RARA-AVIS: Re: Dash Hammett et al.

From: Vince Emery (vince@emery.com)
Date: 16 Sep 2010

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    Matt Racicot asked:

    > Hey gang, I'm looking for the skinny (couldn't help it;) on biographies
    (Dash, Cain, Chandler) revealing each writers' process.

    My reply:

    Matt, for Hammett biographies you can start with my list of 16 books and 1 DVD about Hammett on Amazon:

    http://www.amazon.com/16-books-and-1-DVD-about-Dashiell-Hammett/lm/R1W6AV47M JUFTA

    I listed the titles about Hammett in order of importance (my opinion).

    For Chandler bios, the one that started it all is Frank MacShane's "Life of Raymond Chandler." Tom Hiney's "Raymond Chandler" is error-filled. Much better (and more fun) is Robert Moss' "Raymond Chandler: A Literary Reference." Matthew Bruccoli put together an 80-page useful section on Chandler in "Hardboiled Mystery Writers" (which also includes a longer section on Hammett). I've heard good things about "The Long Embrace: Raymond Chandler and the Woman He Loved" by Judith Freeman, but haven't read it yet.

    I haven't found much about Paul Cain. Possibly the best is the short bio of him in William F. Nolan's book "The Black Mask Boys" (which is both informational and one heckuva fun book to read).

    Cheers,

    Vince Emery

    Vince Emery Productions Publisher:
    - THE DASHIELL HAMMETT TOUR by Don Herron
    - DISCOVERING THE MALTESE FALCON AND
      SAM SPADE edited by Richard Layman
    - HAMMETT'S MORAL VISION
      by George J. "Rhino" Thompson
    - LOST STORIES by Dashiell Hammett

    www.emerybooks.com Box 460279, San Francisco, CA 94146 USA vince@emery.com     Phone 1.415.337.6000

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