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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.”
Tag Archives: Falcon from Knopf
Hammett: 92 Years Ago Today
Valentine’s Day — for some reason or just random coincidence, one of those beams falling you hear about, in 1930 the Alfred A. Knopf company selected this date for the official publication of a little noir love story titled The … Continue reading
Hammett: And 90 Years Ago Today
A couple of sweet lovebirds named Sam and Brigid made woo as Alfred A. Knopf released a new novel by Dashiell Hammett. The title? The Maltese Falcon. Happy Valentine’s Day, you romantic saps.
Hammett: By That Sweet Neck
Eighty-four years ago today the publisher Alfred A. Knopf debuted an instant classic titled The Maltese Falcon. As I always say, the sickest Valentine’s day novel ever. Yeah, maybe I love you and maybe you love me. This side of … Continue reading
Hammett: And the Oscar Goes To
As I was moping around the web during Oscar season this year a bit of information attracted my attention. I’d no doubt seen the same stats when I looked over Oscar info the previous season, but no bells rang at that time. This … Continue reading
Posted in Dash, Film
Tagged Ace Atkins, Ben Affleck, Black Mask, Falcon from Knopf, George Arliss, Hammett Tour Book, Jack Benny, Marky Mark, Maurice Chevalier, Oscar, Pulps, Ronald Colman, Shylock, Spenser, Valentine, William Godschalk
Hammett: “What About His Daughter?”
Birthday 75 for the Golden Gate Bridge. Birthday 118 for Dashiell Hammett. . . . What to do for the birthday this year? How about something Hammettesque I’ve never heard of before? I checked some sources, not a mention — as … Continue reading
Hammett: If They Don’t Hang You
Eighty-two years ago today, Alfred A. Knopf released the hardcover first edition of The Maltese Falcon —- as I sometimes say as an aside on the tour, the sickest Valentine’s Day offering ever. Yeah, there’s romance. Definitive murder-shadowed noir romance. Just a … Continue reading
Death Lit: The Black (Mask) Bird
While I’m not doing a regular crime and mystery review column any more, and you’d have a very hard time talking me into the idea again, I still manage to knock out seven or eight standalone reviews every year in … Continue reading
Posted in Dash, Lit, News, Tour
Tagged AHMM, Big Read, Black Mask, Cornell Woolrich, Erle Stanley Gardner, Falcon from Knopf, Jo Gar, Otto Penzler, pure texts, Raoul Whitfield, Raymond Chandler
Sinister Cinema: Lorre Noir
Valentine’s Day again — one of the birthdays of noir. In 1930 — 81 years ago today — Knopf released the first edition of The Maltese Falcon in hardcovers. As I maintain in the short essay “San Francisco Noir” (and to my … Continue reading
Posted in Dash, Film, Frisco, Lit
Tagged Bogie, Falcon from Knopf, Joel Cairo, John Huston, Noir, Noir City, Peter Lorre, Poe, Valentine
News: February 2010
EIGHTY YEARS ON THE MEAN STREETS! On Valentine’s Day in 1930 Alfred Knopf released Hammett’s The Maltese Falcon in its first edition. To celebrate this cornerstone of the hardboiled and noir making it to its eightieth anniversary, Don is offering … Continue reading