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RARA-AVIS: Donald Hamilton
I've already mentioned on this list that Hamilton is one of my favorite
authors. This weekend I bought the entire Matt Helm series up to _The
Terrorizers_ all first (or early) printings, all in NF condition, to
replace my old reading copies. 50 cents each. I also got a beautiful
copy of _Assasins Have Starry Eyes_, ditto. My real Hamilton coup
occurred earlier this month, however: I bought an exceptional copy of
Hamilton's first book, _Date With Darkness_ from 1947--this book isn't a
big-ticket item, but I've never seen another copy offered anywhere.
Hamilton is unfairly ignored, in my opinion. Everything I've ever read
by him is intelligent and exciting, and his style is lean and definitely
hard-boiled. As a phenomenon, James Bond overshadowed Matt Helm, and
that was to Hamilton's detriment. However, I think that Dean Martin's
portrayal of Matt Helm as a boozy buffoon in that series of awful movies
is what really killed Hamilton's reputation.
--
James Stephenson
Rare Books & Special Collections Cataloger
University of Maryland at College Park
Email: js272@umail.umd.edu
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