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Paperback Confidential: Crime Writers of the Paperback Era
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These are the authors who turned out the dark noirs and hardboiled thrillers, private detective puzzles and psychological suspense, police procedurals and backwood melodramas, stories of passion... and cold-blooded murder. 132 profiles of the men and women who wrote the books that became the backbone of the Pulp and Paperback Era from the 1930s through the 1960s. Here you will find information on the acknowledged masters like Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler, James M. Cain and Cornell Woolrich... the rack mainstays like Gil Brewer, Brett Halliday, Day Keene, and Charles Williams... and the unjustly forgotten like Malcolm Braly, Elisabeth Sanxay Holding, Ennis Willie and Douglas Sanderson. Each profile contains details about the author's life and explores key works, with special attention paid to series characters. Also covered are screenplay and teleplay work, as well as movies based on the authors' stories. Paperback Confidential also includes a handy PseudoDex with all the various names these authors wrote under, and a section for each author with further recommendations for the reader's consideration.
These are the authors who turned out the dark noirs and hardboiled thrillers, private detective puzzles and psychological suspense, police procedurals and backwood melodramas, stories of passion... and cold-blooded murder. 132 profiles of the men and women who wrote the books that became the backbone of the Pulp and Paperback Era from the 1930s through the 1960s. Here you will find information on the acknowledged masters like Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler, James M. Cain and Cornell Woolrich... the rack mainstays like Gil Brewer, Brett Halliday, Day Keene, and Charles Williams... and the unjustly forgotten like Malcolm Braly, Elisabeth Sanxay Holding, Ennis Willie and Douglas Sanderson. Each profile contains details about the author's life and explores key works, with special attention paid to series characters. Also covered are screenplay and teleplay work, as well as movies based on the authors' stories. Paperback Confidential also includes a handy PseudoDex with all the various names these authors wrote under, and a section for each author with further recommendations for the reader's consideration.
344 pages, Paperback
First published July 30, 2013
4 people are currently reading
49 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 8, 2013
Oh, my, word! I think Brian Ritt wrote this book for me. (And Mantan, I'm sure.)
And I can thank Mantan, thank you, Mantan, for clueing me in on its existence. It was just published in March. (2013)
I love what I call "the backstory" including bios of the writers who I love reading and especially, other writers who influenced their writing.
This book is a keeper and one that goes on my shelf with The Black Mask Stories, Mystery in the Sunshine State, Crime Fiction & Film in the Sunshine State--Florida Noir, Pulp Masters and Miami Noir. Have a few more, but can't think of them right now.
I have found so many authors I want and need to read that I'm feeling everything else is going to be left behind.
The intro by Ritt was chocked full of information about hard cover books, paperbacks, slicks and a few others with new information for my brain where I compartmentalize everything noir and hard-boiled.
Also (and prior to the intro) Rick Ollerman wrote a history of how the paperbacks came about with this book covering from the 1940's to the 1960's. Such a great and colorful history of this genre which I love so much.
It's my 'go-to' book for writers of hard-boiled and noir and man, oh, man, I've had a ball reading it.
Some tidbits:
James Cain of The Postman Always Rings Twice fame, wanted to be an opera singer. Glad that one didn't work out.
Malcolm Braly, an ex-con, received the Edgar for his first novel Felon Tank published in 1961. Is first three novels were written while in prison.
And I can thank Mantan, thank you, Mantan, for clueing me in on its existence. It was just published in March. (2013)
I love what I call "the backstory" including bios of the writers who I love reading and especially, other writers who influenced their writing.
This book is a keeper and one that goes on my shelf with The Black Mask Stories, Mystery in the Sunshine State, Crime Fiction & Film in the Sunshine State--Florida Noir, Pulp Masters and Miami Noir. Have a few more, but can't think of them right now.
I have found so many authors I want and need to read that I'm feeling everything else is going to be left behind.
The intro by Ritt was chocked full of information about hard cover books, paperbacks, slicks and a few others with new information for my brain where I compartmentalize everything noir and hard-boiled.
Also (and prior to the intro) Rick Ollerman wrote a history of how the paperbacks came about with this book covering from the 1940's to the 1960's. Such a great and colorful history of this genre which I love so much.
It's my 'go-to' book for writers of hard-boiled and noir and man, oh, man, I've had a ball reading it.
Some tidbits:
James Cain of The Postman Always Rings Twice fame, wanted to be an opera singer. Glad that one didn't work out.
Malcolm Braly, an ex-con, received the Edgar for his first novel Felon Tank published in 1961. Is first three novels were written while in prison.
July 29, 2021
I’ve been wanting to read this book since it came out back in 2013. I’ve heard references to it from other reviewers, podcasts, blogs, etc and finally took the plunge this year. I suppose it’s meant to be used as a reference, looking up individual authors or pseudonyms as needed but I, of course, read it all through from cover to cover, a little bit at a time. I have read works from many of the authors listed here and thought I knew a lot about some of them but now I realize just how much I didn’t know. Not only was I introduced to new crime writers of the Paperback Era but I also learned much more about their individual backgrounds and lives.
Whether this volume is used as the occasional reference to dip into to learn more about an author you’re currently reading or to discover new authors, this is an undeniably indispensable resource.
Whether this volume is used as the occasional reference to dip into to learn more about an author you’re currently reading or to discover new authors, this is an undeniably indispensable resource.
August 5, 2013
INVALUABLE!
May 13, 2023
12/2015
A very good reference book of the "paperback original" authors. I read much of it straight through, and it introduced me to some things.
A very good reference book of the "paperback original" authors. I read much of it straight through, and it introduced me to some things.
November 5, 2013
This alphabetical who's who of paperback writers from the late 40s through the early 70s comprises three types of writers:
1) Writers I knew
2) Writers new to me
3) Writers I thought I knew
The biographical information is very well researched, and is often presented in a way that is in itself very entertaining, such as when Mike Hammer tells us about Mickey Spillane, or the tragic figure of Cornell Woolrich is revealed in such dark tones as could have come from one of his own novels. After each biographical section, which usually contains a photo, the major works of a writer are listed, grouped by series and/or pen-name. Speaking of pseudonyms, author Brian Ritt makes a very noble attempt to correlate all the various names used by the writers...I have no idea if he is successful, given that one writer could write under a dozen or more names for as many different publishers, but the attempt is impressive.
While this book is invaluable to collectors of pocketbooks of the era, it will also be of interest to writers and readers, a glimpse into the world of paperbacks originals, as lost now as the pulp magazines which they themselves replaced.
1) Writers I knew
2) Writers new to me
3) Writers I thought I knew
The biographical information is very well researched, and is often presented in a way that is in itself very entertaining, such as when Mike Hammer tells us about Mickey Spillane, or the tragic figure of Cornell Woolrich is revealed in such dark tones as could have come from one of his own novels. After each biographical section, which usually contains a photo, the major works of a writer are listed, grouped by series and/or pen-name. Speaking of pseudonyms, author Brian Ritt makes a very noble attempt to correlate all the various names used by the writers...I have no idea if he is successful, given that one writer could write under a dozen or more names for as many different publishers, but the attempt is impressive.
While this book is invaluable to collectors of pocketbooks of the era, it will also be of interest to writers and readers, a glimpse into the world of paperbacks originals, as lost now as the pulp magazines which they themselves replaced.
March 22, 2017
Great book!
December 24, 2019
Must have for collectors, even if the bibliographies are not always complete.
August 27, 2022
After reading 'The Best of Manhunt' and currently halfway through 'The Best of Manhunt - 2,' I have found myself reading more and more hard boiled crime fiction. Perhaps more so in this genre, there's a fair amount of cliched crap I'd previously had to sift through to get to the classics; for that reason, this book has proved to be an invaluable, fascinating, as well as time saving aid. [Thumbs up also to the Paperback Warrior Podcast].
The book has biographies and bibliographies of 132 hard boiled, crime noir writers. These are concise at 2-5 pages, but get to the heart of the character's involved, and illuminate the considered high points of an author's career. At the end of each is an "If you liked this author, you might like..." suggestion.
Pictures of each author and a couple of introductions make for both an entertaining and informative read.
The book has biographies and bibliographies of 132 hard boiled, crime noir writers. These are concise at 2-5 pages, but get to the heart of the character's involved, and illuminate the considered high points of an author's career. At the end of each is an "If you liked this author, you might like..." suggestion.
Pictures of each author and a couple of introductions make for both an entertaining and informative read.
August 30, 2018
This was a lot of fun. Interesting profiles and a great new "to read" list.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews