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About DonHerron.com
In 1977 Don Herron began leading The Dashiell Hammett Tour, now the longest-running literary tour in the nation. On this site you’ll find information on current walks — dates, where to meet, arranging tours by appointment — plus a hard-boiled blog with news, reviews of books and film, and a dash of noir.
The latest and greatest edition to self-guide you up and down the mean streets.
Willeford: The Book
Includes the first “Mr. Hunt” story, “Knives in the Dark.”
Author Archives: Don
Hammett: The Titular Monsieur
Brian Wallace keeps the drumbeat going for the January 14 premiere of Monsieur Spade on AMC. He just popped me a link to an advance review from the AVClub, which digs around a lot on the casting of Clive Owen … Continue reading
Hammett: The Scotland Dashiells
Steven Meikle from Edinburgh just popped in a note, not to pinpoint any specific scion of a movie star named Dashiell but to survey the Dashiells of an entire country. “Your interest in noticing people named Dashiell piqued my interest. … Continue reading
Hammett: A Title for The Glass Key
Our pulp expert pal Will Murray recently put up another article about Hammett, this time the story behind the title of his novel The Glass Key. Not thunderous material like when Will figured out that Hammett did not write “The … Continue reading
Posted in Dash, News
Tagged "The Diamond Wager", Black Mask, Frederick Nebel, The Glass Key, The Midget Bandit, Warren Harris, Will Murray
Hammett: Chalk Up Another Dashiell
Minding my own business, I stumbled across another offspring named Dashiell — part of my decades long and quite casual survey of the name surfacing in the population. I’m sure someone in the right studies program could make something out … Continue reading
Sinister Cinema: Some Action on the Hammett Front
Not all that long ago I dutifully reported that a TV series — or mini-series — was in the works, where Sam Spade has moved to France. Cue some crime. Roll cameras. You can punch up the trailer for Monsieur … Continue reading
Posted in Dash, Film, News
Tagged Brad Pitt, Clive Owen, Dead Stockwell, Johnny Depp, Margo Robbie, Monsieur Spade, Thin Man, Vince Emery
Rediscovered: Zobeck Zips Up the Watts Auction
Terry Zobeck kept an eye on the huge auction of books from the library of Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts. He even tossed in a bid himself, getting in on the action. With prices paid and the gavel now quiet, … Continue reading
Posted in Dash, Lit, News
Tagged "The Hunter", Black Mask, Book Collecting, Charlie Watts, Dime Detective, Hammond Innes, Raymond Chandler, Rolling Stones, Terry Zobeck
Rediscovered: The Weather Channel c. 1888
Mostly in connection with the Texas writer Robert E. Howard, I’ve been in and out of the Lone Star State several times and got to deeply savor some of the storms. Tornadoes even hit a couple of towns over from … Continue reading
Rediscovered: “Wild Bill, I Presume?”
In building up his history of the Old West in his new book, Nathan Ward naturally brings in Wild Bill Hickok. Couldn’t leave him out, in my opinion. It’s like the IMDb Top Four Known Fors. Right now I think … Continue reading
Posted in News
Tagged Ben Franklin, Blackbeard the Pirate, Henry Morton Stanley, Nathan Ward, Son of the Old West, Wild Bill Hickok
Rediscovered: Cowboy America
“Wild cattle that refused to move with the herd and kept returning to the brush the cowboys might make docile by sewing their eyelids shut; after about two weeks, when the thread had decayed enough for the eyes to reopen, … Continue reading
