The Hard-boiled detective: Stories from Black mask magazine, 1920-1951 [Mass Market Paperback]

Herbert Ruhm (Editor)

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 396 pages
• Publisher: Vintage Books; First Edition edition (1977)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 039472156X
• ISBN-13: 978-0394721569
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #526,681 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Blasts From the Past, April 20, 2010

By 

Pleiades2 - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Hard-boiled detective: Stories from Black mask magazine, 1920-1951 (Mass Market Paperback)

This collection gives the reader an overview of the famous Hard-Boiled pulp that made the careers of Hammett; Chandler; Gardner, and a host of other writers of the twenties through forties era.
The Joe Shaw era, mid twenties to mid thirties, featured the classic hard, tough as nails guys that many Depression folks could identify with. The later era, edited first by <gasp!> a woman, then Dime Detective editor Ken White, kept the pages turning for thrill seeking readers. The attitude of the magazine was a tad broader, but fine writers like Woolrich and Constiner kept the level of reader satisfaction high 'til the end.
Writers include, C.J. Daly; N. Davis; F.Nebel; L.Dent; G.H. Coxe, and several others. There's a fine ten page intro by Ruhm, on how this magazine changed detective story reading in the 20th Century, until now.
Looking for something a bit different? Try "Turkey Buzzard Blues"