The Maltese Falcon
by Dashiell Hammett
read: 2011
Modern Library #56, Guardian 1000 Novels
Even if you don't know the novel or any of Hammett's oeuvre, the "Maltese Falcon" has entered the popular lexicon. I think I first heard it on The Simpsons, though I imagine the film with Humphrey Bogart as Sam Spade was the gateway for a lot of people. Just those two words together conjures up the image of an artifact of value and mystery.
I enjoyed The Maltese Falcon less than Red Harvest and The Thin Man, the other two Dashiell Hammett novels I've read. It was still a fun read. I think the last quarter or so of the book raised some moral questions, but I don't think they were developed enough to be truly thought-provoking.
No comments:
Post a Comment