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Event—Adult Education

American Noir: The Rise of Hard-Boiled Detective Fiction

Feb 12, 2020

In stark contrast to the “soft–boiled” British whodunit, American “hard–boiled” or “noir” narratives of the 1930s–1950s offered detective fiction fans urban mysteries written in a gritty and “realistic” style featuring violence, sex, and organized crime against a dark American landscape.

Seminar Description

In stark contrast to the “soft–boiled” British whodunit, American “hard–boiled” or “noir” narratives of the 1930s–1950s offered detective fiction fans urban mysteries written in a gritty and “realistic” style featuring violence, sex, and organized crime against a dark American landscape. Focusing on the works of Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler, Sarah Paretsky, and Ross MacDonald, this seminar traces the spectacular rise of hard–boiled detective fiction and film noir as uniquely American cultural phenomena.

Five sessions. E – $185, R – $203.50

Elzbieta Foeller–Pituch is Assistant Director of the Chabraja Center for Historical Studies at Northwestern University, where she also teaches literature classes.

Materials List

Required:

  • The Maltese Falcon. Dashiell Hammett. Vintage Crime/Black Lizard, 1992. ISBN: 978-0679722649
  • The Big Sleep. Raymond Chandler. Vintage Crime/Black Lizard, 1988. ISBN: 978-0394758282
  • The Moving Target. Ross MacDonald. Vintage Crime/Black Lizard, 1998. ISBN: 978-0375701467
  • Indemnity Only. Sarah Paretsky. Dell, 1991. ISBN: 9780440210696

First Reading:

  • For the first class, please read Agatha Christie’s short story featuring Hercule Poirot, “The Adventure of the Clapham Cook” (1924) and Dashiell Hammett’s short story narrated by the Continental Op,“The Golden Horseshoe” (1924) (digital file of these readings will be sent with the email confirming your registration) as well as Raymond Chandler on “The Simple Art of Murder” (1950), available at http://www.en.utexas.edu/amlit/amlitprivate/scans/chandlerart.html.

Registration Information

  • Online registration opens at 9 am (CST) on Tuesday, January 7.
  • Phone registration opens at 12 pm (CST) on Wednesday, January 8.

Early registration (E) prices are in effect from January 7 at 9 am through January 24 at 4 pm. Regular registration (R) prices are in effect January 24 at 4 pm through the end of the term.

We offer a 10% discount to members, seniors, and students.

Need Help? Please email seminars@newberry.org.

This seminar is part of the Newberry’s Seminars Program. Learn more about registering for a seminar, program policies and procedures, or teaching a seminar.