“Dashiell Hammett ... in L.A.?” November 22, 2008

We can be forgiven for thinking of Dashiell Hammett as a San Francisco writer. The Maltese Falcon takes place in Northern California, where Hammett somehow transformed himself from a tubercular detective for the Pinkerton Agency into a novelist for the ages.
But Hammett’s roots in Los Angeles run deep. Here, in the 30s, he worked on several pictures while under contract to the studios. Here he began his lifelong affair with Lillian Hellman. And here he returned frequently over the years to visit his beloved daughters.
Zócalo and the Department of Cultural Affairs bring together a panel of writers, family members, and scholars to culminate L.A.’s month-long celebration of this great California novelist. Among the mysteries and questions sure to crop up are: Why did Hammett fall creatively silent for the last three decades of his life? How did he influence the L.A. Noir scene? And the ultimate, unanswerable question: Hammett or Chandler?

Zócalo presents a vibrant series of programs that feature thinkers and doers speaking on some of the most pressing topics of the day. Bringing together an extraordinarily diverse audience, Zócalo—"Public Square" in Spanish—seeks to create a non-partisan and multiethnic forum where participants can enjoy a rare opportunity for intellectual fellowship.

Official Website: http://www.zocalola.org