"The Maltese Falcon" by Dashiell Hammett

I got a copy of "The Maltese Falcon" by Dashiell Hammett at the Kentucky Gateway Museum Center (they had a cool selection of books available that you could take simply for a donation!).  This one is a classic though...  and its one of those books I think most people have heard of, but they have never read.

I really knew nothing about the book, so I thought it would be fun to read without looking up any previous descriptions or even looking it up on wikipedia.  I wanted to read it with no expectations.

First off, the story came out in 1929!  I would have guessed the 1950s, maybe even the 60s.

The main character is Sam Spade, who I did recognize from various parodies and similar characters (Dixon Hill from Star Trek).  Oh, and Sam Spade is a PLAYER!

The actual Maltese Falcon really never shows up in the book.  It's obviously significant to the book....  It's talked about and remembered, but it is just never there.  A fake shows up, but not the real thing.

The characters came off as VERY unbelievable to me.  They are too fantastic, and almost seem LIKE stereotypes (maybe because this book created those stereotypes....  The cocky, smart, macho detective and the Barbieish love interest/deceptive antagonist).  The characters don't act how I think real people would act, BUT they do act in a way that makes the story interesting.

AND I thought it was an interesting, fun book to read.  I'm glad I got around to reading another classic!