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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: Sherlock Holmes
Rediscovered: Yet Another Tidbit of Starrett and Sherlock
Autograph Hound Super-Sunday once more, and Brian Leno drags out yet another recent purchase for you to eyeball — with the backstory of how he got put on the scent. John Hancock fans, the game’s afoot: I picked up another … Continue reading
Posted in Lit
Tagged Autographs, Brian Leno, Grady Hendrix, J. N. Williamson, Sherlock Holmes, Stuart Schiff, Vincent Starrett, Whispers
Two-Gun Bob: The Best and the Worst
The discussion of pastiche writing the other day — and how even the original authors didn’t always excel with their classic characters — spurred the noted book and pulp collector Kevin Cook to send in additional thoughts: Well, if we’re … Continue reading
Posted in Lit, REH
Tagged Arthur F. Hillman, August Derleth, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Fantasy Review, Kevin Cook, Sherlock Holmes
Rediscovered: Purist Outrage!
The idea that Brian Leno and Tom Krabacher and I cast wary eyes toward the new James Patterson “Shadow” novel recently drove the noted book and pulp collector Kevin Cook into a berserker frenzy. “Why the [sulphurous blasphemy] do you … Continue reading
Frisco Beat: On the Mean Streets with Fritz and Sam
Don’t think that during my deep hibernation of Xmas/The Onset of Winter I did nothing at all, even if doing nothing was the prevailing theme. I remembered that I never polished off the Sherlock Holmes stories decades ago, stopping after the … Continue reading
Posted in Dash, Frisco, Tour
Tagged Fritz Leiber, Fritz Leiber Tour, Halloween, Jim Nelson, M.R. James, Sherlock Holmes, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Tenderloin, Xmas
Rediscovered: The Influence of Race
Race Williams, that is. . . . I got Them That Lives by Their Guns around Thanksgiving last year, and promised I was going to give it a fair shake. Read each and every story. And read them all I did … Continue reading
Rediscovered: Further Pontine Ephemera
Remember that cache of Arkham House ephemera I landed the other week, anchored by a TLS by August Derleth on a Solar Pons greeting card he had had printed up? I thought just having the little signed note by Derleth … Continue reading
Rediscovered: Solar Pons
Dove back into one of my favorite hobbies recently, when I landed a ten item trove of Arkham House ephemera. Ordered them mostly blind, though I had the sense that an item I needed might possibly be in the lot. … Continue reading
Mort: Mr. Spock
Another Icon down, with the passing of Leonard Nimoy today at the age of 83. While you couldn’t really say I was ever a Trekkie, on the other hand, who the hell doesn’t like Star Trek? Maybe not all of … Continue reading
Hollywood Beat: Bogart vs. Raft
There’s a theory that Humphrey Bogart owes his superstar status to George Raft, because Raft kept turning down key roles that propelled Bogie from second string to Icon. If you’ve been on the tour, you know that I touch on … Continue reading
Posted in Film, Lit, Tour
Tagged August Derleth, Bogie, George Raft, John D. Haefele, Sherlock Holmes, Solar Pons
Hammett: “Arson Plus”
Aha! Terry Zobeck is back, with the latest installment of Zobeck: Series Two. That’s where he looks into the edits made by Frederic Dannay, a.k.a. “Ellery Queen,” to Hammett stories that in recent years have been restored from the Dannay-blue-penciled … Continue reading
