"The Maltese Falcon" has been widely lauded since its original publication in 1930. In its movie adaptation, it not only birthed American film noir but also ranks as one of the 100 greatest movies of all time, as selected by the American Film Institute. Now, this treasury of memorabilia on Sam Spade and his creator, Dashiell Hammett, uncovers a wealth of documents and photos about the book and movie from institutional and private archives, many of which are previously unpublished and are available nowhere else. Providing far more information than any resource before it, the book delves deeply into the tale of the jeweled avian statue, including a full account of Hammett's detective career, a chronology of his life and publications, sources and notes the author used in constructing the book, and never-before-seen documents from the book's film, stage, and radio adaptations.
Reviews
"A treasure beyond price for fans of both the classic Hammett novel and the three film versions of the doomed quest for a black bird. An incredible amalgam of photos, memos, letters, reviews, whatever, this will make fans of the book or the film gasp as one unexpected delight succeeds another. With this book, wonders really do never cease." "--"Kenneth Turan,"" "Los Angeles Times"
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