tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5401124973760279564.post8547265141430444910..comments2023-12-31T00:21:10.591-05:00Comments on The Education of a Pulp Writer: Friday's Forgotten Books: The Big Knockover by Dashiell HammettDavid Cranmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04749857752139212888noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5401124973760279564.post-73027467809449106932009-05-03T18:33:00.000-04:002009-05-03T18:33:00.000-04:00Fred, You have Asner stuck in my brain now because...Fred, You have Asner stuck in my brain now because you're right. That's him.<br /><br />I actually take notes reading Hammett and jot down the way he words a phrase or specific dialogue etc. Amazing talent.David Cranmerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04749857752139212888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5401124973760279564.post-66509759774806779552009-05-03T11:08:00.000-04:002009-05-03T11:08:00.000-04:00Hammett was the best, period, and every time I re-...Hammett was the best, period, and every time I re-read his stories, I always find something that I hadn't noticed before. Always thought that Ed Asner as he looked in supporting roles in the '60s (KID GALAHAD, EL DORADO, GUNN)fit my mental picture of the Op as self-described in the stories.Fred Blosserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07307848103704970189noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5401124973760279564.post-1817300920686425072009-05-01T11:11:00.000-04:002009-05-01T11:11:00.000-04:00Ray, Maybe this collection is under a different ti...Ray, Maybe this collection is under a different title in the UK. It's worth digging around for. <br /><br />Archavist, I would recommend reading THE THIN MAN first. THE MALTESE FALCON is undeniably more popular, but there's something about the banter between Nick and Nora that makes THIN MAN my favorite Hammett novel.David Cranmerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04749857752139212888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5401124973760279564.post-11112640562744437062009-05-01T10:24:00.000-04:002009-05-01T10:24:00.000-04:00I've only every read a couple of shorts by the gre...I've only every read a couple of shorts by the great man - shock, horror. I know but I have several of his book and plan to finally get around to discovering them all when I get time.Gary Dobbs/Jack Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10935686140719743351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5401124973760279564.post-79413252056608025112009-05-01T08:25:00.000-04:002009-05-01T08:25:00.000-04:00I like Hammett's shorts but I don't recall this ti...I like Hammett's shorts but I don't recall this title. Will have to hunt it down.Rayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18154296143024548830noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5401124973760279564.post-12200468952246177512009-05-01T04:18:00.000-04:002009-05-01T04:18:00.000-04:00Randy, You certainly saved the best for last with ...Randy, You certainly saved the best for last with Falcon. I do have Spade and Archer and it will a nice alternative and many friends have said it's good. Sidebar: I was thrilled when Chandler's Poodle Springs was released and I read those first four chapters at least a dozen times before I went ahead and finished the Parker chapters. Nirvana circa 1989.David Cranmerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04749857752139212888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5401124973760279564.post-72675638484457654942009-05-01T04:01:00.000-04:002009-05-01T04:01:00.000-04:00I finished Hammett last year. The last book I kept...I finished Hammett last year. The last book I kept for a few years before finally deciding to read it was The Maltese Falcon of all of them. No new Hammett left, but I do have the new Spade and Archer(as close as I can get to more Hammett). Maybe I'll hold it awhile before knocking it out.Randy Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04738462837640721126noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5401124973760279564.post-53616985340860962932009-05-01T03:54:00.000-04:002009-05-01T03:54:00.000-04:00Scott, You’re absolutely on the money that The Op ...Scott, You’re absolutely on the money that The Op is nicely grounded. But Hammett to me is all about his illustrative prose and I actually take notes reading D.H. <br /><br />Cloudia, He was a one man tango.<br /><br />Charles, I still have Agatha left and many like Fredric Brown, Roger Torrey, Norbert Davis..<br /><br />Cullen, You will enjoy and I’m looking forward to your scholarly take.David Cranmerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04749857752139212888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5401124973760279564.post-14871108866193635332009-05-01T01:26:00.000-04:002009-05-01T01:26:00.000-04:00I know what you mean about stretching out Hammett'...I know what you mean about stretching out Hammett's work - I've been taking my time working through his catalog, as I'm always excited by the prospect that there is something out there I haven't read yet. BIG KNOCKOVER is sitting on my shelf, and now that I've read your review I'm certain to read it pretty soon.Cullen Gallagherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14236957954996740924noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5401124973760279564.post-20162700482501854542009-05-01T00:18:00.000-04:002009-05-01T00:18:00.000-04:00I'm lucky, I still have some Hammett left.I'm lucky, I still have some Hammett left.Charles Gramlichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02052592247572253641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5401124973760279564.post-11439667853971741522009-04-30T22:45:00.000-04:002009-04-30T22:45:00.000-04:00Dash was a Writer!
Aloha, DavidDash was a Writer!<br />Aloha, DavidCloudiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05853753108637831069noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5401124973760279564.post-63489856599446552462009-04-30T20:48:00.000-04:002009-04-30T20:48:00.000-04:00The biggest thing I enjoy about the Op is that he'...The biggest thing I enjoy about the Op is that he's not superhuman. He actually gets worried about his health (Red Harvest) and occasionally queasy about dead bodies ("Bodies Piled Up"). That makes him much more human in my eyes even if he never did have a name. Moreover, you read his description of himself and he not really the handsome, dashing Bogart type. Another plus.<br /><br />I've yet to read many of the Hammett shorts so I still have a way to go. But I understand your reluctance NOT to finish a book/work/collection by a dead writer. It's a sad thing to say, "Yeah, I've read it all."Scott D. Parkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15293540073601809197noreply@blogger.com