Status
Available
Call number
Library's review
USA, New York, ca 1930
???
???
Genres
Publication
Fremad, 1970. Fremads kriminalromaner.
Description
The Thin Man introduces Nick and Nora Charles, New York's coolest crime-solving couple. Nick retired from detecting after his wife inherited a tidy sum, but six years later a pretty blonde spies him at a speakeasy and asks for his help finding her father, an eccentric inventor who was once Nick's client. Nick can no more resist the case than a morning cocktail or a good fight, and soon he and Nora are caught in a complicated web of confused identities and cold-blooded murder.
Media reviews
The New York Times
"Hammett's prose [is] clean and entirely unique. His characters [are] as sharply and economically defined as any in American fiction."
printed on the back cover of the Vintage Crime 1989 edition
printed on the back cover of the Vintage Crime 1989 edition
User reviews
LibraryThing member TheDivineOomba
I love Nick and Nora. They are the perfect detectives of the prohibition age. One where there is much drinking, a couple of parties, and no actual sleuthing as Nick manages to get involved in the murder of an old acquaintance, against his objections.
Nora is a wonderfully intelligent woman, a bit
The writing is tight. Clues are giving as part of natural conversation, with me guessing till the end who is the murderer.
Truly a master novel of the genre.
Nora is a wonderfully intelligent woman, a bit
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ditzy, but mostly fun. Nick is her husband, an older gentleman who married into money (But not FOR money). He truly loves Nora. Asta is their dog. She doesn't play much of a role, but Asta's presence makes the book.The writing is tight. Clues are giving as part of natural conversation, with me guessing till the end who is the murderer.
Truly a master novel of the genre.
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LibraryThing member antiquary
I recently read the unfinished earlier version of The Thin Man included in Nightmare Town and that led me to reread the completed later version. My conclusion was that it was very unfortunate Hammett did not finish the earlier version. The private detective in the first version, John Guild (whose
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name is given to a policeman in the second version) is a solid professional like "the Continental Op" (my favorite Hammett detective) or like Hammett himself earlier. Nick Charles, on the other hand , is a lush who wastes much of his time at drunken parties with New York City intelligentsia, living the life Hammett lived with Lillian Hellman (to whom it is dedicated). The effect reminded me very much of the difference between the earlier Hemingway --an active man writing about active men --and the later Hemingway, a barfly writing about barflies. Some writers, at least, write what they know all too well. Show Less
LibraryThing member ctpress
"I want a drink, please."
"Why don't you have some breakfast first?"
"I don't know. It's too early for breakfast."
The married couple Nick and Nora - and their dog - are traveling to New York to celebrate Christmas and New Year - Nick is a former detective and when they arrive they learn a murder have
Unfortunately for Nick he's approached both by family members of Wynant, by the police and shot at by a mafia-guy - he's forced to take up the case to save his skin. During the investigation we meet a lot of eccentric characters and come to suspect them all at one point or another. Great guessing.
I just love the hard-boiled atmosphere of the 30's New York mixed together with a swift and funny dialogue (the feeling of a good screwball-comedy) - there's no attempt at nuanced characters or revealing much of their inner life - it's just cruising along easily. And this must be a record cocktail-sipping novel. Every opportunity is used for mixing up a drink - going to evening parties and hanging out in bars to the early morning and then ordering take-away. Do they ever sleep? I don't think so. Too busy entertaining us.
Nora said: "She's pretty."
“If you like them like that."
She grinned at me. "You got types?"
"Only you, darling- lanky brunettes with wicked jaws."
"And how about the red-head you wandered off with at the Quinns' last night?"
"That's silly," I said. "She just wanted to show me some French etchings.”
"Why don't you have some breakfast first?"
"I don't know. It's too early for breakfast."
The married couple Nick and Nora - and their dog - are traveling to New York to celebrate Christmas and New Year - Nick is a former detective and when they arrive they learn a murder have
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taken place. A young woman is shot and the main suspect is an inventor - professor Clyde Wynant - who had an affair with her and have now gone into hiding covering a secret invention.Unfortunately for Nick he's approached both by family members of Wynant, by the police and shot at by a mafia-guy - he's forced to take up the case to save his skin. During the investigation we meet a lot of eccentric characters and come to suspect them all at one point or another. Great guessing.
I just love the hard-boiled atmosphere of the 30's New York mixed together with a swift and funny dialogue (the feeling of a good screwball-comedy) - there's no attempt at nuanced characters or revealing much of their inner life - it's just cruising along easily. And this must be a record cocktail-sipping novel. Every opportunity is used for mixing up a drink - going to evening parties and hanging out in bars to the early morning and then ordering take-away. Do they ever sleep? I don't think so. Too busy entertaining us.
Nora said: "She's pretty."
“If you like them like that."
She grinned at me. "You got types?"
"Only you, darling- lanky brunettes with wicked jaws."
"And how about the red-head you wandered off with at the Quinns' last night?"
"That's silly," I said. "She just wanted to show me some French etchings.”
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LibraryThing member universehall
There's always a problem with reading a book when you've already seen the movie version of it. You may be imagining characters that are different from the way they were described in the book - imagining dialog and nuances that just aren't in the book - and remembering scenes that you liked better
Those are all problems that I dealt with when I was reading this book. Not only have I previously seen The Thin Man (starring the ever-so-classy William Powell and Myrna Loy as Nick and Nora Charles) - I grew up watching it. I have probably seen it a hundred times.
While I did my best to just say that this is a totally different experience and I should try to forget the movie while I read it - I spent a lot of time involuntarily judging the book against the movie. I couldn't help it.
Well, if you're a fan of the movie, let me just say this: the book is a lot more raw than the film.
The plot is essentially the same. Some minor details are changed. Some scenes take place in different places than in the film, and some characters are slightly different, or important for different reasons.
But in the book, there is "language" (in the sense that censors use the term), implications of sexuality and more violence. The character of Dorothy Wynatt (who is essentially a heroine in the film) is definitely not so heroic in this. Nick is still smart and suave, but he's a little less classy than in the film.
There is also a long, inexplicable section in the center of the book where Nick tells Gilbert (the eponymous Thin Man's son) the tale of Alfred Packer, North America's first cannibal. (You can see this tale colorfully illustrated in Matt Stone and Trey Parker's film "Cannibal: The Musical!" if you have any interest in it). This story relates in no way to the plot of the book, so I really don't know why it's there, if other than to assist the author in making a minimum page count.
Looking at this book as a thing totally disassociated from the film, I can tell you this: yes, it was entertaining. Yes, it held my attention. It was a good way to while-away a couple rainy afternoons, but I can't tell you that I'd call it a great work of literature. And the thing that I liked the most about the movie (which, honestly, is mainly the characters of Nick and Nora) was a bit lacking in the book. It dwelt mostly on the Wynatt family, which was more twisted than in the film.
It was good for what it was - a mystery novel. But I won't tell you that if you love the movie (as I do) that you'll love the book.
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the way they were in the movie.Those are all problems that I dealt with when I was reading this book. Not only have I previously seen The Thin Man (starring the ever-so-classy William Powell and Myrna Loy as Nick and Nora Charles) - I grew up watching it. I have probably seen it a hundred times.
While I did my best to just say that this is a totally different experience and I should try to forget the movie while I read it - I spent a lot of time involuntarily judging the book against the movie. I couldn't help it.
Well, if you're a fan of the movie, let me just say this: the book is a lot more raw than the film.
The plot is essentially the same. Some minor details are changed. Some scenes take place in different places than in the film, and some characters are slightly different, or important for different reasons.
But in the book, there is "language" (in the sense that censors use the term), implications of sexuality and more violence. The character of Dorothy Wynatt (who is essentially a heroine in the film) is definitely not so heroic in this. Nick is still smart and suave, but he's a little less classy than in the film.
There is also a long, inexplicable section in the center of the book where Nick tells Gilbert (the eponymous Thin Man's son) the tale of Alfred Packer, North America's first cannibal. (You can see this tale colorfully illustrated in Matt Stone and Trey Parker's film "Cannibal: The Musical!" if you have any interest in it). This story relates in no way to the plot of the book, so I really don't know why it's there, if other than to assist the author in making a minimum page count.
Looking at this book as a thing totally disassociated from the film, I can tell you this: yes, it was entertaining. Yes, it held my attention. It was a good way to while-away a couple rainy afternoons, but I can't tell you that I'd call it a great work of literature. And the thing that I liked the most about the movie (which, honestly, is mainly the characters of Nick and Nora) was a bit lacking in the book. It dwelt mostly on the Wynatt family, which was more twisted than in the film.
It was good for what it was - a mystery novel. But I won't tell you that if you love the movie (as I do) that you'll love the book.
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LibraryThing member doxtator
A murder mystery told in that tough guy, soft heart at the core under the muscle way that only Hammett can tell it. Nick and Nora Charles fall into a murder mystery that just keeps people flowing in and out, all the while they seem to subsist on coffee and booze, and very little sleep. It runs the
A somewhat complicated murder that takes a lot of talking to get to the heart of it, the reader follows Nick Charles around as he deals with all sorts of types. Nick knows when to clam up and when to spill the beans, and his wife Nora is a woman unto herself. As he says, she's alright. She's even better than that.
The narrator does a fine job. He sounds best being Nick, and he does a good job with all the other characters. Really spectacular is how he portrays Dorothy, because he makes her as truly annoying and pouty as she was written.
The language of the day is sometimes a bit vulgar and some of it is no longer acceptable in today's world, but it is an interesting hark back to a different time. The social mores of the time certainly don't mesh with what is acceptable today and there are times where unacceptable language is used, and also a lot of scummy behavior even on the part of what should be the good guys.
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line between seeming appealing and becoming the beginnings of a tragedy.A somewhat complicated murder that takes a lot of talking to get to the heart of it, the reader follows Nick Charles around as he deals with all sorts of types. Nick knows when to clam up and when to spill the beans, and his wife Nora is a woman unto herself. As he says, she's alright. She's even better than that.
The narrator does a fine job. He sounds best being Nick, and he does a good job with all the other characters. Really spectacular is how he portrays Dorothy, because he makes her as truly annoying and pouty as she was written.
The language of the day is sometimes a bit vulgar and some of it is no longer acceptable in today's world, but it is an interesting hark back to a different time. The social mores of the time certainly don't mesh with what is acceptable today and there are times where unacceptable language is used, and also a lot of scummy behavior even on the part of what should be the good guys.
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LibraryThing member amcheri
I'm glad I read this classic but have no desire to read anything else by the author. Although I was told that his other books aren't like The Thin Man in tone so maybe, someday, I'll be persuaded to try another.
I didn't have any idea who did it - and honestly couldn't have - until the very end,
Between the shrewish women and the sexist men (yes, I know it's the cultural atmosphere of the time), I didn't like the book as much as I had hoped I would.
I didn't have any idea who did it - and honestly couldn't have - until the very end,
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which was nice. But I also didn't like any characters, so that wasn't nice at all. Nora was the closest I came to liking someone and there really wasn't much more of her besides getting Nick drinks.Between the shrewish women and the sexist men (yes, I know it's the cultural atmosphere of the time), I didn't like the book as much as I had hoped I would.
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LibraryThing member James_Patrick_Joyce
Fun, straight-forward mystery novel. If you've seen the movie (and if you haven't, what's wrong with you?) starring Powell and Loy, then you get the idea. The movie was a fairly faithful adaptation of the book. The exception being that I think Hammett envisioned Nick Charles as a bit tougher
Light hearted, in approach, though with some seriously dark themes and moments, it makes a nice mix that's uncommon today. Maybe it was uncommon, back in the day, as well. To be honest, I enjoyed the movie a good bit more and part of my real enjoyment of the novel was hearing Nora's lines as being read by Myrna Loy.
Worth reading, but not one of my favourite mysteries. A good, solid read, by a writer who knows how to work the language.
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looking, than William Powell and the subject matter is given greater depth and verity, in the novel. And I was surprised to find that Nick Charles is the son of a Greek immigrant who changed his name, upon arriving in America. A small point, but not mentioned in the movie (mentioned 3 times in the book).Light hearted, in approach, though with some seriously dark themes and moments, it makes a nice mix that's uncommon today. Maybe it was uncommon, back in the day, as well. To be honest, I enjoyed the movie a good bit more and part of my real enjoyment of the novel was hearing Nora's lines as being read by Myrna Loy.
Worth reading, but not one of my favourite mysteries. A good, solid read, by a writer who knows how to work the language.
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LibraryThing member tnilsson
This is a grand book. As good as the movies, if not as humorous. But be careful which edition you read as a great many of them are censored (yet don't note that fact anywhere). Find one that specifically claims not to be censored.
LibraryThing member ablueidol
Classic film noire 30's crime story showing that the rich are bigger cads then the criminals. Rich eccentric millionaire disappears, a secretary is killed and a reluctant ex detective and his wife is dragged into an increasingly complex case. Lean prose, great natural dialogue and lots of twists
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and turns. One of the classics and one to read before you die Show Less
LibraryThing member sweetiegherkin
Former detective Nick Charles and his wife Nora travel to New York City for the Christmas/New Year holidays. While there, Nick runs in to the daughter of an old client, and soon after learns that the client's former lover has been murdered. Despite his protestations of early retirement, Nick finds
Dashiell Hammett is considered a master of the hard-boiled detective fiction novel, and I certainly found that to be the case with this novel. The Thin Man immediately drew me, fascinating me with its characters and making a quick read with its sharp and witty language. Hammett doesn't linger long on descriptions yet I always had perfect pictures in my head of what was going on, where it was happening, and exactly who it was happening with or to. Hammett deftly crafts a dysfunctional family in the Wynant/Jorgensen household, a seedy cast of degenerates in the mobsters and informants Nick encounters, a beleaguered police force, and more, all of who felt well-rounded and believable. And of course, Hammett creates here the famous Nick and Nora couple, who are absolutely delightful in their interactions together.
The story and particularly its characters were so compelling that I found I wasn't really trying to solve the case like I usually do with mystery books. Yes, I was a little suspicious of certain characters here and there, but I wasn't really formulating theories of my own much because I was too busy just waiting to see what happen next. By the end of the novel, I was certainly surprised by the tale that Hammett wove and hadn't remotely guessed the conclusion at all.
Overall, I very much enjoyed this book and will be looking forward to reading more Hammett in the near future. I'd recommend this book for those who read for plot as well as though who read for character and, of course, I'd especially recommend it for fans of mystery novels.
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himself drawn into the family and the case. Dashiell Hammett is considered a master of the hard-boiled detective fiction novel, and I certainly found that to be the case with this novel. The Thin Man immediately drew me, fascinating me with its characters and making a quick read with its sharp and witty language. Hammett doesn't linger long on descriptions yet I always had perfect pictures in my head of what was going on, where it was happening, and exactly who it was happening with or to. Hammett deftly crafts a dysfunctional family in the Wynant/Jorgensen household, a seedy cast of degenerates in the mobsters and informants Nick encounters, a beleaguered police force, and more, all of who felt well-rounded and believable. And of course, Hammett creates here the famous Nick and Nora couple, who are absolutely delightful in their interactions together.
The story and particularly its characters were so compelling that I found I wasn't really trying to solve the case like I usually do with mystery books. Yes, I was a little suspicious of certain characters here and there, but I wasn't really formulating theories of my own much because I was too busy just waiting to see what happen next. By the end of the novel, I was certainly surprised by the tale that Hammett wove and hadn't remotely guessed the conclusion at all.
Overall, I very much enjoyed this book and will be looking forward to reading more Hammett in the near future. I'd recommend this book for those who read for plot as well as though who read for character and, of course, I'd especially recommend it for fans of mystery novels.
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LibraryThing member Ambrosia4
One of my favorite detective's infamous start in fiction! Nick and Nora Charles (in the series, not in the book...) have always been my favorite couple, ever since I watched the Thin Man series as a child. Reading Dashiell Hammett's original novel which launched the series was like travelling back
Nick and Nora are the quintessential pair, matching each other drink for drink and quip for quip. After retiring from the detective loop, Nick travels to New York and gets involuntarily mixed up in a murder investigation involving one of his old clients, Clyde Wynant. Thoughout the book the reader meets quite a cast of characters from Clyde's ex-wife Mimi, his hot-and-cold daughter Dorothy, his obsessive son Gilbert, Mimi's new gigalo husband Chris Jorgensen, as well as Guild, the police detective assigned to the case who picks Nick's head every once in awhile.
Definitely worth a read for mystery lovers, anyone who appreciates comedic gold and those who thoroughly enjoyed the movie based upon this novel.
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in time to that first watching. Hammett's characterization, writing techniques and quick wit bring this book from another regular old detective novel to a sophisticated romp through New York in the '30s playing with murder and mayhem in the process.Nick and Nora are the quintessential pair, matching each other drink for drink and quip for quip. After retiring from the detective loop, Nick travels to New York and gets involuntarily mixed up in a murder investigation involving one of his old clients, Clyde Wynant. Thoughout the book the reader meets quite a cast of characters from Clyde's ex-wife Mimi, his hot-and-cold daughter Dorothy, his obsessive son Gilbert, Mimi's new gigalo husband Chris Jorgensen, as well as Guild, the police detective assigned to the case who picks Nick's head every once in awhile.
Definitely worth a read for mystery lovers, anyone who appreciates comedic gold and those who thoroughly enjoyed the movie based upon this novel.
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LibraryThing member rfewell
This was a horrible pick for One Book One Denver (as they all have been, IMHO). I got about 97 pages into it, but just couldn't go on. Anyone who has ever facilitated a book club knows not to pick a mystery -- what can you talk about? How can this be a meaningful book for community conversations?
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Well, I'm finished with it...there are too many good books to waste time on one that's just not grabbing my attention. Show Less
LibraryThing member cajela
Hammett's prose is classic noir, simple and clean, and sharply and carefully chosen. His characters are delightful, with a good mix of comic types from the 1930s - the petty gangsters, the pontificating amateur Freudian, the boring socialites, the cops over-handy with their punches. This is the
If you've seen the movie, the plot will be familiar. The movie was pretty true to the book, except that Hammett makes more of Nick's Greek background than Hollywood did, and Hollywood invented a more Agatha Christie-esque denouement scene. And if you haven't seen the movie, then you should, because it's also a classic!
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original book behind the Thin Man series of movies featuring Nick & Nora Charles, and well worth reading. Our favourite hard-drinking wise-cracking mystery-solving couple is in there, and their little dog too. If you've seen the movie, the plot will be familiar. The movie was pretty true to the book, except that Hammett makes more of Nick's Greek background than Hollywood did, and Hollywood invented a more Agatha Christie-esque denouement scene. And if you haven't seen the movie, then you should, because it's also a classic!
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LibraryThing member theokester
The Thin Man was Dashiel Hammet's final novel. It sticks with the familiar hard boiled themes and motifs common in his previous works like the Continental Op series or The Maltese Falcon. There are scenes showcasing the gritty underbella of prohibition era America and the thugs and speakeasies of
The novel is set during Christmastime in New York City. Nick and Nora are enjoying a luxurious vacation when Nick runs into Dorothy, the daughter of a family he did detective work for years ago. Her father, Wynant is missing and she wants Nick to help find him. Nick says he's retired and gives her some ideas of who she might call. A bit later it is revealed that Wynant's secretary has been found murdered.
Wynant's family members and associates keep turning up asking Nick to help find Wynant. The police also try to rope him into helping them solve the murder. More and more details are revealed and more suspects keep turning up. One of the suspects ends up shooting Nick and Nick decides he can't stay out of the investigation any more and starts gumshoeing. He still tries to defer to the police where he can and keep the press at bay as they try to get him to admit to working the case.
Nora is enthralled with seeing her husband work and she keeps trying to push herself into the action alongside him. I love the banter between Nick and Nora. They are both so witty and sarcastic. It's a lot of fun to see them tease each other and especially fun when they're teasing in front of other characters or teasing other people. A lot of the other characters don't seem to know what to make of the Charleses. It's pretty funny.
While this is still a gritty murder mystery full of all sorts of suspects both from high and low society, it is definitely less grizzly than the Continental Op. There were action sequences but they weren't as intense or drawn out as in Hammet's other works. The tone and action was closer to Maltese Falcon than the Op books.
I really enjoyed the mystery of this book. There are a ton of little nuances and extra layers that add to the complexity. While some of the characters felt a little flat and stereotypical there were also a lot of very distinctive and interesting characters. Wynant's family members are each very outrageously distinct and quirky. Wyant's lawyer and business associates are a little more predictable but still interesting and add flavor.
As with a lot of these early mystery novels, the final revelatory narrative is a bit drawn out with Nick going into a lengthy monologue explaining just what happened and how and by whom. I did like the humor that Hammet brought into this scene through short comments between Nick and Nora as she questions just how it is that he knows these things. In some cases his response is that "it's the only way that makes sense"...in other cases he comments that he's "not sure" but he suggests that by making deductive theories in one direction, it's sure to put pressure on the real guilty party and expose something they don't want exposed.
All in all I really enjoyed this story. It was a funny, exciting and intriguing mystery tale. While the overall mystery elements were all actually pretty complex in their unraveling, the actualy resolution was quite simple and seemed to make a lot of sense once fully explained. In the end this made for a rather satisfying conclusion.
After reading the book, I sat down with my wife and we watched the movie based on the book. I loved that Dashiel Hammet received top billing. The movie was pretty faithful to the overall plot of the book although it did start out providing significant back story prior to the introduction of the Charleses. This served as a good introduction to Wynant and his family and associates. I felt like this change was a good way of putting a face to a character (Wynant) who otherwise is almost always "off screen" but constantly talked about. They did make a significant change to the "Dorothy" character. In the book she's flighty, erratic and just possibly a little crazy. In the movie she seemed pretty grounded and she's engaged to be married (which introduced a new character but also got rid of her "flirting" with Nick). Most of the other characters and situations remained the same until the very end of the story. Rather than having the final revelation meeting happen in the room of Wynant's wife and family, Nick sets up a dinner party and invites all of the suspects to attend. During the dinner he announces that he's brought the killer in and expects to reveal him or her there. The dinner party scene certainly made for better theater by adding more tension and suspicion as well as providing more opportunity for situational humor.
Overall I really enjoyed this book. I've had a lot of fun reading Hammet's works and I look forward to reading more. If you're in the mood for a "Noir" mystery without as much grittiness but with just as much intrigue and fun, The Thin Man is definitely a good place to start.
*****
4.5 out of 5 stars
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the time. Where the Thin Man takes a different tack is that our main hero is a "retired" detective Nick Charles. Nick got married 4 years ago to Nora, a rich socialite from the West Coast. When Nora's father died, Nick left detective work behind and has taken on some responsibility for overseeing the businesses. Granted, his level of "oversight" seems to involve hobnobbing, spending money and doing a lot of drinking.The novel is set during Christmastime in New York City. Nick and Nora are enjoying a luxurious vacation when Nick runs into Dorothy, the daughter of a family he did detective work for years ago. Her father, Wynant is missing and she wants Nick to help find him. Nick says he's retired and gives her some ideas of who she might call. A bit later it is revealed that Wynant's secretary has been found murdered.
Wynant's family members and associates keep turning up asking Nick to help find Wynant. The police also try to rope him into helping them solve the murder. More and more details are revealed and more suspects keep turning up. One of the suspects ends up shooting Nick and Nick decides he can't stay out of the investigation any more and starts gumshoeing. He still tries to defer to the police where he can and keep the press at bay as they try to get him to admit to working the case.
Nora is enthralled with seeing her husband work and she keeps trying to push herself into the action alongside him. I love the banter between Nick and Nora. They are both so witty and sarcastic. It's a lot of fun to see them tease each other and especially fun when they're teasing in front of other characters or teasing other people. A lot of the other characters don't seem to know what to make of the Charleses. It's pretty funny.
While this is still a gritty murder mystery full of all sorts of suspects both from high and low society, it is definitely less grizzly than the Continental Op. There were action sequences but they weren't as intense or drawn out as in Hammet's other works. The tone and action was closer to Maltese Falcon than the Op books.
I really enjoyed the mystery of this book. There are a ton of little nuances and extra layers that add to the complexity. While some of the characters felt a little flat and stereotypical there were also a lot of very distinctive and interesting characters. Wynant's family members are each very outrageously distinct and quirky. Wyant's lawyer and business associates are a little more predictable but still interesting and add flavor.
As with a lot of these early mystery novels, the final revelatory narrative is a bit drawn out with Nick going into a lengthy monologue explaining just what happened and how and by whom. I did like the humor that Hammet brought into this scene through short comments between Nick and Nora as she questions just how it is that he knows these things. In some cases his response is that "it's the only way that makes sense"...in other cases he comments that he's "not sure" but he suggests that by making deductive theories in one direction, it's sure to put pressure on the real guilty party and expose something they don't want exposed.
All in all I really enjoyed this story. It was a funny, exciting and intriguing mystery tale. While the overall mystery elements were all actually pretty complex in their unraveling, the actualy resolution was quite simple and seemed to make a lot of sense once fully explained. In the end this made for a rather satisfying conclusion.
After reading the book, I sat down with my wife and we watched the movie based on the book. I loved that Dashiel Hammet received top billing. The movie was pretty faithful to the overall plot of the book although it did start out providing significant back story prior to the introduction of the Charleses. This served as a good introduction to Wynant and his family and associates. I felt like this change was a good way of putting a face to a character (Wynant) who otherwise is almost always "off screen" but constantly talked about. They did make a significant change to the "Dorothy" character. In the book she's flighty, erratic and just possibly a little crazy. In the movie she seemed pretty grounded and she's engaged to be married (which introduced a new character but also got rid of her "flirting" with Nick). Most of the other characters and situations remained the same until the very end of the story. Rather than having the final revelation meeting happen in the room of Wynant's wife and family, Nick sets up a dinner party and invites all of the suspects to attend. During the dinner he announces that he's brought the killer in and expects to reveal him or her there. The dinner party scene certainly made for better theater by adding more tension and suspicion as well as providing more opportunity for situational humor.
Overall I really enjoyed this book. I've had a lot of fun reading Hammet's works and I look forward to reading more. If you're in the mood for a "Noir" mystery without as much grittiness but with just as much intrigue and fun, The Thin Man is definitely a good place to start.
*****
4.5 out of 5 stars
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LibraryThing member bcquinnsmom
Ah, the 30s, New York. Prohibition hasn't slowed down the cocktail set, who party until the sun rises. Speakeasies abound, thugs have names like Studsy, cocaine and morphine are the contemporary drugs of choice, and cops are allowed to beat the truth out of their suspects. This is the world of Nick
The crime is twisty and Hammett never tires of throwing the occasional monkey wrench into the works. Interestingly enough, a fair amount of the deception and deceit in this novel comes from the machinations of the women, except, of course, for Nora. She's sophisticated, witty, fashionable, compassionate and on the home front pretty much Nick's equal. Her trust in her husband is beyond question and she's there to support him, no questions asked. At the same time, while trusting and supportive, it's clear that Nora is to leave the detecting to Nick:
"Listen darling, tomorrow I'll buy you a whole lot of detective stories, but don't worry your pretty little head over mysteries tonight."
Hmm. With Nora clearly the exception, the women in this novel are either needy, manipulative, hysterical, liars,cheats or a combination of all of these qualities. But that's to be expected -- misogyny is prevalent in the two other novels by Hammett I've read -- The Maltese Falcon and Red Harvest-- and while those stories are much darker in tone, Hammett's scornful assessment of women (again, except for Nora) is the same here. Mimi, for example, is a sordid, money-grubbing and conniving female who, when she fails to get her way, has no qualms about flexing her figurative and literal muscle. Lying is her forte, but luckily Nick (obviously much superior to Mimi) has her number:
"When you catch her in a lie, she admits it and gives you another lie to take its place and, when you catch her in that one, she admits it and gives you still another, and so on. Most people -- even women -- get discouraged after you've caught them in the third or fourth straight lie and fall back on either the truth or silence, but not Mimi. She keeps trying and you've got to be careful or you'll find yourself believing her, not because she seems to be telling the truth, but simply because you're tired of disbelieving her."
Her daughter Dorothy is whiny and needy, prone to exaggeration, histrionics and like her mother, capable of distorting the truth if she thinks it will help her. Even the now-dead secretary, Julia Wolf, was no stranger to greed and lies.
The core mystery is entertaining, and despite the twists and turns in the story, Hammett's writing is direct, witty and to the point. His characters are understood largely through their actions and interactions rather than through descriptive sketches, so it takes little time to become fully involved or acquainted with them. And as far as the misogynist subtext, the novel was written in the 30s, so it is very much a product of its time.
Unlike the series of movies that followed the original "The Thin Man," with Myrna Loy and William Powell, Hammett's Thin Man was not written as a first novel in a continuing line of stories featuring Nick and Nora Charles. It is also much lighter in tone than the other works of Hammett's I've read: both Red Harvest and Maltese Falcon are much higher up the noir ladder and both are much more pessimistic than this one. At the same time, while it doesn't have quite the same edge to it as the others, The Thin Man is still able to deliver the goods. Highly and definitely recommended.
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and Nora Charles, at least temporarily while they're staying in the city over the Christmas holidays. Nick used to be a detective, but these days Nick is no longer pounding the streets in his trench coat -- he gave up his career to "look after" some business interests -- a lumber mill, a railroad, "and some other things" -- left to Nora after her father died. The two aren't in New York long when Nick gets dragged reluctantly into helping to solve the murder of Julia Wolf, the secretary and former mistress of an old client named Claude Wynant, described to Nora as "a good guy, but screwy," and "batty as hell." Wynant is incommunicado at the moment except for communications through his lawyer; the police want to talk to him, as does ex-wife Mimi who's running out of cash and stands to lose her current husband without more of Wynant's money. Trying to weed through the ever-increasing layers of deceit surrounding the truth of Wolf's murder won't be easy (either for Nick or for the reader, for that matter), but through it all the drinks keep flowing and Nick and Nora entertain each other with their back-and-forth witty banter. The crime is twisty and Hammett never tires of throwing the occasional monkey wrench into the works. Interestingly enough, a fair amount of the deception and deceit in this novel comes from the machinations of the women, except, of course, for Nora. She's sophisticated, witty, fashionable, compassionate and on the home front pretty much Nick's equal. Her trust in her husband is beyond question and she's there to support him, no questions asked. At the same time, while trusting and supportive, it's clear that Nora is to leave the detecting to Nick:
"Listen darling, tomorrow I'll buy you a whole lot of detective stories, but don't worry your pretty little head over mysteries tonight."
Hmm. With Nora clearly the exception, the women in this novel are either needy, manipulative, hysterical, liars,cheats or a combination of all of these qualities. But that's to be expected -- misogyny is prevalent in the two other novels by Hammett I've read -- The Maltese Falcon and Red Harvest-- and while those stories are much darker in tone, Hammett's scornful assessment of women (again, except for Nora) is the same here. Mimi, for example, is a sordid, money-grubbing and conniving female who, when she fails to get her way, has no qualms about flexing her figurative and literal muscle. Lying is her forte, but luckily Nick (obviously much superior to Mimi) has her number:
"When you catch her in a lie, she admits it and gives you another lie to take its place and, when you catch her in that one, she admits it and gives you still another, and so on. Most people -- even women -- get discouraged after you've caught them in the third or fourth straight lie and fall back on either the truth or silence, but not Mimi. She keeps trying and you've got to be careful or you'll find yourself believing her, not because she seems to be telling the truth, but simply because you're tired of disbelieving her."
Her daughter Dorothy is whiny and needy, prone to exaggeration, histrionics and like her mother, capable of distorting the truth if she thinks it will help her. Even the now-dead secretary, Julia Wolf, was no stranger to greed and lies.
The core mystery is entertaining, and despite the twists and turns in the story, Hammett's writing is direct, witty and to the point. His characters are understood largely through their actions and interactions rather than through descriptive sketches, so it takes little time to become fully involved or acquainted with them. And as far as the misogynist subtext, the novel was written in the 30s, so it is very much a product of its time.
Unlike the series of movies that followed the original "The Thin Man," with Myrna Loy and William Powell, Hammett's Thin Man was not written as a first novel in a continuing line of stories featuring Nick and Nora Charles. It is also much lighter in tone than the other works of Hammett's I've read: both Red Harvest and Maltese Falcon are much higher up the noir ladder and both are much more pessimistic than this one. At the same time, while it doesn't have quite the same edge to it as the others, The Thin Man is still able to deliver the goods. Highly and definitely recommended.
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LibraryThing member burningtodd
A brilliant detective novel that takes place in the early 1930’s, the Thin Man is a perfect blend of mystery, comedy, suspense, and booze. Nick and Nora Charles are vacationing in New York, when they get involved, against their will at first, in a mysterious murder involving a wealthy inventor,
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his family, an attorney, and many incredible thugs in speak-easies. A fast read, only 200 pages, and a lot of fun. Show Less
LibraryThing member figre
Man, this is fun. Fifty-six years old, and I just discovered Dashiell Hammett. I mean, I knew who Hammett was; I’ve seen some of the movies. But I had never read any of the novels. Now I’ve read The Thin Man and I am hooked. Fast-paced, wry, entertaining, with a few twists and turns, the book
Nick Charles has a past as a detective. Nick and Nora are now quite well-to-do and spend there time drinking and partying with the elite. They get sucked into a mystery involving one of Nick’s old flames and her incredibly dysfunctional family. People die, people evade the truth, the Charles’ get to the bottom of things. The plot itself (while important and worth the read in and of itself) is really not as important as the way the story is told. Nick seems tired of his life (his old life and his new one) and Nora seems to enjoy becoming a part of what Nick used to be. And Hammett weaves these two through mystery in a way that endears them to us while making sure we want to see exactly what comes next.
This was my first Hammett; it will be far from my last.
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is pure unadulterated fun, but with just enough going on to keep it from being fluff.Nick Charles has a past as a detective. Nick and Nora are now quite well-to-do and spend there time drinking and partying with the elite. They get sucked into a mystery involving one of Nick’s old flames and her incredibly dysfunctional family. People die, people evade the truth, the Charles’ get to the bottom of things. The plot itself (while important and worth the read in and of itself) is really not as important as the way the story is told. Nick seems tired of his life (his old life and his new one) and Nora seems to enjoy becoming a part of what Nick used to be. And Hammett weaves these two through mystery in a way that endears them to us while making sure we want to see exactly what comes next.
This was my first Hammett; it will be far from my last.
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LibraryThing member BruderBane
“The Thin Man” by Dashiell Hammett is a hard-boiled detective lovers’ dream. Filled with femme fatales, wise cracking hoodlums and quick witted violence Mr. Hammett never fails to serve up a dish of surprise. That he wrote this in the 1930’s and broached hereto taboo subjects such as
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addiction, incest and homosexuality truly shows off his esoteric panache. A bit against the grain here, I feel the novel is in actuality Nick Charles’ show and that their billed and spun as a modern day sleuthing team is a bit of an over exaggeration, but that’s marketing. Show Less
LibraryThing member alexrichman
Nick and Nora Charles aren't quite as witty or charming as they think. It's a perfectly decent story, but lacking the grit of Hammett's earlier efforts, or the style of Chandler's.
LibraryThing member delphimo
I am fascinated with the Thin Man movie series, which starred William Powell and Myrna Loy as Nick and Nora Charles. I had never read the book by Dashiell Hammett, so this was a treat. Hammett presents a light and fun-loving mystery, which presents 90% of the story through dialogue. Hammett does
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not write lengthy descriptions, but presents everything through his dialogue. The story is told from Nick's voice. After reading the book, I am anxious to see the movie again. Show Less
LibraryThing member MColv9890
His characters are flawless and this is held to be a pinnacle of the genre that peaked during this time.
LibraryThing member RogerRamjet
With all of the drinking and talking that go on in the New York of the Thin Man, it is a wonder that anyone can ever find the time to: 1. plan a crime; 2. commit a crime; or 3. solve a crime. But it is the incessant talking, the wit, the telling and retelling of events, the talking just so the
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speaker can hear himself or herself speak, and with no regard for the truth, all of this talking is what makes the Thin Man irresistable. In addition to all of the talking, the endless drinking and the aimless lives of the characters adds to the atmosphere of this jaded hard boiled mystery, but prevented me from caring enough to make this a great story. Show Less
LibraryThing member brettjames
It's like the softer side of hard boiled, if that's somehow possible.
LibraryThing member seanj
A husband and wife detective team solve murder mysteries between martinis.
LibraryThing member MissBHaven
I loved The Maltese Falcon and was expecting another great book from Hammett but was bitterly disappointed with this. Couldn't get into it at all though i tried my hardest. The characters were fine but i didn't like the story.
Subjects
Awards
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1934-01-08
1969
Physical description
175 p.; 18.7 cm
ISBN
8755700012 / 9788755700017
Local notes
Omslag: C. Vang Petersen
Omslagsfotografi: Gregers Nielsen
Omslaget viser skyggen af en tynd person på en væg
Indskannet omslag - N650U - 150 dpi
Oversat fra engelsk "The Thin Man" af Palle Rosenkrantz
Omslagsfotografi: Gregers Nielsen
Omslaget viser skyggen af en tynd person på en væg
Indskannet omslag - N650U - 150 dpi
Oversat fra engelsk "The Thin Man" af Palle Rosenkrantz
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Pages
175
DDC/MDS
| 813.52 |