Book Description

Customer Reviews (4)

Her Father's Daughter
One star is for the lovely photographs (many of which I've never seen in any other Hammett or Hellman biography or memoir) and the other is for the candor with which the author speaks of her father.Unfortunately, she doesn't really go into much depth about their relationship and deals with her sister, Mary, and that relationship in a superficial fashion. The author has an idealized and rather limited view of the relationship between her parents.Josephine Hammett reveals more of herself, and evokes more sympathy for what could have been between father and daughter, rather than shed any new light on Hammett, the man or the father.

Surprisingly Insightful Collection of Memories & Photographs.
In "Dashiell Hammett: A Daughter Remembers", Jo Hammett has compiled her own impressions and memories of her father, in part to dispute some of his more careless biographers. I didn't expect much beyond sentimental and possibly superficial recollections of a daughter who saw her father only occasionally when I began reading this book. I must admit I underestimated the author's forthrightness. Jo Hammett obviously loved and admired her parents, but she doesn't hesitate to speak of their faults. Jo was a child in her father's productive writing years, but in his later years she was his frequent correspondent and link to his family. This book starts with a little history of the Hammett, Dashiell, and Dolan (her mother's) families and general history of her parents' romance and her father's life before he settled down to family life in San Francisco. Jo Hammett goes on to speak of Dashiell's relationship with his usually estranged family, Lillian Hellman, his time in the Army, in prison, his drinking, poor health, and the time she spent with him the year before his death. I felt that I got a clearer picture of Dashiell Hammett's personality from this book than from reading some of his biographies. It is from one person's perspective, but the book is insightful as far as it goes. The text and about 130 photographs and illustrations, mostly from family albums, are printed on slick white paper that displays them well. Fans and scholars of Dashiell Hammett will appreciate Jo Hammett's observations and fond memories in "A Daughter Remembers".

Good but not great...
While I enjoyed this book by Dashiell Hammett's daughter, Josephine, it was not quite what I expected. I purchased Dashiell Hammett: A Daughter Remembers thinking that it was going to be an in-depth biography about Dashiell Hammett.Instead, it is a short book filled with remembrances of her dad that are short snippets and stories and anecdotes.While the book is filled with many wonderful photos, the story skips around a bit and Jo Hammett doesn't delve into any one topic (early years, married life, Lillian Hellman, service years, prision time, etc.) in any great detail.Still, Hammett was a very fascinating character and his daughter tries to give us just a little insight into the real man.She also tries to separate some of the Hammett-myth that was created and perpetuated by long-time friend and lover, Lillian Hellman.While I enjoyed the things that I read, I just wish there had been more.

a distant relationship
Jo Hammett's book about her father, fabled tough-guy writer Dashiell Hammett, includes many family photos and documents never before seen by Hammett enthusiasts.The book, printed on glossy paper, is visually appealing.Jo Hammett's description of her childhood years, when her father's presence was a treat and time spent with him seemed magical, must be weighed against her growing realization that her parents were hopelessly mismatched, that her father was an intensely private man who shared his life with no one, not even his long-time mistress, Lillian Hellman.

Her father found his niche in American publishing, and is beloved by many readers devoted to his hard-boiled style.His family life, or the lack of it, may take some of the sheen from his image.A pervasive sadness invades this book. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (5)

Amazing Collection of Materials on the Genesis and Legacy of "The Maltese Falcon".
"Discovering the Maltese Falcon and Sam Spade" is an amazing collection of materials related to Dashiell Hammett, his greatest novel "The Maltese Falcon", the film adaptations of the book, and other spin-offs assembled by Hammett biographer Richard Layman. Layman states in his introduction, "The purpose of this volume is to provide researchers basic materials useful in studying 'The Maltese Falcon'."Not everything ever written about "The Maltese Falcon" is here, but the contents of this book are remarkably varied. The collection is probably too dense for casual fans of "The Maltese Falcon", but it's indispensable for Hammett scholars and aficionados. The only fault I find is that reproductions of newspaper and other type-written materials are sometimes poor and would have benefited from enhancement.

The book is organized into five parts. The first part, "Detective Days", provides biographical information on Dashiell Hammett, a history of the Pinkerton National Detective Agency, an interview with a colleague of Hammett's at Pinkerton, excerpts from books on criminal investigation that Hammett studied, and some non-fiction pieces that Hammett wrote about his detective days. The second section, "The Pulps and the Making of the Novel", includes a history of "Black Mask" magazine, the historical basis for the Maltese Falcon statuette, comments by "Black Mask" editor Joseph T. Shaw, some reviews of Hammett's mystery fiction, and many excerpts from Hammett's stories that later inspired characters and events in "The Maltese Falcon".

"Magazine and Book Publication" begins with a copy of Hammett's book contract with Knopf and correspondence with publisher Harry Block. There are covers of "Black Mask" issues that serialized "The Maltese Falcon", examples oftext that was revised between magazine publication and book publication, early book jackets, many favorable reviews of the book, Dorothy Parker's tepid review of "The Glass Key", articles about Cecil Henderson's plagiarism, and sales data for the novel. The forth section, "Critical Views of 'The Maltese Falcon'", is seven pieces of relatively recent literary criticism that explore American individualism, Sam Spade's vernacular, the novel as introverted romance, as allegory of international politics between the wars, and the pursuit of tangible wealth, among other themes.

The last section, "Movies, Stage, and Radio: Hammett's Novel in Popular Culture", follows Hammett's life after the publication of the novel, followed by discussions of the script, budget, and reviews for the first film adaptation at Warner Brothers in 1931. More letters from Warner Brothers, title suggestions, correspondence with the Breen Office, and reviews of the second movie adaptation, "Satan Met a Lady", in 1936. For John Huston's 1941 adaptation, there is a letter from Joseph Breen citing Production Code violations in the script, a budget, letters about filming, Mary Astor's recollections of the film, 3 movie reviews, and 4 critical analyses. There is a bit about an abortive stage play and the legal challenges over "The Adventures of Sam Spade" radio show. There is a list of selected publications of "The Maltese Falcon" in the back of the book as well as an index.

No Question Left Unanswered
I love the story of THE MALTESE FALCON, not only as it is told in Hammett's novel but also as it is portrayed in John Huston's movie. I can never read enough about Dashiell Hammett, Joseph Shaw, Humphrey Bogart, Peter Lorre, Gladys George, Sydney Greenstreet, Elisha Cook Jr., Mary Astor, Barton MacLane, Robert and William Pinkerton, John Huston, Lillian Hellman, the Knights of Malta, BLACK MASK, San Francisco after World War I and Raymond Chandler.

This book has enough anecdotes and background material to satisfy even the most ardent enthusiast. My own favorite piece is an account by Mary Astor of her experiences while filming for her role as Brigid O'Shaughnessy in the 1941 version of THE MALTESE FALCON.

A Rare Treat For The Fan Of Sam Spade
DISCOVERING THE MALTESE FALCON AND SAM SPADE is the complete book for the fan of Sam Spade in both film and fiction. Fortunately, a very detailed index is provided which allows the reader to choose from among an array of tantalizing topics.The latter includes an account of Dashiell Hammett's days as a Pinkerton detective as well as his work for BLACK MASK. The author also gives us much information about THE MALTESE FALCON in the movies and on stage and radio.The book represents an admirable effort by Layman and it will be enjoyed by anyone captivated by the lure of this enduring tale.

Dashiell Hammett
Dashiel Hammett is one of my favorite authors, I have all of his stories, including a couple of biographies. I'm also a fan of Noir stories and movies.This is a great book to add to my collection.

A "must-read" for mystery movie trivia buffs
Discovering The Maltese Falcon And Sam Spade is a tribute to the novel by Dashiell Hammett featuring the hardboiled detective Sam Spade and his involvement in the doomed quest for a mysterious artifact, as well as the three film noir movies based from it including the classic that made Humphrey Bogart a star. Chapters tell of Hammett's days as a detective, his publication in pulps, the making of the classic novel, critical views of the movies, the reverberations of The Maltese Falcon in popular culture, and much more. Illustrated with black-and-white photographs, selections of Hammett's pre-publication material, copies of news articles and other primary sources, and much more, Discovering The Maltese Falcon And Sam Spade is a "must-read" for mystery movie trivia buffs and anyone else curious about the history behind a legendary 'hard boiled PI" adventure story.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Satisfactory Biography of Hammett with Cooperation of Family
Among the flurry of Dashiell Hammett biographies in the early to mid-1980s, "Dashiell Hammett: A Life" was written by Diane Johnson with the cooperation of Hammett's longtime companion Lillian Hellman and his daughters Jo Hammett Marshall and Mary Hammett Miller. Johnson has avoided extrapolating emotions and motivations behind Hammett's actions, but instead relied on his letters for insight, sometimes printing the letters in between her prose. The book follows Samuel Dashiell Hammett from his birth in Maryland in 1894 to his death in 1961. Since Hammett stopped writing books and stories in 1934, two thirds of this biography concerns his post-literary life. Johnson discusses the work for Pinkerton National Detective Agency that informed Hammett's writing, but not in much detail. His frequently failing health, alcoholism, and relationships with family and playwright Lillian Hellman are treated in depth, as are his trial, 6 months incarceration for refusing to say if he was a bail-fund trustee for the Civil Rights Congress, and testimony before the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) in the 1950s.

Unfortunately, there seems to be a great deal of information about Hammett's flamboyant lifestyle and politics after he stopped writing and comparatively little while he was a working stiff and struggling writer. He was seen and known by everyone in middle age, but his more productive years were either less documented or altogether simpler. Diane Johnson has peppered her prose with seldom published pieces of Hammett's writing: articles, advertising copy, book reviews, poetry, and many letters, which is informative, in itself, but doesn't affect the writing style favorably. And Johnson has an annoying habit of lapsing into a childish style in which his daughters describe Hammett from a child's point of view, calling him "Papa". The quality of the writing in "Dashiell Hammett: A Life" is mediocre, but Hammett fans will appreciate the information, and the book does benefit from the insights of Hammett's daughters. ... Read more

Product Description
Five complete novels by Dashiell Hammett. Brown bonded leather with gold lettering. Novels are Red Harvest, The Dain Curse, The Maltese Falcon, The Glass Key, The Thin Man ... Read more

Amazon.com
Sam Spade, Dashiell Hammett's archetypally tough San Franciscodetective, is more noir than L.A. Confidential and more vulnerable than Raymond Chandler's Marlowe.In The Maltese Falcon, the best known of Hammett's Sam Spade novels (including The Dain Curse and The Glass Key), Spade is tough enough to bluff the toughest thugs and hold off the police, risking his reputation when a beautiful woman begs for his help, while knowing that betrayal may deal him a new hand in the next moment.

Spade's partner is murdered on a stakeout; the cops blame him for the killing; a beautiful redhead with a heartbreaking story appears and disappears; grotesque villains demand a payoff he can't provide; and everyone wants a fabulously valuable gold statuette of a falcon, created as tribute for the Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV. Who has it? And what will it take to get it back? Spade's solution is as complicated as the motives of the seekers assembled in his hotel room, but the truth can be a cold comfort indeed.

Spade is bigger (and blonder) in the book than in the movie, and his Mephistophelean countenance is by turns seductive and volcanic. Sam knows how to fight, whom to call, how to rifle drawers and secrets without leaving a trace, and just the right way to call a woman "Angel" and convince her that she is. He is the quintessence of intelligent cool, with a wise guy's perfect pitch. If you only know the movie, read the book. If you're riveted by Chinatown or wonder where Robert B. Parker's Spenser gets his comebacks, read the master. --Barbara SchlieperBook Description
The Maltese Falcon is considered Dashiell Hammett's finest novel. The story introduces detective Sam Spade, a man of few words who displays little emotion. Hired by a woman - Miss Wonderly - to locate her sister, Spade gives the assignment to his partner Miles Archer. Archer tails the missing sister's companion, and within a single evening both Archer and the man have been shot dead. As Spade pursues the mystery of his partner's death, he is drawn into a circle of colorful characters: Miss Wonderly, who lies prettily and pathologically about everything; a fat, well-dressed man named Gutman; a jumpy man named Cairo; and an extremely stupid, impulsive gunman. All of them are in competition to find the legendary, jewel-encrusted Maltese Falcon, hidden for many centuries. As they get closer and closer to the statue, Spade gets closer and closer to identifying the person who murdered his partner. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (124)

a perfect novel
All characters are archetypal.The misogyny is beautiful; it might almost be considered A Man's Guide To Surviving the Deception of Modern Woman.The movie was simply wretched compared to this; I wish I'd never seen it; Bogart and Astor were completely wrong for the parts.

The novel is a subliminal expository of Hammett's philosophy; it must be read more than once, more than twice.

This is not mere "detective fiction":this book is about, is a metaphor for, life itself.

Spade, Smooth as Silk
1920's, San Fran. Sam Spade is the quintessential Private Eye. He's bold, cool, clever, and irresistible. The title refers to an ancient jeweled statue that everyone wants. There's a mysterious and innocent-seeming knock-out redhead, a greasy, sneaky Greek man, a corpulent, rich man, and a young, wiry hit-man from New York. The murders are piling up. Will Spade be able to unravel the intricate knot before he himself is implicated in the dirty deeds - or murdered, as well? This is a great book! I can't believe I never had the pleasure of meeting Spade before! He's very cool. The story is complicated and it jumps around; you never know what to expect next. Now, I can really appreciate Bogart doing his turn as the smoothest detective ever!

Classic
I've re-read "The Maltese Falcon" several times.It is excellent -- truly a classic.However, bibliophile that I am, I find I prefer the Humphrey Bogart movie version, and reading the book now feels more like reading a play rather than a novel.

Nevertheless, read the book.

Great Fun Read
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. It took a bit for me to adjust to his style of terse dialogue and, at times, almost overly detailed description. The book was a bit dated, as well, and thus a bit sexist at times. Also: everybody chain smoked. But a fun, fun read..!

Classic mystery plus more
"The Maltese Falcon" is the epitome of the early twentieth-century private-eye detective story.However, is does not exactly follow the usual cut of a mystery.There is no cut-and-dry explanation of all of the characters' actions and motivations, giving the reader more food for thought than usual.The unexpected twists in the plot keep the reader guessing and the unexpected ending keeps the reader thinking!A wonderful mystery.I want to read more of Hammett's work. ... Read more

Book Description
A young, frightened, foreign woman appears at the door of an isolated house. The man and woman inside take her in. Other strangers appear in pursuit of the girl. Menace is in the air.

Originally published in 1933, Hammett's Woman in the Dark shows the author at the peak of his narrative powers. With an introduction by Robert B. Parker, the author of the celebrated Spenser novels. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

WILL LEAVE THE READER IN THE DARK


This is a pretty quick read from a 3-part magazine serial in Liberty magazine from 1933. Granted that has to be taken into consideration, that the story was originally written for a pulp magazine rather than a hardcover book. It is a quick read of only a few hours at best.

But, even at that, this book is very disjointed, offering a very superficial plot at best. A plot, if one can dignify it as having any 'plot', with a wimpish person as protagonist that can be seen in some ways never truly brought to a complete ending. My only hope is that DH was totally blind drunk during the writing of this one. Even his growing love relationship with Lillian cannot save this intended 'romance'.

On the other hand, I can recommend this short, short story for anyone interested in Hammett's work. It will serve at least two purposes: to show how badly Hammett's work was devolving, and also anything by Hammett needs to be considered by the reader who follows Hammett.

It is really difficult to fathom how the same author who wrote The Thin Man and other great works could produce this work full of shortcomings lacking real paucity of mystery. Speaking of works, this story needed a great amout of editing and work prior to its issuing, but that did not happen.

Oh well, every writer has his/her off day and book. Though this story may had made reading sense to the world in the 1930s, it will seem clumsy in syntax and outlook for most of today's contemporary readers. Odd how certain writer's books remain fresh as time passes, while others do not, this one bordering on trite, does not hold up at all.

Semper Fi.

Passable plot, action, & dialogue
Strumpet-in-distress Luise runs across burly ex-con Brazil while attempting to escape the evil clutches of rich abusive boyfriend. Rich boyfriend resents losing girl to burly ex-con.Trouble for the new couple ensues.Serious trust issues abound.

Known for epicurean plot cooking, Hammett keeps 'Woman In The Dark' strictly meat-and-potatoes.

He subtitled this 76 page 'long' story "A Dangerous Romance".Truth be told, this is about as romantic as Hammett's stuff ever got---rough embraces, lips pressed hard and tightly together.You get the idea...except there doesn't seem to be enough of that to qualify the tale as a romance.

Dialogue is pretty faithful Dashiellese, although the 'OGJI'--- the Obsolete Gangster Jargon Index --is as low as I've seen.Less than 1.0 per page.

Regardless of my notions of romance and gangster palaver, this is a fast and satisfying read by one of thebest writers of the genre.But then, any Hammett is better than none.

Brief, but all the best of Hammett
This is a brief story, about 75 pages, but packs in all of Hammett's hard-boiled best. The mysterious, beautiful woman appears one night, with a trail of trouble catching up to her. Our hero, if you could call him that, offers his help without knowing what help she needs. Her past catches up to her, his catches up to him, and hers catches up to him.

He's sleaze but she trusts him, a little. His friends are sleaze but he trusts them, a little. The cops are sleaze, and nobody trusts them.

You weren't looking for the Great American Novel, you were looking at Hammett. It's dark, moody, and gritty, as you expected. but the right people get something in the end. It's not the finest, but it's a godd evening's read.

//wiredweird

Romance Hard-Boiled.
Originally serialized in "Liberty" magazine in 1933, "Woman in the Dark" barely qualifies as a novella. It's more an extended short story. The book is subtitled "A Novel of Dangerous Romance", and some critics have suggested that this is Hammett's least cynical work in its view of love. I don't think it is, but it might be his most optimistic portrayal of love for one of his detectives. "Woman in the Dark" is romantic in its own hard-boiled way.

A foreign woman, Luise Fischer, trying to leave her domineering lover, takes refuge at the home of a no-nonsense ex-con name Brazil. Her lover and his henchman try to coerce her to return, and Luise and Brazil are forced to flee together when the altercation turns nasty. "Woman in the Dark" really isn't a fully fleshed-out story. It feels like a vignette: Lots of texture. Interesting characters, about whom we learn almost nothing. It's the story of an incident and its aftermath among a small group of people. I enjoyed it. I would definitely recommend it to Hammett fans. But this is Hammett Lite. 3 1/2 stars. The Vintage Crime edition includes an inconsequential introduction by Robert B. Parker.

Leaving us in the dark
Dashiell Hammett hit gold with his rough-edged anti-heroes and shadowy plots. But he struck out in "Woman in the Dark," a tepid novella that originally appeared in "Liberty" magazine before vanishing for twenty years. Since this will be interesting only to Hammett completists, maybe it should have stayed lost.

A lovely young woman stumbles to a smalll house with an injured foot. It turns out the inhabitant of the house is Brazil, an ex-criminal who did time for killing a man in a brawl. A thug arrives to bring the girl, Luise, back to the man she is living with -- except Brazil punches him out. Now they're both in trouble... and in danger... and on the lam.

"Woman in the Dark" isn't a particularly thrilling thriller. Hammett's heart didn't seem to be in this tale; it's slow and wandering, and the grand showdown is somehow anticlimactic. What's more, it's very rushed -- it almost feels like Hammett scribbled it out with the intent of expanding it into a full-length novel.

Hammett's gritty, somewhat minimalist writing is a little awkward this time around. "One of the men pulled off his cap -- it was a gray tweed, matching his topcoat -- and..." is only one example of the unusually choppy style. But his sense of atmosphere is still unparalleled, with all the grime, grease and smoke of his urban backdrop.

The characterizations are sketchy at best. Brazil is much like Hammett's other anti-heroes, with a tough-guy attitude over some very intense feelings. Love interest Luisa is a walking paper doll, a typical exotic kept woman who falls for our anti-hero -- although it's never quite clear why they do fall in love.

"Woman in the Dark" is an unusually flat, sketchy novel by a classic mystery author. One of Hammett's few misfires, this is a curiosity but nothing worth getting excuted about. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A wild and Crazy Guy
Richard Layman's very detailed biograghy of world-famous American detective-story writer Dashiell Hammett, written in the early 1980's, is nearly a lost relic today. Thanks to Amazon, you can buy this book, and peruse this flighty gentleman's wild and crazy life. Hammett's 1929 "Maltese Falcon" novel changed the entire literary world, as the first authentic "hard-boiled" detective story. It's success was astounding, and world-wide.Movie offers followed(three film versions were made), and Hammett became very wealthy.Unfortunately, wine, women,and smoking damaged his already fragile health, and eventually dried up-up his writing career.Admittedly wasteful with money, Hammett abandoned his wife and family, moving to New York, and then toHollywood, and installed himself at the penthouse at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel.Working for Universal, MGM, and Paramount Studios, Hammett cranked-out screenplays and advised producers for a few years, helping turn his "Thin Man" into a huge movie hit(He was paid for work on the first three of six "Thin Man" films).Hammett complained that, at MGM studios, he was bothered by Clark Gable and Joan Crawford, who pestered and distracted him.Hammett had many girl-friends, and a long-term relationship with writer Lillian Hellman.His brutish behavior and sporadic drinking ruined his career; and, of course, he had invested and saved nothing.By the end of the 1940's, he was not only broke, but under investigation for being a Communist. Hammett eventually does jail-time for his liberal politics, and dies sadly in debt."Shadow Man" is an unsentimental, detailed report on a true American icon.It is also a valuable lesson for us all. Dashiell Hammett was a poor boy who rose to the top(he earned a million dollars in the 1930's), fell to new lows, and died without a penny.

Samson Meets Delilah, Career Crashes Down
The author was aided by other researchers in gathering facts about Samuel Dashiell Hammett's life. He followed leads, found answers to questions, and interviewed anyone who claimed to have known Dash. SDH worked at different jobs before joining Pinkerton as a detective. He joined the Army in 1917, and contracted a lung disease and TB during the 1918 Flue Pandemic. His disability pension wasn't enough for his family; he studied at a Business College and started to work in advertising. He then began to write for publication. In spite of his lung disease he smoked and he drank.

SDH began to gain success by 1923 with his short stories; he was too sick for any other work. His advertising job ended when he collapsed with bleeding lungs; he also had hepatitis. He renewed his literary efforts, and success followed. He then wrote longer novels, and gained more wealth and fame. He left his family and moved to New York's literary milieu. He indulged in liquor, women, money, and fame; he was "Nick Charles", not "Sam Spade". Drinking handicapped his Hollywood career, and flushed away his talents. Recycling his writings on radio during the 1940s earned him money; this ended after his refusal to testify in 1951. The next ten years were spent in poverty. After his death in 1961 he was buried in Arlington National Cemetery, far to the left of Senator Joseph McCarthy.

(This book repeats sentences on the bottom of page 161.) ... Read more

Book Description
Dashiell Hammett's writing career began with the publication of "The Parthian Shot," a tiny short story in The Smart Set in 1922, and virtually ended when he published 3 outstanding stories in Collier's in 1934. During this period, he published 60 short stories, 5 novels--including The Maltese Falcon and The Thin Man--a few minor poems, some nonfictional prose, and a series of astute book reviews. Though he lived until 1961, he wrote little after 1934 and suffered from alcoholism, tuberculosis, and other illnesses. His influence on other writers, however, and on movies and television, has survived to this day. This reference work is a comprehensive guide to Hammett's life and works. The volume begins with a chronology that highlights the major events in Hammett's life. The bulk of the book comprises alphabetically arranged entries for Hammett's works, characters, family members, and acquaintances. Some of the entries cite sources of additional information, and the volume concludes with a brief bibliography. While the reference is first and foremost a guide to Hammett, it is also a helpful aid to the study of the development of the American hard-boiled detective novel. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great radio mysteries
Dashiell Hammett practically invented the hard-boiled detective genre with such classics as "The Maltese Falcon" and "The Thin Man".This collection of radio broadcasts (part of the Smithsonian Legendary Performers series, with audio quality ranging from merely adequate to excellent) includes a great overview of Hammett's work.The 32-page booklet about Hammett's career is very informative.In 1946, there were three series based on Hammett's characters on the radio -- five years later, Hammett's career was ruined, his radio shows canceled, and he was briefly imprisoned all because he refused to cooperate with the McCarthy hearings.If you love hard-boiled detective movies from the 1940's, get this great collection of radio programs.

The following is a list of the programs on this set:
THE LUX RADIO THEATRE
- After the Thin Man 06-17-40
THE SCREEN GUILD PLAYERS
- The Maltese Falcon 09-20-43
- The Glass Key 07-22-46
THE ADVENTURES OF SAM SPADE, DETECTIVE
- Sam and the Psyche 08-02-46
- The Bumpass Hell Caper 01-16-49
- The Battles of Belvedere 05-01-49
- The Caper Over My Dead Body 11-17-50
THE FAT MAN
- The 19th Pearl 01-21-46
- The Black Angel 07-08-46
THE ADVENTURES OF THE THIN MAN
- The Case of the Suspicious Hangover 10-06-44
SUSPENSE
- Two Sharp Knives 06-07-45
... Read more

Book Description

Term paper due tomorrow? Need to cram for a test? Or just looking for the best information about a favorite literary work?

Turn to "Novels for Students" to get your research done in record time. Brought to you by Thomson Gale--the world's leading source of literary criticism and analysis--this e-doc contains: author biography; plot summary; character analysis; an overview of the novel's themes, style, and historical context; a compendium of in-depth critical material; study questions; suggestions for further reading; and much more.

Why choose "Novels for Students"? Because no other source offers so much in such a compact package. Trust the experts: Thomson Gale--and "Novels for Students." ... Read more

Product Description
2 paperback books by Dashiell Hammet, both classics of American suspense fiction. ... Read more