Quote:
Originally Posted by GA Russell
Harmon, I have read and enjoyed a great deal of Hammett's early (1920's) work, up to his first novel Red Harvest, since the first of this year. When I read all of his that was available 35 years ago, I found I didn't have a particularly high opinion of his post-Maltese Falcon works.
Did you find like I did that he ran out of gas, or do you no longer like his early works as well?
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I believe you are right about his having run out of gas, although it might have been more of a case of too much ethanol.
For me, it might simply be a case of losing my ability to suspend disbelief. I tried to reread The Thin Man and just couldn't do it. But that fits your thesis.
I'm almost afraid to go back & reread Red Harvest and The Dain Curse...