The biggest, the boldest, the most comprehensive collection of Pulp writing ever assembled.
Weighing in at over a thousand pages, containing ... read full description
reviews
Jan 27, 2008
John
rated it: 
This book offers a broad overview of pulp fiction. Some of the prose is uneven. And some is admittedly substandard. And then there are those stories by Woolrich--dark and moody, and then suddenly frenetic and fast paced. There are stories by masters of the genre: Hammett, Chandler, Cain, Gardner. The great stories sparkly and crackle with tension and suspense.
And the not-so-great stories are forgiveable because the writers were only paid on the average a penny a word. So the More...
And the not-so-great stories are forgiveable because the writers were only paid on the average a penny a word. So the More...
Sep 25, 2009
Dave
rated it: 
awesoem collection of very fast paced and fun Crime and Noir stories (which are all crime based of course.)
this is classic stuff real great when America was the gem of the world.
the Men were straight talkers and no nonsense, and the Dames were all fabulous be them good or bad.
it is a hefty anthology but you breeze through it. and you keep looking for more.
for the "PC" sensitive jerks out there, this is not PC.
when every one was an American in this country, More...
this is classic stuff real great when America was the gem of the world.
the Men were straight talkers and no nonsense, and the Dames were all fabulous be them good or bad.
it is a hefty anthology but you breeze through it. and you keep looking for more.
for the "PC" sensitive jerks out there, this is not PC.
when every one was an American in this country, More...
Jul 27, 2011
Kurt
rated it:
Trying to read this tome straight through is like accepting the personal challenge of an all-you-can-eat buffet. Some of the stories are terrific (Raymond Chandler is one of my favorite authors ever, and Hammet and Woolrich shine as well), some are mediocre and formulaic, and some are lousy and not worth the effort it takes to get to the end of the first page before giving up. Ultimately, though, this is a great overview of what pulp was about, with witty and helpful introductions for each story
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Mar 30, 2011
Robert
rated it:
I like this book a lot so far, it's a great collection of classic pulp fiction stories from some of the best authors of the 20s, 30s, and 40s. I picked it up at Half Price Books for $7, and at 1168 pages you just can't beat that value! The contents are lively and full of action, and it's nearly impossible to put this book down until you have finished the story that you're reading. Some of the language is dated, and there's a bit of racism and sexism, but I suppose that's to be expected from stor
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Sep 11, 2011
Wow! Over 1,000 pages of pulp stories about cops, crooks and dames from authors that have come to exemplify the genre - Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammett, Erle Stanley Gardner, Cornell Woolrich, Paul Cain, Norbert Davis and James M. Cain, just to name a mere few.
And even though these types of stories were considered low-class and were frowned-upon by literary snobs, I have learned more about the craft of writing and storytelling from pulp fiction than any of the so-called classics tha More...
And even though these types of stories were considered low-class and were frowned-upon by literary snobs, I have learned more about the craft of writing and storytelling from pulp fiction than any of the so-called classics tha More...
Jun 26, 2011
PART ONE
THE CRIMEFIGHTERS
Harlan Coben: Introduction
Paul Cain: One, Two, Three
Dashiell Hammett: The Creeping Siamese
Erle Stanley Gardner: Honest Money
Horace McCoy: Frost Rides Alone
Thomas Walsh: Double Check
Charles G. Booth: Stag Party
Leslie T. White: The City of Hell!
Raymond Chandler: Red Wind
Frederick Nebel: Wise Guy
George Harmon Coxe: Murder Picture
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THE CRIMEFIGHTERS
Harlan Coben: Introduction
Paul Cain: One, Two, Three
Dashiell Hammett: The Creeping Siamese
Erle Stanley Gardner: Honest Money
Horace McCoy: Frost Rides Alone
Thomas Walsh: Double Check
Charles G. Booth: Stag Party
Leslie T. White: The City of Hell!
Raymond Chandler: Red Wind
Frederick Nebel: Wise Guy
George Harmon Coxe: Murder Picture
More...
May 22, 2011
Willem
rated it:
Getting a limited amount of time to write any story and receiving the rather measily salary of a penny per word don't seem like the perfect writing condictions for any writer who wants to be taken seriously. Still, a great deal of young writers would start off in the pulps during the 1920's through 40's, before becoming bigtime novel published authors. Both critically and publicly highly respected crimewriters like Raymond Chandler, Dashiel Hammett, James M. Cain and Erle Stanley Gardner started
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Mar 14, 2011
Seizure Romero
rated it:
Not to be confused with The Black Lizard Big Book of Polyps, this is truly an amazing collection of steel-fisted, hot-lead-slingin' tough-guy goodness. I love the language and snappy patter. The introductory blurbs alone are entertainment: "Queen Sue was the toughest moll that ever pulled a gat this side of Hades" (from "Snowbound" by C.B. York). What would be fighting words today were once simple conversation: in "Chicago Confetti" by William Rollins, Jr., when a h
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Dec 17, 2009
I love pulp fiction. Yeah, that’s right, I said pulp fiction: square-jawed tough guys, devilish dames and trouble with a capital “T”. The only thing I love more than pulp fiction is the lurid art that went along with it. When I saw The Black Lizard Big Book of Pulps in the Vintage catalog my eyes lit up like the rep had just shown me the Maltese Falcon.
What we have here is no less than a history of the mystery pulps in the 20’s, 30’s, and 40’s, the time of the ascendance of Black M More...
What we have here is no less than a history of the mystery pulps in the 20’s, 30’s, and 40’s, the time of the ascendance of Black M More...
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Jul 27, 2010
Mia
rated it:
This is a very big book, that represents its genre very well, including all of its cliches, stereotypes and prejudices. Yet, although it is impossible not to notice those shortcomings, anyone with a fondness for Chandler an the rest will find it har to resist the lure of hard-boiled cops and those on the other side of the law. And where else are you going to find works originally pubished in the short-lived "Gun Molls" magazine?
Jan 14, 2009
Natecrawler
rated it:
Great book with many great stories. If you have any interest in the hard boiled detective story..here is a collection for you. Collecting a lot of the great pulp writers of the 20's and 30's this collection has something for everyone. If you loved L.A. Confidential you will love the stories in this book
Feb 14, 2008
CC
rated it:
I don't even know what to say, save that this book is essential. "Crimefighters" and "Villains" have been released as separate volumes. If you have them, then this may be unnecessary...but don't count on it.
The stories are grand and varied: from tough-yet-charming yarns of thievery to Cornell Woolrich's paranoid, unflichingly brutal protagonists. The writing is powerful to this day, and often because of its seemingly innocent points: a shady, sinister character ab More...
The stories are grand and varied: from tough-yet-charming yarns of thievery to Cornell Woolrich's paranoid, unflichingly brutal protagonists. The writing is powerful to this day, and often because of its seemingly innocent points: a shady, sinister character ab More...
Dec 11, 2009
Takipsilim
rated it:
Perhaps the best and most comprehensive anthology on Pulp Fiction. Generally consistent throughout in quality with several classics included. The period illustrations add to the vintage charm and as someone obsessed with the pre-war era the book conveys the time movingly well.
May 09, 2009
Sarah
rated it:
I <3 detective novels from the 20s, 30s, and 40s!!!! I have discovered new authors, new stories by old friends, and laughed at some seriously cheesy writing! Totally worth the $25!
P.S. Cornell Woolrich is my hero!
P.S. Cornell Woolrich is my hero!
Jun 06, 2008
Jeffrey
rated it:
The Big Book is a classic collection of Pulp stories that proves that this was once a nation of readers. The Pulp genre is often over-looked today as and inadequate art form. the truth is that many of these stories out shine and have more merit than half of what gets printed today. As the government tells us that there is less illiteracy today, books like this prove that yesteryear we were smarter readers. This collection has a few Earle Stanley Gardener - creator of Perry Mason and a master of
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Mar 15, 2008
Erin
rated it: 
This is a big one! But so far, so good. Tough, hard-boiled, and very, very American. Nothing like a compilation of short stories to keep by your bedside at night. Some of my favorite authors are in here, including Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett. The best part is that the pages are printed on pulp-style paper, but the ink doesn't rub off in your hands.
Oct 05, 2010
Elijah
rated it:
Got this for Hannukkah about three years ago, and since then I haven't had time to read much of it. I don't really read collections like this as single books to be read at once anyway, but I definitely have seen enough to know that it's a beautiful and well-curated volume. In those college years when I didn't have time for it, just seeing it on my shelf, knowing that it was there with such a font of stories so well collected, whenever I was ready for them, made me happy.
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Mar 27, 2008
Tony
rated it:
Some guys watch a football game or hit the bars whenever they feel the need to get in touch with their manliness. I prefer to immerse myself in the dark corners of urban landscapes with some of the grittiest scumbags and hoodlums you'll ever meet. If you ever wanted to find out about the world of pulp that Tarantino bastardized in his movie, check this book out. Trust me....it's a billion times cooler than Pulp Fiction.
Feb 10, 2012
I can't give this a star rating because I'm working my way through it as little tasty treats between other books, but this is definitely a great volume, mostly hits, but some stories that don't quite come up to snuff.
Just to update, when you have a book well over 1000 pages of just straight up hard-hittin crime, you: a.) don't rush it, and b.) essentially never stop reading it since there's just so much good stuff here.
Just to update, when you have a book well over 1000 pages of just straight up hard-hittin crime, you: a.) don't rush it, and b.) essentially never stop reading it since there's just so much good stuff here.
Mar 02, 2008
John
rated it:
This book is great fun. Some of the stories are excellent and some are really poorly written, but you get a sense of an era of which only ghostly reminders remain. We are as removed from that time as the authors of these stories were from the 1830s-50s. A LOT has changed, yet that time period really comes alive through these stories. Plus the book is big enough to last a while. Highly recommended.
May 20, 2008
Jeremy
rated it:
OK, I didn't read all gazillion pages of this book yet, but I've read several of the stories. It's a lot of fun if you like old, noir pulp detective fiction. It's heavy and the pages are soft and...well...pulpy, I guess, with an old type face and a two column per page format. The stories are quick and somewhat stock, but that's the point. It's fun to have around.
May 25, 2009
Amberjean
rated it:
Fascinating, cliched, "hard-hitting" detective fiction, from authors who are all over the map in location, approach, and talent. A lot of it was surprisingly good short fiction, some was pretty terrible but still terribly entertaining. My single, solitary complaint is that this book should have been a five-volume set. It was so heavy I had trouble reading it.
Oct 19, 2008
David
rated it:
I'm marking this one read because I had to check it out from the library initially, and was not able to finish it before it was due back. It is popular enough right now that re-checking it is not allowed. You must turn it back in and put your name back on the waiting list. I do intend to buy it when I find it in the local book store.
Jan 11, 2008
Atiba
rated it:
If you're in the mood for a story set in a world of dangerous dames and shifty-eyed strangers, check out this book. Most of the stories are short, but I'd hardly call it light reading-- there's a lot of car chasing, double crossing, and dirty punching going on. Also, nothing seems to happen in a well-lit room or on a bright and sunny day.
Sep 18, 2008
Paulie
rated it:
Talk about bang for your buck! This book is HUGE! Stories from any pulp writer worth reading is in here, with a few novels for good measure. Divided into stories about coppers, crooks and dames, this hefty volume will keep you reading for a really long time. Hell, I bought this thing almost 6 months ago and I'm still working on it.
Jun 24, 2009
Jim
rated it:
Took awhile to read this 1200-page book, but most enjoyable. Here are stories from the crime pulp magazines from the 20's, 30's, and 40's. Some of the stories are crude and laughable, but most are good. Early work from Dashiell Hammett, Erle Stanley Gardner, James M. Cain Raymond Chandler, and other luminaries can be found here.
Feb 27, 2008
Rich
rated it:
If you're like me and can't endure novels that exceed 150 pages, this collection of pulp magazine detective stories is for you! There are 50 stories totaling 1100 pages in all printed on newspaper pulp.
Light up a Camel, down a shot of rye and dig into this collection of original tough-guy detective stories from the 30's and 40's.
Light up a Camel, down a shot of rye and dig into this collection of original tough-guy detective stories from the 30's and 40's.
