Tuesday, July 15, 2008

The Thin Man

The Thin Man is by Dashiell Hammett. This is a classic mystery noir set in the 1930's. It is the story of ex-detective Nick Charles, his rich wife Nora, and their dog Asta. FYI: The movie version starring William Powell and Myrna Loy is a must see (as are all the films in The Thin Man series), so rent it! While in New York for the Christmas holidays Nick runs into Dorothy Wynant, the daughter of an old client. Wynant has gone missing and Dorothy wants Nick's help to find him - then the murders begin. The dialogue is witty and wry, this book is a classic period piece. A great introduction to this most American of genres. There is some profanity, but it is rare and fairly mild.

Ratings: 9th grade - 10 out of 10 - P (profanity).

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