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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.”
Category Archives: Dash
Hammett: A Throne Fit for the Fat Man
Evan Lewis, a.k.a. Dave Lewis, tosses up a post on his blog which dovetails nicely into the fact that today is the anniversary of The Maltese Falcon — the book — back in 1930, with the Knopf firm doing the honors. … Continue reading
Hammett: Valentine 89
Eighty-nine years ago today Alfred A. Knopf published the first edition of The Maltese Falcon by a writer named Dashiell Hammett. Perhaps you’ve heard of it.
Hammett: Trouble in Paradise
Shot above from a few years ago, Mike Humbert, Don, Bill Arney standing in front of the folded-up Murphy bed in Sam Spade’s apartment, 891 Post Street. Mike maintains a Hammett website and Bill is famed as the one-time occupant … Continue reading
Tour: Photobombed!
In the pic above shot by Sue Montgomery I stand in front of the Flood Building, 870 Market, on October 28, waiting to see who’ll show up for the walk. And I’m not alone. Technically a true photobomb or by accident? You … Continue reading
Frisco Beat: Alas, Poor Blanco’s! I Knew It, Horatio. . .
You know how it is, you go in for triple bypass surgery and someone figures you’re gone for sure, The Defender of the Faith is down by the wayside, and it’s now safe to paint over the tragically faded lettering … Continue reading
Posted in Dash, Frisco, Tour
Tagged Blanco's, Great American Music Hall, Larkin Street, Olive Street
Hammett: Zobeck Research Cited, Too
I whipped together a quick post the other day after noticing Mean Streets buddy and Hammett biographer Nathan Ward got some mentions in Anne Diebel’s article for Paris Review titled “Dashiell Hammett’s Strange Career.” Like I said, I gave it a casual gander, … Continue reading
Suicide Club: Roscoe Arbuckle Kidnapped Caper
On a rotting wharf over the Islais Creek channel, a climactic gundown gets a reenactment — left to right, R. Faraday Nelson as Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle (but I’m thinking Ray’s major claim to immortality probably is serving as the model for Roy Batty … Continue reading
Posted in Dash, Frisco, Lit, SFSC
Tagged Black Rock Desert, Bladerunner, Burning Man, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Fatty Arbuckle, Islais Creek, John Law, Philip K. Dick, R. Faraday Nelson, Roy Batty
Hammett: A Strange Career? You Decide!
Brian Wallace just dropped a link into my Inbox, Anne Diebel in The Paris Review ruminating on Hammett’s career as a writer — and much of it seems to be riffing off Nathan Ward’s bio The Lost Detective. Kind of like … Continue reading
Hammett: Some Corrections If You Please
Awhile back I did a link to a review of The Big Book of the Continental Op by Jesse Sublett. I’m sure there are numerous reviews of Big Book of the Op I haven’t linked to yet, and never will, … Continue reading
Posted in Dash, DMac
Tagged Bouchercon, Jesse Sublett, Measures of Poison, PulpFest, Terry Zobeck, The Big Book of the Continental Op
Hammett: Gutman’s Daughter Preying on Minds
I was just mentioning to Bill Arney that our days of hanging out in San Francisco bars between ten and twenty years ago was a Golden Age, and that I said so at the time. Golden Ages don’t slip past me … Continue reading
