Home / Authors / Dashiell Hammett

Dashiell Hammett Quotes

Author

Dashiell Hammett was an American author renowned for his hard-boiled detective novels. His works are characterized by complex plots and deep psychological descriptions, profoundly influencing the genre of detective fiction.

Filter quotes by topic

All Falcon Ifs Sam Spade Humor Men Funny Spades Thinking Want Knows People Stories Detectives Havens Looks Noir Two Wells Writing Believe

Famous Dashiell Hammett Quotes

“I couldn't be fonder of you if you were my own son. But, well, if you lose a son, its possible to get another. There's only one Maltese Falcon.”

Ifs Wells Loses My Own Son Falcon

Author:Dashiell Hammett

“When a man's partner is killed he's supposed to do something about it. It doesn't make any difference what you thought of him. He was your partner and you're supposed to do something about it. Then it happens we were in the detective business. Well, when one of your organization gets killed it's bad business to let the killer get away with it. It's bad all around-bad for that one organization, bad for every detective everywhere. Sam Spade”

Men Wells Happens Differences Organization Partners Get Away Killers Detectives Spades Falcon Bad Business Sam Spade

Author:Dashiell Hammett

“I don t mind a reasonable amount of trouble.”

Mind Trouble Amount Reasonable Falcon Film Noir Sam Spade

Book:The Maltese Falcon

Source: The Maltese Falcon

“Joel Cairo: You always have a very smooth explanation ready. Sam Spade: What do you want me to do, learn to stutter?”

Want Ready Explanation Want Me Smooth Eloquence You Want Me Spades Falcon Do You Want Me Cairo Sam Spade

Author:Dashiell Hammett

“He felt like somebody had taken the lid off life and let him see the works.”

Felt Taken Falcon

Author:Dashiell Hammett

“The cheaper the crook, the gaudier the patter.”

Cheaper Noir Crooks Falcon Film Noir Sam Spade

Book:Vintage Hammett

Source: Vintage Hammett

“Brigid: I haven't lived a good life - I've been bad, worse than you could know. Spade: That's good, because if you actually were as innocent as you pretend to be, we'd never get anywhere.”

Ifs Knows Havens Innocent Good Life Spades Falcon Sam Spade

Author:Dashiell Hammett

“I distrust a man that says when. If he's got to be careful not to drink to much it's because he's not to be trusted when he does.”

Ifs Men Doe Drink Drinking Careful Be Careful Trusted Distrust Falcon

Author:Dashiell Hammett

“Talking is something you can't do judiciously unless you keep in practice.”

Talking Practice Falcon

Book:Vintage Hammett

Source: Vintage Hammett

About the Author

Born: May 27, 1894
Died: January 10, 1961
Known for: Author
Quotes: 67

Books & Sources

The Maltese FalconRelated source material

The Thin ManRelated source material

NovelsRelated source material

Selected Letters of Dashiell Hammett, 1921-1960Related source material

The novels of Dashiell HammettRelated source material

Vintage HammettRelated source material

Crime stories and other writingsRelated source material

Detective StoriesRelated source material

SammlungRelated source material

The Dain Curse: The Glass Key ; and Selected StoriesRelated source material

Similar Authors

Jeff SchultzBrowse related quotes
Hilda LewisBrowse related quotes
Joseph GattBrowse related quotes
Rahman BabaBrowse related quotes
Linda FairsteinBrowse related quotes
Stephen KingBrowse related quotes
Donald MillerBrowse related quotes
Shirley HibberdBrowse related quotes
Rex StoutBrowse related quotes
Lucille KallenBrowse related quotes