First published 1985
Diane Johnson examines the life of Dashiell Hammett, the writer who created the American hard-boiled detective story. Working with full access through Lillian Hellman, Johnson traces Hammett's journey from his early years through his rise as the creator of Sam Spade and other iconic characters. The biography explores his writing process behind classics like The Maltese Falcon and The Thin Man, while also documenting his complex personal relationships and his long partnership with playwright Hellman. Johnson reveals how Hammett's own experiences as a Pinkerton detective shaped his gritty fictional world, and how his political beliefs later led to his imprisonment during the McCarthy era. The book captures both the man behind the tough-guy prose and the cultural forces that shaped American crime fiction.
Genres: biography, 20th-century, american, crime
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: gritty, investigative-journalism
Setting: America
Period: McCarthy Era
Paperback · Seix Barral