Oh, By the Way ...

While most of the media seem obsessed this week with Ian Fleming’s birthday and the release of a new James Bond novel--both happening tomorrow--Garrison Keillor’s fine Writers Almanac reminds us of two other crime-fiction-related events that should be celebrated today:

It’s the birthday of hard-boiled detective novelist Dashiell Hammett ..., born in St. Mary’s County Maryland (1894). He’s the author of The Maltese Falcon (1930) and The Thin Man (1932), both of which were made into classic movies.

It’s the birthday of best-selling mystery novelist Tony Hillerman ..., born in Sacred Heart, Oklahoma (1925). Most of his books take place in the American Southwest, including People of Darkness (1980), A Thief of Time (1988), and The Sinister Pig (2003).

For more on Hammett, check out January Magazine’s quite extensive feature coverage from a couple of years back.

READ MORE: “Still Foxy at 59,” by Marty McKee (Johnny LaRue’s Crane Shot).