From the Bookshelf of Catching up on Classics (and lots more!)…

The Postman Always Rings Twice

James M. Cain

Start date: January 1, 2019

Finish date: January 31, 2019

Discussion: Short Story/Novella Collection

Why we're reading this: January 2019 Short Story Read
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Short Story/Novella Collection

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What Members Thought

Dec 27, 2018 Kelly_Hunsaker_reads ... rated it really liked it

Shelves: classics, mysteries-thrillers

4.5 stars.

Noir. Beautiful. Smoky, black and white, gravelly, grainy, psychologically damaging, enthralling, shocking, and emotional. This is a book you see as though it were a Hitchcock movie. It is wonderful! I finished it a week ago and I already want to read it again.

18 likes · Like · see review

Jun 30, 2013 Andrea rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: list-1001-books, fiction-general, read-sorted, list-100-nyt-novels

A dark and passionate story of two lovers sinking deeper and deeper into crime and amorality. I absolutely loved it! The deterioration of their relationship into that of mistrust and suspicion was perfectly executed by the author. The drama keeps you on the edge the entire time.

5 likes · Like · see review

Aug 30, 2020 Renate rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, classics, crime, bookclub

Back story on the title:
https://blogs.loc.gov/loc/2019/10/how...

Short, fast paced, full of suspense. It twists and turns until the very last page. Would highly recommend reading it in one sitting.

Apparently an early example of "American Noir" and it certainly has stood the test of time.

There is no postman though. No, postman ever even rings once, let alone twice. Nope. The title appears to be a metaphor for the moral of this tale about very amoral characters. What appears on first glance to be ...more

3 likes · Like · see review

Mar 15, 2014 AmberBug com* rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: referenced-in-a-book

Shelf Notes Review

Dear Reader,

Can you believe I went into reading this book without ever watching any of the movies or knowing the plot line? Well, I did and you know what? I loved it. It might have been just because of that reason, I didn't know the plot. For anyone who does know the plot, you have to admit that it's pretty darn clever. You have a beautiful married woman who falls in love with a drifter who comes to work with her elderly and fat husband. The two elicit a love affair that turns ...more

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Nov 09, 2011 Trisha rated it it was ok

Shelves: classics

First, I'm not sure what the title has to do with the story at all. Second, I didn't think it was that great of a story. Somehow adultery, murder, and double-crossing became a little boring in this novel. I think it was the writing style. There was a constant stream of slang-ish dialogue, but no description or depth to draw me into the story. The two characters just rambled on and on, and what the heck was with the puma cameo, that was completely random. Not what I would consider a brilliant nov ...more

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Sep 24, 2011 BurgendyA rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

James M. Cain is the king of hard boiling thrilling fictions. I already finished reading three of Cain’s popular novels. The Postman Always Ring Twice was a wonderful & incising tale, with a grim twist. The novel was so entertaining that it was a fast read. I give this book 5 star and 2 thumbs up. Recommending anyone to give it a read.

Especially read it before watching the movie. The flick is great even though it has it’s changes like how majority of film-makers that don’t stay true to the book ...more

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