First published in 1954, in this quintessential autobiography Ben Hecht recounts his childhood, education, and career as journalist, playwright, and screenwriter, describes famous political and literary acquaintances, and examines U.S. efforts to aid Jews in Nazi Germany and, after the war, in Israel.A remarkable memoir.

"The Florentine Dagger" is a classic detective novel that revolves around a mysterious murder and a series of intriguing clues. The story begins with the discovery of a murder weapon, a dagger, which is intricately linked to the crime. The title refers to this distinctive weapon, which plays a central role in the unfolding mystery.The novel follows an amateur detective, who becomes involved in solving the case. As the investigation progresses, the detective encounters various suspects, eac...

An old man sat in the shadows of the summer night. From a veranda chair he looked at the stars. He wore a white beard, and his eyes, grown small with age, watered continually as if he were weeping. Half-hidden under his beard his emaciated lips kept the monotonous grimace of a smile on his face. He sat in the dark, a patient, trembling figure waiting for bedtime. His feet, though he rested them all day, grew heavy at night. Of late this weariness had increased. It reached like a caress int...

The novel follows the life of its titular character, Erik Dorn, a disillusioned journalist living in Chicago during the aftermath of World War I. Dorn is depicted as a cynical and introspective figure who grapples with existential questions and struggles to find meaning in a world that seems chaotic and indifferent. As he navigates the tumultuous social and political landscape of post-war America, Dorn becomes embroiled in various personal and professional dramas, including romantic entang...

In "Fantazius Mallare," the story revolves around the titular character, Fantazius Mallare, who embarks on a journey of self-discovery and existential exploration. The novel is known for its surreal and experimental narrative style, as well as its exploration of themes such as obsession, desire, and the nature of reality.Fantazius Mallare is depicted as a tortured and enigmatic figure, grappling with his own inner demons and the external forces that shape his existence. The novel delves in...

It was a day in the spring of 1921. Dismal shadows, really Hechtian shadows, filled the editorial "coop" in The Chicago Daily News building. Outside the rain was slanting down in the way that Hecht's own rain always slants. In walked Hecht. He had been divorced from our staff for some weeks, and had married an overdressed, blatant creature called Publicity. Well, and how did he like Publicity? The answer was written in his sullen eyes; it was written on his furrowed brow, and in the savage...

The calendars said—1900. It was growing warm. George Cornelius Basine emerged from Madam Minnie's house of ill fame at five o'clock on a Sabbath May morning. He was twenty-five years old, neatly dressed, a bit unshaven and whistling valiantly, "Won't you come home, Bill Bailey, won't you come home?" Considering the high estate which was to be his, as the estimable Senator Basine, the introduction savors of malice. But, it must be remembered, this was twenty-two years ago, and moreover, in ...

The novel is set in the post-World War I era, a time of significant social and economic upheaval. Hecht's characters are often depicted as flawed and struggling with their desires, ambitions, and the often harsh realities of life. Through their stories, Hecht explores themes such as corruption, greed, betrayal, and the quest for meaning in a seemingly indifferent world."Gargoyles" is notable for its literary style, blending realism with elements of dark humor and satire. Hecht's prose is b...

An exploration of the Kastner affair: a conspiracy, a violation of conscience, criminal betrayal.Picture those early days when the new nation of Israel was being formed in the region of Palestine European Jews had just endured history's ultimate holocaust. Allied governments such as Great Britain had refused to take action to block the trains from carrying thousands of them to certain death. In those final days before the end of the war, the epicenter of the Nazi extermination effor...

This Golden Age mystery novel features a nervous cavalier with frightened eyes, a mysterious and puritanical satyr, a dagger, a candlestick, a crucifix, and a false beard—and, of course, a detective! (Not to mention the protagonist, "Prince Julien de Medici -- of Broadway.") Adapted into the movie of the same name in 1935.

Exotic, strange, and powerful, this thrilling mystery will keep you guessing until the end."The five illustrations contained in the following pages are the work of the new phenomenal black and white artist, Wallace Smith. In making the drawings Mr. Smith chose to illustrate the spirit of the text rather than its letter. The result is this series of Renaissance pictures whose dark opulence curiously interprets the moods of the story's hero, Prince Julien de Medici — of Broadway." (1...

The Complete Works of Ben HechtThis Complete Collection includes the following titles:--------1 - Erik Dorn2 - Fantazius Mallare3 - Gargoyles4 - The Florentine Dagger: A Novel for Amateur Detectives5 - A Thousand and One Afternoons in Chicago