Discovering The Maltese Falcon and Sam Spade: The Evolution of Dashiell Hammett’s Masterpiece, Including John Huston’s Movie with Humphrey Bogart

Named by Mystery Writers of America as the 2006 Edgar Award finalist for Best Critical/Biographical Book of the Year 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of documents and photos about the book and movie from institutional and private archives, many of which are previously unpublished and are available nowhere else.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. This version has been updated to include additional contents, color photos, and an index. Available now for any audience, it will be a joy for fans of Sam Spade, Hammett, film noir, and the history of cinema and literature.