Tag Archives: “This King Business”

Hammett: Birthday 126

Posted on May 27, 2020 by Don

Yeah, 126 years ago today Samuel Dashiell Hammett began life as a fat baby, and lived that life as a thin man. Pinkerton’s detective. Pulp writer in San Francisco. Hollywood. Ended up in New York. You probably know the outline. … Continue reading →

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Rediscovered: More First World War

Posted on August 18, 2015 by Don

When I began fielding Michael Stoler’s query about the use of the expression “the First World War” in Hammett’s “This King Business” from 1928 last month, I had the impression that I had encountered the use of “First” — not just … Continue reading →

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Rediscovered: The Great War — Circa 1914

Posted on July 28, 2015 by Don

One reason I scheduled a tour for Sunday July 26 was to get myself within striking distance of the Erik Chipchase art reception in Lanesplitter Pizza & Pub on the Emeryville/Oakland borderlands — that showing ends in a couple of … Continue reading →

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Hammett: A Tiny Tweak for “This King Biz”

Posted on July 23, 2015 by Don

Just when you think you’ve got something wrapped-up. . . . Earlier this month Terry Zobeck and I wrote Fin/30/Fade-to-Black on Zobeck: Series One, the investigation into “pure texts” on the 21 Hammett short stories yet to be reprinted using … Continue reading →

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Hammett: “Corkscrew”

Posted on November 22, 2012 by Don

Thanksgiving — the day of bounty, and plenty of it. I wonder, do we have any bounty to strew Up and Down These Mean Streets? How about The Return of Terry Zobeck? — who in a race to the finish with his coverage … Continue reading →

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Hammett: More “Op” Coinage

Posted on June 25, 2012 by Don

After his first stab at tracking down when the term “The Continental Op” came into play, Terry Zobeck returns to the pulps and books to search for more clews. When last seen he had found the Continental Op — cap C, … Continue reading →

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Hammett: The Complete Op

Posted on June 2, 2012 by Don

Say what you will about Frederic Dannay — and we’ve said so much about him on this site that his name is threatening to take over the Tag Cloud — but at least in his ten collections of Hammett’s shorter fiction … Continue reading →

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Hammett: “You’ve Never Read Hammett!”

Posted on May 30, 2012 by Don

A few years ago I was in the now gone “M” Is For Mystery Bookstore for a talk. Near the end of the remarks the speaker — kind of an absurd little guy — suddenly remembered that the collection Crime Stories … Continue reading →

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Hammett: On the Trail

Posted on March 6, 2012 by Don

Remember the Alamo! Meanwhile, Terry Zobeck is hot on the trail of the last few Hammett stories he wants to check, to make sure we have the best texts — the pure texts — when we slip off our gumshoes … Continue reading →

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Hammett: “This King Business” News

Posted on October 20, 2011 by Don

Our frequent Guest Blogger Terry Zobeck pops back with some swell news — if you might wonder why you’d want to have the third edition of a book on your hard-boiled shelf over the first edition, read on. I started … Continue reading →

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