New York: Knopf. Very Good+ with no dust jacket. 1930. Hardcover. Light gray original cloth with gray topstain. Spine and board edges toned. Bookseller sticker to ffep. Trace of foxing to text block edges. Square, tight unmarked first edition copy, in fine facsimile DJ in mylar. ; 8vo 8" - 9" tall .

Synopsis

The Maltese Falcon , author Dashiell Hammett’s third novel, set the standard by which all subsequent detective fiction would be judged. Set in San Francisco in the late 1920s, the novel introduces us to private detective Sam Spade, who characterizes the archetype of the hard-boiled detective in his dead-pan pursuit of the recovery of a black figurine. Having worked for a time for the Pinkerton Detective Agency in San Francisco, Hammett reportedly drew upon his years as a detective in creating Spade and many of the other characters for The Maltese Falcon . The Maltese Falcon was originally serialized in HL Mencken’s “pulp” magazine, Black Mask, beginning with the September 1929 issue. For publication of the book form, editor Blanche Knopf tried to tone down the overt sexuality of the magazine version, fearing the references would alienate readers, but Hammett prevailed. However, the 1941 film adaptation starring Humphrey Bogart and Mary Astor (the best known of the novel’s three film versions) excised the homosexual subtext of the novel due to Production Code restraints. Today, the movie is considered a film noir classic and the novel is ranked 56th on Modern Library’s “100 Best” English-language novels of the 20th century as well as 54th on The Guardian’s list of the 100 best novels. -

Reviews

(Log in or Create an Account first!)

Details

Bookseller: curtis paul books inc. (US)
Bookseller's Inventory #: 18137
Title: The Maltese Falcon
Author: Hammett, Dashiell
Format/Binding: Hardcover
Book Condition: Used - Very Good+ with no dust jacket
Quantity Available: 1
Publisher: Knopf
Place of Publication: New York
Date Published: 1930

Terms of Sale

curtis paul books inc.

30 day return guarantee, with full refund including original shipping costs for up to 30 days after delivery if an item arrives misdescribed or damaged.

About the Seller

curtis paul books inc.

This seller has earned a 5 of 5 Stars rating from Biblio customers.

Biblio member since 2014

Northridge, California

Ask Seller a Question

About curtis paul books inc.

For over 10 years, CURTSBOOKS has prided itself in excellent customer service. We will always work to make your buying experience a satisfying one.

Glossary
Frequently asked questions

Glossary

Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:

Tight: Used to mean that the binding of a book has not been overly loosened by frequent use.
Fine: A book in fine condition exhibits no flaws. A fine condition book closely approaches As New condition, but may lack the...
Good+: A term used to denote a condition a slight grade better than Good.
FFEP: A common abbreviation for Front Free End Paper. Generally, it is the first page of a book and is part of a single sheet that...
Text Block: Most simply the inside pages of a book. More precisely, the block of paper formed by the cut and stacked pages of a book....
Spine: The outer portion of a book which covers the actual binding. The spine usually faces outward when a book is placed on a shelf....
Jacket: Sometimes used as another term for dust jacket, a protective and often decorative wrapper, usually made of paper which wraps...
Edges: The collective of the top, fore and bottom edges of the text block of the book, being that part of the edges of the pages of a...
First Edition: In book collecting, the first edition is the earliest published form of a book. A book may have more than one first edition in...
Cloth: "Cloth-bound" generally refers to a hardcover book with cloth covering the outside of the book covers. The cloth is stretched...
Facsimile: An exact copy of an original work. In books, it refers to a copy or reproduction, as accurate as possible, of an original...