Flitcraft" may be his derogatory term for "alienists" (p.xv). The plot of these stories is summarized: something unusual happens, and somebody will pay money to investigate so the facts will be discovered. The Continental Op (C-Op) is a corporate employee, not an independent businessman like "Sam Spade" or "Philip Marlowe".

Amendment XVIII gave the Federal government the power to control alcohol. It was the Volstead Act which outlawed the production and sale of cider, beer, and wine as well as liquor, but allowed people to buy and drink alcohol (p.xxii). Hammett's idea of organized gangs running society is another word for a ruling class; it is reality, not a notion (p.xxiii). The ban against collecting a reward (p.xxv) is to prevent framing people for a crime. Marcus questions the use of "violence" (p.xxvii); that is the use of lawful force. This "Introduction" isn't important, it is the stories that matter. Hammett knew there were political parties behind a candidate, bosses behind the parties, and wealthy individuals behind the corporations that control the political bosses. "Mr. Smith" went to Washington to find this out.

In "The Tenth Clew" the C-Op shows up to meet a client, but the client has been murdered. The tenth clue is to question the other nine clues. The C-Op learns something on the ferry from Oakland. [Does the last paragraph contradict lawyer Abernathy?]
In "The Golden Horseshoe" the C-Op is assigned to find a missing husband. He does, but when he returns he finds a dead client. The C-Op returns to Tijuana and runs a bluff to shake up the suspects. There is a surprise ending.
"The House on Turk Street" is visited by the C-Op when he is looking for a man. An old couple served him tea and cookies, and then a surprise. While the situation becomes unpleasant, the conflicting interests of the people there allow the C-Op to triumph.
"The Girl With the Silver Eyes" is about a woman who goes missing after closing out her bank account. Her boyfriend is heartbroken, then he disappears. The C-Op figures out the scam and traces the missing persons to Halfmoon Bay for the shocking end of this story.
"The Whosis Kid" begins with a rub-out attempt. The C-Op follows one man to learn more about him. This results in meeting a woman who is hiding. Other men come to her rooms and the story emerges from the conflicts. The police show up at the end.
"The Main Death" was a robbery by two who got clean away from the apartment building. The C-Op talked to Main's boss to learn more about him. After learning about other people the C-Op is able to recover the missing money. The ending will surprise and shock you.
"The Farewell Murder" has the C-Op traveling to rural Farewell to guard a millionaire from an old enemy. When this man is found murdered there are two likely suspects, with perfect alibis. The murder is solved for another surprising ending.

Hammet
A very fine work. Fiction? I am not so sure. A novel, but a very good sense of reflection from the society itself.

Chandler's early work
If anyone else had written these stories, they would have been masterpieces. Instead, Chandler wrote them - they're just journeywork on his way to mastery. Still, this journeyman blows the doors off most masters, and Chandler just got better as he wrote more.

They're stories about a detective working for a private agency. We know his name - heck we know lots of names, just not the one his mother gave him. We know that works for hire, and for people that can't talk to police, for any of many reasons. And we know that nothing is what it seems at first glance, or second, or maybe third. By the end of the book, judgement is permanently suspended. We always know something and probably suspect more, but live in bone-deep knowledge that the next guy who walks through the door will turn it all on its head.

These stories are dark, hard-boiled, and oddly anonymous. The Op has no name, or none that we can trust. His clients and enemies (not that there's a lot of difference) have no names either, at least none that will be the same in a week. And everything, yes everything will reverse itself before the story ends. Except, maybe, The Op, whoever he is.

//wiredweird, reviewing the 1974 Vintage edition, ISBN 039472031X

classicdetective novel!
This is a collection of short stories about the classic hard boiled detective who is tough, detached and in the end successful at solving the mystery tossed in his lap.The dialogue is brief, uncompromising and precise....after all tough guys don't emote, they take charge!!!The language is pure and evokes the 30's and 40's film noir dialogue.The alcohol flows and the smoke encompasses all and the attitudes are....well.........not the kind of thing that would be deemed politically correct!!!!This is a classic detective!!
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Customer Reviews (1)

Best "Walking Tour" ever!
If you can go to San Francisco and take Don Herron's Hammett walking tour...do it! I promise you will be entertained, informed and exhausted (remember, SF is a city of hills.) Don is really an expert on the life andliterary merits of Dashiell Hammett, especially the works he produced whilea resident of this beautiful city by the bay. Over the many years that Donhas guided this tour, he has uncovered (and willingly shares) manyfascinating facts and factoids about Hammett and 1920s San Francisco. Ifyour travels never take you there, however, this book is a worthysubstitute. Beautifully produced and well-written, Don's book is perfectfor the armchair traveller and any hard-boiled mystery buff. ... Read more