The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett (novel #208)

It’s a long while since I burst out crying because policemen didn’t like me ~ Sam Spade

 

When I read my first hardboiled detective novel, The Big Sleep, by Raymond Chandler, I wrote…

 

“I’m probably biased, but I don’t consider the detective genre great literature. I consider it more of a guilty pleasure.”

 

Looking back, I really meant, more specifically, the “hardboiled detective” genre, which is not precisely the same as “detective” or “mystery” novels.

 

Regardless, I took a little heat for that, which is fair. There was some respectful and intelligent discussion in the comments, but I stuck to my guns (pun intended). However, after reading a second sample from the genre and with apologies to Raymond Chandler, I will dial back my critique. (That should make one reader of this blog happy. Yes, Rachel…You  )

 

I don’t think it’s fair to critique a genre anyway, with a few exceptions. The hardboiled detective novel may not have the broad appeal of romance, sci-fi, or other genres, but it still requires skill and can be done either poorly or masterfully. And brother, let me tell you, Chandler and Hammett are masters. I have yet to read Spillane or Macdonald, but I’m also looking forward to reading about the exploits of Mike Hammer and Lew Archer. (I only exclude Walter Mosely’s antihero, Easy Rawlins, because the series is so recent it probably cannot be considered “Classic” just yet, but still on par with the others.)

 

Enough about the genre. The Maltese Falcon is a brilliant bit of mystery writing. It’s impossible to read it without imagining Bogey speaking every line, which is good and bad. Good because Bogey was perfect and added substance to my mind’s eye while reading. Bad because I’d seen the movie before reading the book, thus eliminating the mystery and suspense.

 

The mystery is the stupid black bird. The description of the simple black statuette doesn’t account for the growing frenzy over its whereabouts. The bird has a secret only the fat man knows, and people are dying because of it. Spade is as confused as the reader, but you’d never know it by looking at him or listening to him. And then...the bird has another secret that even the fat man doesn't know.

 

I’d still say it’s something of a guilty pleasure, which despite the literal contradiction, there’s nothing wrong with a guilty pleasure.

 

My rating:  4 out of 5 stars

 

 

This novel satisfies the Mystery/Detective/Crime classic category in the Back to the Classics 2022 Challenge.

 

Film Rendition: I’ve already alluded to this. The 1941 film starring Humphrey Bogart as Sam Spade is nearly perfect. It was nominated for three Academy Awards, including Best Picture. 

 

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A House for Mr. Biswas by V. S. Naipaul (novel #207)

…he [Mr. Biswas] had thought profoundly and with
despair of the future.

 

Mohun Biswas is the son of Indian immigrants in Trinidad. The story begins with his birth, probably late 1920s, early 1930s. The story doesn’t begin well. A Hindu pundit gives a not very promising prophecy about the child, and it is considered a bad omen that he is born breech with an extra finger.

 

It never gets much better.

 

The story is set in Trinidad, but it feels more like India, as Mr. Biswas and his family keep pretty well within the Indian community in Trinidad. (Mr. Biswas is reportedly based on Naipaul’s father.)

 

I’m not going to spend a lot of time on this review. I didn’t care for this story. There isn’t one admirable person in it. A few are pitiable, like Mr. Biswas, who is never contented, never happy. Life isn’t working out for him, and it’s always someone else’s fault.

 

Blech!

 

Mr. Biswas tries to rise above his lot in life, but he does it so foolishly that it never works out, and it’s hard even to feel too sorry for him. He is married, almost by accident, to a woman he nearly despises and lives with her family, where he is constantly reminded of his worthlessness and dependence on their patronage.

 

He could go to Hanuman House whenever he wished and become lost in the crowd, since he was treated with indifference rather than hostility.

 

He had spent all his life among people without even thinking that he might be afraid of them.

 

He tries several times to build or buy a home of his own. He eventually succeeds, but it is poorly constructed, not worth what he pays, and more than he can afford. He still isn’t happy.

 

Living had always been a preparation, a waiting. And so the years passed; and now there was nothing to wait for.

 

I don’t think I comprehended Naipaul’s message unless it was contempt for his people.

 

This is the first time I’ve read A House for Mr. Biswas. I’ve read one other work by Naipaul, A Bend in the River, which I didn’t love either. I’ve read that Naipaul’s early works were “wistfully comic.” I hope that doesn’t refer to this one. Wistful? Perhaps, but not comic. He does write well. For that, I give A House for Mr. Biswas…

 

 

My rating:  3 out of 5 stars

 

 

 

This novel satisfies Black, Indigenous, Person of Color Author category in the Back to the Classics 2022Challenge.

 

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Six Degrees of Separation: from City of Glass to the Hobbit

Six Degrees of Separation is a monthly meme hosted by Kate @ booksarmyfavouriteandbest.

It isn’t part of the rules, but I try to stick to the Classics and books I’ve read or those on my TBR. This month’s chain is supposed to begin with the final book in last month’s chain, but I didn’t play last month. My concluding book was City of Glass by Paul Aster, the last time I did. The title of which reminds me of…

 

Invisible Cities, which is a fictional dialogue between Marco Polo and Kublai Khan. Another work of imaginary dialogue (and journey) between historical persons is…

 

The Divine Comedy an epic poem, often consisting of dialogue between Dante Alighieri and Virgil, as the latter guides Alighieri through Hell, Purgatory, and ultimately to Paradise. Another story of a traveler making their way to Heaven is…

 

Pilgrim’s Progress, John Bunyan’s classic allegory of Pilgrim’s journey to the Celestial City. For far less philosophical reasons, this reminds me of…

 

Slaughterhouse-Five, whose main character, Billy Pilgrim, is “unstuck in time,” meaning he travels through time and space against his control or will. There is another involuntary space traveler in…

 

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. The main character, Dent, Arthur Dent, is a simple man reluctantly caught up in a fantastic adventure, much like the beloved hero of…

 

The Hobbit: The tale of Bilbo Baggins' journey There and Back Again.

 

And that is how you get from City of Glass to the Hobbit.

 

 

 

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