MobileRead Discussion: The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett

[GA Russell]

Tom, I've spent much of the year reading it. It's a great selection!

I note that the print book is currently $22.58. I got it for $16.50. Perhaps it will come down again as we approach Christmas.

Are you aware of camelcamelcamel.com? It keeps track of current Amazon prices of items you are interested in, and emails you when your target price has been reached. I suggest you go to "the camels" and put a $16.50 target for yourself on the book.

[GA Russell]

Originally Posted by GA Russell

I forgot to mention this earlier.

Do you remember when the narrative abruptly stopped, and Spade told the story/parable about Flitcraft, the man who left his family in Tacoma and then started a new one in Spokane?

I didn't understand why Hammett included it when I read the book in 1972, and I still don't understand it in 2011. What did that story have to do with the plot or anything else?

Originally Posted by Oldtribe

Why Spade tells the story: he is actually contemplating to run with the girl and the treasure, but is trying to convince himself not to.

Oldtribe, I kept your explanation in mind as I read the Flitcraft story the other day, and I think you are right.

[GA Russell]

Originally Posted by GA Russell

It wasn't clear to me on whose behalf Cairo was working when he first hired Spade. Gutman? Hammett never made clear that Gutman and Cairo had a relationship prior to that date. Cairo's relationship was with Brigid in Constantinople, and Brigid was working for Gutman at that time, but the actual link (such as a meeting) between Cairo and Gutman at that point was never established, I don't believe.

Speaking of Cairo, it's not clear to me how he came to think that Spade had the Falcon to begin with. I don't recall any reason to think that Brigid told Gutman and Cairo that she had retained Spade & Archer. Are we to believe that Gutman and Wilmer arrived in San Francisco before Brigid and Thursby, and tailed them from the time they got off the boat? How else would Wilmer have known where to find Thursby to shoot him?

[Mike L]

GA, thanks very much for your observations and comments, which were most illuminating. You've encouraged me to get the Black Lizard version.

I'll review your comments in more details when I have one of the books in front of me.

Mike

[GA Russell]

Thanks Mike! I'm glad you've noticed this thread update.

[bloodlover]

This is the first detecive novel I've read and if this is the best (or one of the best) books in the genre, then I am not impressed.

Sam Spade, a private detective, is the main character of the book and he's an asshole (pardon my French). It's ironic that on the back of my book he is described as "a private detective, a little old fashioned but with strong ethical principles". The reality is quite the opposite I'm afraid: Spade is a 100% macho man that only impresses light-minded women. He goes around teasing them and treating them like garbage, except of course when he needs their help. The rest of the characters are mediocre at best and they fit well with Spade's personality.

I can't comment much on the story in comparison to other similar books. I did like the twists in the end but this was not enough to make the book better. Sometimes it feels that the story is progressing too slow and the story only makes sense near the end of the book.

The book is silly sometimes, with mediocre or bad characters and thin story. Maybe it will please people that like the genre, but for me it was ok at best.

[GA Russell]

Originally Posted by GA Russell

Tom, I've spent much of the year reading it. It's a great selection!

I note that the print book is currently $22.58. I got it for $16.50. Perhaps it will come down again as we approach Christmas.

Are you aware of camelcamelcamel.com? It keeps track of current Amazon prices of items you are interested in, and emails you when your target price has been reached. I suggest you go to "the camels" and put a $16.50 target for yourself on the book.

Originally Posted by Mike L

GA, thanks very much for your observations and comments, which were most illuminating. You've encouraged me to get the Black Lizard version.

I'll review your comments in more details when I have one of the books in front of me.

Mike

Attention shoppers! I see that the Black Lizard book is now down to the $16.50 price I paid for it last December.

http://www.amazon.com/Black-Lizard-S...k+mask+stories

[Iznogood]

Originally Posted by GA Russell

Attention shoppers! I see that the Black Lizard book is now down to the $16.50 price I paid for it last December.

http://www.amazon.com/Black-Lizard-S...k+mask+stories

I just checked it up. Unfortunately the kindle price is $19.54, which is a bit expencive for leasing. But thanks for the alert. It sounds like an interesting book