Dashiell Hammett wrote the Maltese Falcon, which we read in bookclub, and I looked for something on him. This book, edited by Vince Emery, has a lot of history of early 20th century America besides the works of Hammett, and a lot about the author. If you want to know how someone clawed his way out of illness, and poverty to wealth and fame, and crawled back to die after a riotous life read this book. It's not a pretty story, but quite a story none the less. This book goes into the literary business , as well as the Movie business. The depression is a major character, as is WW2, and American politics right and left. I enjoyed it enough to not only like Hammett more, but want to read more about him.