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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: Vince Emery
Sinister Cinema: Heresy
In February, when I was generally distracted, the publisher Vince Emery passed along a link to a Hollywood Reporter article on the possible or upcoming movie of the Charles Willeford novel The Burnt Orange Heresy. Who knows if it’ll make it … Continue reading
Posted in Film, News, Tour, Willeford
Tagged Burnt Orange Heresy, Christopher Walken, Hollywood Reporter, John Leguizamo, Manchette, Vince Emery
Hammett: Chewing Over Crime and Communism
For Xmas on the Hammett front this year, obviously grabbing a copy of The Big Book of the Continental Op is first on the list — just try stuffing that floppy behemoth of a trade paperback into the old stocking! And anyone … Continue reading
Tombstone: Phil Geauque
Image above: another shot from the Mechanics’ signing, Nathan Ward inscribing a copy of his Hammett bio while I look on; standing to left, Vince Emery in blue, John Law — of The Suicide Club, Cacophony Society, primal Burning Man, … Continue reading
Posted in Dash, Frisco, SFSC
Tagged Blackjack Jerome, Burning Man, Cacophony Society, Colma, John Law, Kendallville Indiana, Leo Grin, Mechanics' Library, Nathan Ward, Phil Geauque, Vince Emery
Frisco Beat: Lit World Has Its Fans
Shot above — sales table at the Mechanics’ Library talk — shot at bottom, foreground: Nathan Ward and Vince Emery somewhere in the process of getting an inscription put into The Lost Detective — background: me talking to a guy … Continue reading
Posted in Frisco, Lit, Willeford
Tagged Literary World of San Francisco, Mechanics' Library, Nathan Ward, Vince Emery
Hammett: If Joe Gores Had Written a Bio. . .
Shot above — Nathan Ward chatting as the room fills to capacity in the Mechanics’ Library — art shot at bottom, Table with Book (and Wine, and Mic). If you wanted an autographed copy of The Lost Detective and couldn’t … Continue reading
Posted in Dash, Frisco, News
Tagged Frederic Dannay, Joe Gores, Mechanics' Library, Mickey Spillane, Nathan Ward, Peter Maravelis, Pinkerton's, Raymond Chandler, Vince Emery
Hammett: “The Nails in Mr. Cayterer”
Remember the fireworks going off boom! and bang! a couple of days ago? As I watched the explosions I was thinking, yeah, if they only knew that Terry Zobeck was about to finish off — complete, fini — his now … Continue reading
Posted in Dash
Tagged "The Nails in Mr Cayterer", Black Mask, EQMM, Frederic Dannay, Jo Hammett, Library of America, Nero Wolfe, pure texts, Rex Stout, Richard Layman, Robin Thin, Terry Zobeck, Vince Emery
Hammett: And Prohibition
Per my normal Xmas rituals, I’ll be heading up to the dinner table in the hideout of Floyd “Tattoo the Wicked Cross” Salas, but here’s a tidbit to hold down a place under the tree: some casual speculation on Hammett … Continue reading
Posted in Dash, Frisco
Tagged 891 Post, Bill Arney, Blaine Act, Floyd Salas, Izzy Einstein, John's Grill, Mark Murphy, New Orleans, Prohibition, Red Harvest, The Maltese Arms, Vince Emery, Volstead Act
Rediscovered: When Hammett Met Chandler
Vince Emery just popped me a link to an LA Times article covering the one time Hammett and Chandler met at the dinner for Black Mask writers — nicely documented by the famous photo — 78 years ago today. Hop … Continue reading
Posted in Dash, Film, Lit, News
Tagged "The SImple Art of Murder", Black Mask, Bogie, Jo Hammett, LA Times, Raymond Chandler, Ricardo Cortez, Vince Emery
Sinister Cinema: On the Block
I should note the news that one of the falcon statues from the 1941 Bogie movie sits atop the auction block again — with a cool million sales point not out of the question. You can look up earlier articles that herald the event, … Continue reading