From the Bookshelf of Never too Late to Read Classics

The Maltese Falcon
by
Start date
December 1, 2019
Finish date
December 31, 2019

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What Members Thought

Sara
Dec 13, 2018 rated it it was ok  ·  review of another edition
Shelves: mystery, detective
I think Hammett might play better as a movie than in print. I found Sam Spade a bit too stuffy and wooden to have any real appeal. It did not help that I already knew the story.
Shirley (stampartiste)
I wanted to read this book because I loved the movie: There was a screen presence about the great character actors of old (Humphrey Bogart and Peter Lorre were remarkably good in this movie). And when Humphrey Bogart (Sam Spade) uttered the words, "When you're slapped, you'll take it and like it," well... that was just classic Bogie! But reading it in print, and having Sam Spade slap his way through the characters in the book, was just a little too much slapping around for my taste.

I wasn't part
...more
Library Nymph
Mar 11, 2020 rated it really liked it  ·  review of another edition
Shelves: mystery, classics
Ok, how can I start? There are few things I was iffy with, so I'll start there. I don't like it when "strong" men think they can just touch women because they're . . . standing there, being a vagina owner. Don't get me wrong, I like to be touched, but with my permission, thank you, and not before. Sam Spade kinda does this low-key. Not enough for me to think he's an utter asshole, but just enough I was like, "seriously, dude, you can't have a sexual understanding with ALL these women." I don't k ...more
Zuzana
Not bad at all but I guess I just prefer Chandler.
Julie
Jun 24, 2014 rated it liked it
Idk, I liked The Thin Man well enough, I found Norah and Nick very charming, plus I really liked the movie with Humphrey Bogart too but eh...

- while the maltese falcon, idk i loved the movie, but it was SUCH. A. CHORE. just getting through it

- i feel like dashiell hammett is the very epitome of male novelist jokes http://the-toast.net/2013/11/04/male-...

- also missing is the iconic last line of the film, w/c is actually from the tempest. i was waiting for it the whole book and i feel cheated

- bu
...more
Sarah
Aug 19, 2013 rated it really liked it
Shelves: owned
Really enjoyed reading. Always liked the movie, and the movie follows the book closely - no reason not to, the dialogue is great. Wonderful gently twisting plot, and it did not bother me a bit that I knew what was coming. Sam Spade is just a fun guy to hang out with for a couple of hours.
Grace
#54 in my chronological read of McCrums 100 greatest.
Kerry
Fun. Love the classic Private Eye books.
Brandon
Sep 24, 2012 marked it as to-read
Jenn
Jan 21, 2013 marked it as 1001-books-to-read-list
Jessica Vaughn
Dec 23, 2013 rated it liked it
Wave
Feb 09, 2014 marked it as to-read
Carol
Oct 06, 2014 rated it liked it  ·  review of another edition
Shelves: mystery, best
Ryan
Apr 05, 2015 marked it as to-read
Enid
Sep 07, 2016 marked it as to-read
Kam
Oct 06, 2016 added it
Dale
Feb 16, 2017 rated it really liked it
Elena
Nov 16, 2017 marked it as to-read  ·  review of another edition
Shelves: ebooks
Roxy
Nov 22, 2019 marked it as to-read
Alexandra Madigan
Jun 23, 2020 marked it as to-read
Julia
Sep 17, 2020 marked it as to-read
Diane
Nov 26, 2020 rated it really liked it
Gayle
Apr 24, 2022 marked it as to-read
Carrie
Aug 04, 2022 marked it as to-read