Finished reading it couple of weeks ago. The earth did not move.
It is a good holiday/beach read but that's about it for me.
Finished reading it couple of weeks ago. The earth did not move.
It is a good holiday/beach read but that's about it for me.
~
"It is not that I am mad; it is only that my head is different from yours.”
~
I don't mean to be read too critically here, but it seems only kasie made an effort to really discuss the novel. It is something of a happenstance that I have studied Hammett under a number of instructors, and he did more than make hard-boiled detectives into a stock formula.
If I had the time, which I don't, I'd give his work its due and respect.
I've started. I'll make a few points shortly as I get further in. It is an interesting novel. It really formulates a picture of how we see the world which was fairly innovative for it's time.Originally Posted by Jozanny
LET THERE BE LIGHT
"Love follows knowledge." – St. Catherine of Siena
My literature blog: http://ashesfromburntroses.blogspot.com/
Yes, particularly in Hammett's embrace of Manichian tendencies in both his hero and the text itself. That statement ought to keep the gang busy on Google for a few. I have read the novel perhaps three, for times, but I am really under pressure with this deadline, at least for this week, but even after that, I am not up for swimming along Virgil, but maybe I'll agree with you or not from memory; I'll peek in here and there.
PS: If I can really coax my poet-writer friend in here, I will rib him more mercilessly than I would you. Happy? He emailed me back today and said he might join Lit Net because I'M here. Everytime I hear from him he cheers me up immensely and I envy his joy of life. Read my last post here if I am losing you dear, but he has known me 11 years, and survived the association!
His wife is equally charming. We should have an LN gathering one day.
Great on your friend Jozy. Anyone that writes poetry is welcomed and I'm certainly interested. As to Hammett, I will have to look up to see what you mean by Manichian.
LET THERE BE LIGHT
"Love follows knowledge." – St. Catherine of Siena
My literature blog: http://ashesfromburntroses.blogspot.com/
Come back, Jozy, come back - please, what redeems Sam? Is there any redemption for any character or any to be found in that dark world? I wasn't reading at that sort of depth!
Hehe, in short, his personal code.
LET THERE BE LIGHT
"Love follows knowledge." – St. Catherine of Siena
My literature blog: http://ashesfromburntroses.blogspot.com/
But has he got a personal code? Doesn't he revenge his partner's death only because it wouldn't be good for the business to let it go unavenged?
'...When one of your organization gets killed it's bad business to let the killer get away with it. It's bad all round - bad for that one organization, bad for every detective everywhere....' Ch.20
kasie, as much as I'd love to accommodate you, I am trying to whip up a sentimental vignette for around 100USD, and I have the title and one line. Why? I fried up kippers with hash browns last night, flicked my television remote in homage to the uber-reality of digital, popped in here to whirlpool with Virgil, and took an hour to order 100 dollars worth of food to my door, had three cups of coffee, and made about 3 chess moves, stopped to read a few articles, fed the cats twice, watched StarTrek, and by 5am EST frowned at my swelling tullip bulb foot, and wonder if I can get through a paragraph with my ears ringing while the cats are sleeping.
I have only myself to blame.
I personally don't think that there is much in this novel that piqued my interest to offer it a in depth analysis or discussion.
It might be a novelty in the sense that the central character treats female characters like objects or uses them to the best of his ability (as oppose to, say, Agatha Christie's Poirot, who is always moral and respectful). This is not a character trait I find endearing or giving my full attention.
Once I reached the half-way, the story became quite predictable to me as well so there was nothing exciting there either.
The constant description of outfits, make-up and food items made me want to skip passages.
So, I stand by my feedback that it did not impress me.
Having said that I also don't see why I should be in a position to defend my dissatisfaction.
I don't have the time to give this book the criticism it deserves.
~
"It is not that I am mad; it is only that my head is different from yours.”
~
Scher - I think I started off like you: I recoiled from the treatment of women then realised it was a 21st century PC knee-jerk reaction, looked back at the date of publication and that, together with how most of the early posters mentioned the film not the book, got me thinking about silent films/talkies and the book seemed to slot into place for me. I can't say it was a book that I enjoyed - I found the style irritating and dated, though it has made me want to go on and read a Raymond Chandler as I understand he was also writing for Black Mask magazine at the same time as Hammett and was influenced by him. I haven't voted on the poll because I don't feel a simple 'Yes I liked it' or 'No, I didn't like it' actually says much about the book or any book, come to that - it says more about what kind of book I personally like which is probably only understandable to people who know me personally. As we were looking at the book as an example of its genre (and Detective Fiction is a genre I do enjoy and have read quite extensively) I thought it might generate some discussion if I put down my thoughts from that aspect.
Jozy - no hurry, but if you could expand on your thoughts when you have time, I'd appreciate it. What a busy life you lead!
Last edited by kasie; 06-07-2009 at 10:08 AM.
I keep telling you people--the Continental Op is the one to study. Sam Spade can't hold a candle to him. Red Harvest is so much more interesting then Spade who must be a close cousin of James Bond in the use of women and mission statements.
Alas, kasie, I meant it as a personal criticism, my war between me and surfing and online socializing, my work, public housing frustration. It gets worse with age, and I am making a concerted effort to stop smoking. On top of that...well, maybe I'm becoming a failed writer.
Anyway, on another day maybe I'd be happy to waltz on Sam Spade. I'd add: Hammett doesn't have to be read that deeply. He isn't Borges. But there is stuff
Oh really. I think I have that somewhere in my basement unread. Perhaps next year I will give it a try.
LET THERE BE LIGHT
"Love follows knowledge." – St. Catherine of Siena
My literature blog: http://ashesfromburntroses.blogspot.com/
To any one who want a TASTE of Hammett's The Continental Op some must reads would be Dead Yellow Women, Fly Paper, The Gutting of Conffignal, novel Red Harvest, The House in Turk Street, and The Girl with Silver Eyes--for starters--at least these were some of MY favorites.
It's no secret that I adore the Continetal Op and disdain Sam Spade the 'character' with even more dislike for Nick Charles but I agree with one biographer of Hammett's that the three characters reveal Hammett's distancing himself from the genre and characters by showing the decline of the private detective The Op---cool professional who tries very hard to maintain a code of honor (within the limtations of the work), Spade (starting a walk to the dark side--could flip either way, and Charels--pretty much gave it all up as meaningless and unfulfilling--The Thin Man was tedious to work through. Hammett's place is secure in the detective field but time and disatnce does seem to give him an dated feel to him. I salute Raymond Chandler as the more literate writer but prefer the middle ground of John K. Butler and Frederick Nebel (both in great need of more reprints).
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