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Dashiell Hammett
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The Continental Op : Short Story Collection Paperback – January 1, 1817

4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 74 ratings
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Previous page
  1. Part of series
    CRIME MASTERWORKS
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Orion Paperbacks
  4. Publication date
    January 1, 1817
  5. Dimensions
    5.08 x 0.98 x 7.8 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0752856170
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0752856179
  8. See all details
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Orion Paperbacks (January 1, 1817)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0752856170
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0752856179
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 9.9 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.08 x 0.98 x 7.8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 74 ratings

About the author

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Dashiell Hammett

Dashiell Hammett

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Samuel Dashiell Hammett (/ˈsæmjʊəl dəˈʃiːl ˈhæmət/; May 27, 1894 – January 10, 1961) was an American author of hard-boiled detective novels and short stories, a screenplay writer, and political activist. Among the enduring characters he created are Sam Spade (The Maltese Falcon), Nick and Nora Charles (The Thin Man), and the Continental Op (Red Harvest and The Dain Curse).

In addition to the significant influence his novels and stories had on film, Hammett "is now widely regarded as one of the finest mystery writers of all time" and was called, in his obituary in The New York Times, "the dean of the... 'hard-boiled' school of detective fiction." Time magazine included Hammett's 1929 novel Red Harvest on a list of the 100 best English-language novels published between 1923 and 2005.

Bio from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Photo by Unknown [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
74 global ratings

Top review from the United States

Phil Webster
5.0 out of 5 stars One of the Great Detectives
Reviewed in the United States on March 8, 2023
I used to think that Raymond Chandler was the best American detective story writer, but I became tired of Chandler's over-long descriptive passages and his character Philip Marlowe's constant wisecracking. I now much prefer Hammett's succinct writing style in these "Continental Op" short stories. (Similarly, I like the way that Erle Stanley Gardner gets on with the story in his Perry Mason books.)

Six of the seven stories in this book are great. The only one I didn't like much was "The Golden Horseshoe". But six out of seven is pretty good going.

Incidentally, there is a book available here on Amazon (but not yet on Kindle, unfortunately), which contains ALL of Hammett's "Op" stories. It's called "The Big Book of the Continental Op", and I consider 21 of the 28 short stories in that book to be great ones which are worth rereading.

The other thing I like about Hammett himself is that he was a socialist. Unfortunately, he seems to have been one of those who were deluded into being a supporter of the Stalinist regime in Russia, which I consider to have been a bureaucratic state capitalist tyranny (like China today), not socialist or "communist". But that's another story.
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Top reviews from other countries

Phil Webster
5.0 out of 5 stars One of the Great Detectives
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 8, 2023
Verified Purchase
I used to think that Raymond Chandler was the best American detective story writer, but I became tired of Chandler's over-long descriptive passages and his character Philip Marlowe's constant wisecracking. I now much prefer Hammett's succinct writing style in these "Continental Op" short stories. (Similarly, I like the way that Erle Stanley Gardner gets on with the story in his Perry Mason books.)

Six of the seven stories in this book are great. The only one I didn't like much was "The Golden Horseshoe". But six out of seven is pretty good going.

Incidentally, there is a book available here on Amazon (but not yet on Kindle, unfortunately), which contains ALL of Hammett's "Op" stories. It's called "The Big Book of the Continental Op", and I consider 21 of the 28 short stories in that book to be great ones which are worth rereading.

The other thing I like about Hammett himself is that he was a socialist. Unfortunately, he seems to have been one of those who were deluded into being a supporter of the Stalinist regime in Russia, which I consider to have been a bureaucratic state capitalist tyranny (like China today), not socialist or "communist". But that's another story.
3 people found this helpful
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Peter
4.0 out of 5 stars It was good
Reviewed in Australia on September 2, 2021
Verified Purchase
I am not a fan of short stories on the whole as they tend to set up a good story then finish it too fast for my liking. Hammett's collection of stories are exactly the problem for me, great writing and interesting story lines but too short.

I don't mind Hammett's writing, it is aggressive and for the times, very original.

Overall the stories were fine, perhaps a smidgen repetitive with the conclusions but still enjoyable.
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Steve Barker
4.0 out of 5 stars Of it’s time but easy to read.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 12, 2022
Verified Purchase
It was an easy read but of its time too. I did enjoy it though. Read all the stories in two evenings
2 people found this helpful
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Ramses
5.0 out of 5 stars has not aged
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 19, 2009
Verified Purchase
I bought this because I finally decided to try the famous Dashiell Hammett. The Continal Op is a song from Rory Gallagher and that was enough of a reference for me ;-)
Anyway, about the book. It is a collection of short stories, and there is only one adjective for it. Perfect. This is old stuff, written ages ago, but it has not aged in the least, just a few strange words here and there but that's it (well, i am not native English speaker so maybe it is just "strange words for me"). The plots are tight and interesting, with the unnamed central hero making the connection.
Only one piece of advice: buy and read this ASAP if you like crime and suspense stories.
9 people found this helpful
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Derek E. Coster
5.0 out of 5 stars Really Good.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 29, 2021
Verified Purchase
Written around a hundred years ago and as fresh as can be. Genius writer at the top of his game.
One person found this helpful
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