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Spillane  By  cover art

Spillane

By: Max Allan Collins, James L. Traylor
Narrated by: Michael Butler Murray
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Publisher's summary

Beginning in 1947 with I, the Jury, and continuing with his next six novels, Mickey Spillane quickly amassed a readership in the tens of millions, becoming the bestselling novelist in the history of American publishing. Surrounded by controversy for the overt violence and suggestive sexual content of his iconic Mike Hammer private eye novels, Spillane was loathed by critics but beloved by his readers.

There is, however, more to Spillane's life than the books. He also starred as Hammer in a movie, was a circus performer, worked with the FBI in capturing a notorious criminal, and starred in Miller Light beer commercials that were so popular they ran for a quarter of a century.

Max Allan Collins became Spillane's friend and collaborator, continuing the Mike Hammer series for years after the author's death, building upon unfinished manuscripts the writer left behind. Now, with coauthor James Traylor, Collins has produced the first comprehensive and authoritative profile of the Mystery Writers of America Grand Master. It is a must-listen for any fan of the author—or of the generations of crime writers that were influenced by his work.

©2022 Max Allan Collins and James L. Traylor (P)2023 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books

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Vengeance is Mickey Spillane's

If your dream in life is to become a writer, you NEED to read this book.

"Spillane: King of Pulp Fiction " is just as essential of a read as Stephen King's "On Writing" or Lawrence Block's "Telling Lies For Fun and Profit."

Like any normal biography, "Spillane " starts out with Mickey Spillane's early life, and then it takes the reader on a thrilling ride. Starting out with Mickey Spillane's time at Timely Comics (the company that eventually became Marvel Comics) and going from there to the pulps, the first six Mike Hammer novels, Hollywood, and finally to his marriage to his wife Jane and his friendship with Max Allan Collins.

My favorite chapter was Chapter 7 as it breaks down what makes a Mickey Spillane novel. If you were to ask me what my least favorite chapter was, I don't have one.

This book takes America's greatest mystery writer and makes him human. From stories about typing in the dark by candlelight to stories about a house being destroyed by a hurricane and a stolen car with a WIP (work in progress) manuscript in it. This book gives future writers the encouragement they need to keep going in the hardest of times and that's why I love it so much.

My hope for you (the listener) is that one lonely night, you will pick up this book and get a big bang out of it.

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