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James M. Cain

James M. Cain’s Followers (899)

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James M. Cain


Born
in Annapolis, Maryland, The United States
July 01, 1892

Died
October 27, 1977

Genre
Mystery & Thrillers, Literature & Fiction


James Mallahan Cain (July 1, 1892–October 27, 1977) was an American journalist and novelist. Although Cain himself vehemently opposed labeling, he is usually associated with the hard-boiled school of American crime fiction and seen as one of the creators of the "roman noir."

He was born into an Irish Catholic family in Annapolis, Maryland, the son of a prominent educator and an opera singer. He inherited his love for music from his mother, but his high hopes of starting a career as a singer himself were thwarted when she told him that his voice was not good enough.

After graduating from Washington College where his father, James W. Cain served as president, in 1910, he began working as a journalist for The Baltimore Sun.

He was drafted into th ...more

Combine Editions

Average rating: 3.86 · 102,276 ratings · 9,353 reviews · 164 distinct works • Similar authors
The Postman Always Rings Twice
3.75 avg rating — 50,816 ratings — published 1934 — 10 editions
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Double Indemnity
4.05 avg rating — 29,435 ratings — published 1936 — 34 editions
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Mildred Pierce
3.93 avg rating — 11,107 ratings — published 1941 — 2 editions
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The Cocktail Waitress
3.55 avg rating — 3,009 ratings — published 2012 — 31 editions
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The Postman Always Rings Tw...
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4.19 avg rating — 1,336 ratings — published 1934 — 10 editions
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Serenade
3.54 avg rating — 934 ratings — published 1937 — 79 editions
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The Butterfly
3.35 avg rating — 551 ratings — published 1947 — 41 editions
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The Baby in the Icebox and ...
3.72 avg rating — 281 ratings — published 1932 — 28 editions
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Three by Cain: Serenade/Lov...
3.93 avg rating — 244 ratings — published 1989 — 7 editions
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Love's Lovely Counterfeit
3.35 avg rating — 241 ratings — published 1942 — 2 editions
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More books by James M. Cain…
Quotes by James M. Cain  (?)
Quotes are added by the Goodreads community and are not verified by Goodreads. (Learn more)

“If your writing doesn't keep you up at night, it won't keep anyone else up either”
― James M. Cain
tags: james-m-cain, writing-craft
1465 likes
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“Love, when you get fear in it, it's not love any more. It's hate.”
― James M. Cain, The Postman Always Rings Twice
tags: fear, hate, love
125 likes
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“You have to wait for your mind to catch up with whatever it is it’s working on; then you can write a novel.”
― James M. Cain
tags: advice, mind, novel, writting
76 likes
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