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geekwayne's review
4.0
'The Hunter and Other Stories' collects 17 short stories and 3 screenplays by Dashiell Hammett. Most have never been published, but they are not unknown among Hammett scholars.
The stories come from various times in Mr. Hammett's career and are grouped into four categories: Crime, Men, Men and Women and Screenplays. Each section begins with a commentary giving origins and any publishing (or attempted publishing) history. You won't find the type of stories that he is known for, but you will find the type of characters he loved to write about. There are detectives and confidence men, blue collar workers and society women
My favorites included 'Sign of the Potent Pills' about a bumbling young detective in love. The story 'Magic' shows an interesting side of Hammett writing about a mystical and strange story about a magician invoking and conjuring. 'An Inch and a Half of Glory' about Earl Parish and the strange turns his life makes after he saves a young child from a burning building. Hammett's screen story 'On The Make' which became the movie Mister Dynamite is a particular favorite because it features a shady detective out to scam money. The collection closes out on a bittersweet note with an unfinished Sam Spade story called 'A Knife Will Cut for Anybody.'
I've always loved the writing of Dashiell Hammett and this writing is just as good as anything else he wrote. He could have written any number of things, but got stereotyped in his writing career. Great stuff for fans of his.
I received a review copy of this ebook from Grove/Atlantic, Mysterious Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.
The stories come from various times in Mr. Hammett's career and are grouped into four categories: Crime, Men, Men and Women and Screenplays. Each section begins with a commentary giving origins and any publishing (or attempted publishing) history. You won't find the type of stories that he is known for, but you will find the type of characters he loved to write about. There are detectives and confidence men, blue collar workers and society women
My favorites included 'Sign of the Potent Pills' about a bumbling young detective in love. The story 'Magic' shows an interesting side of Hammett writing about a mystical and strange story about a magician invoking and conjuring. 'An Inch and a Half of Glory' about Earl Parish and the strange turns his life makes after he saves a young child from a burning building. Hammett's screen story 'On The Make' which became the movie Mister Dynamite is a particular favorite because it features a shady detective out to scam money. The collection closes out on a bittersweet note with an unfinished Sam Spade story called 'A Knife Will Cut for Anybody.'
I've always loved the writing of Dashiell Hammett and this writing is just as good as anything else he wrote. He could have written any number of things, but got stereotyped in his writing career. Great stuff for fans of his.
I received a review copy of this ebook from Grove/Atlantic, Mysterious Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.
christinefredrickson's review
mysterious
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
kamzilla's review
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
darblar's review
5.0
Having only read Hammett's novels, I was taken aback by the skill and mastery he brought to storytelling. I'm not the biggest fan of short stories, but every one of Hammett's tales - be they two pages or ten - develops with such vivid detail that it quickly engrosses readers. His stories come to life; they are worlds briefly inhabited, and with their close they continue to loom large in the mind. Oftentimes, Hammett works with less so that what's unsaid becomes a far more powerful force than in the hands of another author. Each story evokes a filmic sensibility, from the elegantly crafted settings to the understated yet commanding characters, and I would easily and happily watch any of these were they developed into a movie.
pizzamcpin3ppl3's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
leonkukkuk's review
5.0
Not a bad read. The quality of the stories vary. At times it shows hints of John Cheever and even Jorge Luis Borges at a stretch. A good insight also into his lesser known, less polished and clearly still unfinished work.
chewdigestbooks's review
5.0
I loved the introductions to some of the stories and like most, I'd never read them before so thank you to his granddaughter, Julie M. Rivett and biographer/scholar Richard Layman. While the stories were typically Hammett, the introduction gave me so much insight because *she says in a really low guilty voice* I haven't read any bios of him yet.
At least, now I know which one I will be reading!
At least, now I know which one I will be reading!
darblar's review against another edition
5.0
Having only read Hammett's novels, I was taken aback by the skill and mastery he brought to storytelling. I'm not the biggest fan of short stories, but every one of Hammett's tales - be they two pages or ten - develops with such vivid detail that it quickly engrosses readers. His stories come to life; they are worlds briefly inhabited, and with their close they continue to loom large in the mind. Oftentimes, Hammett works with less so that what's unsaid becomes a far more powerful force than in the hands of another author. Each story evokes a filmic sensibility, from the elegantly crafted settings to the understated yet commanding characters, and I would easily and happily watch any of these were they developed into a movie.
jameseckman's review against another edition
2.0
Should be called the leftovers or the sad, long unpublished works. Possibly interesting to those who are writing a term paper. Stick to his detective stuff, he had very little written outside of it that was any good.
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