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Spillane: King of Pulp Fiction
The first-ever biography of the most popular and most influential pulp writer of all time, written by the collaborator who knew him best.
There has never been a full-length biography of Mickey Spillane, the most popular and influential mystery writer of his era―until now. Beginning in 1947 with I, the Jury, and continuing with his next six novels, 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 co-author James Traylor, Collins has produced the first comprehensive and authoritative profile of the Mystery Writers of America Grand Master.
There has never been a full-length biography of Mickey Spillane, the most popular and influential mystery writer of his era―until now. Beginning in 1947 with I, the Jury, and continuing with his next six novels, 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 co-author James Traylor, Collins has produced the first comprehensive and authoritative profile of the Mystery Writers of America Grand Master.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published February 7, 2023
15 people are currently reading
123 people want to read
About the author
Max Allan Collins
803 books1,321 followersReceived the Shamus Award, "The Eye" (Lifetime achievment award) in 2006.
He has also published under the name Patrick Culhane. He and his wife, Barbara Collins, have written several books together. Some of them are published under the name Barbara Allan.
Book Awards
Shamus Awards Best Novel winner (1984) : True Detective
Shamus Awards Best Novel winner (1992) : Stolen Away
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (1995) : Carnal Hours
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (1997) : Damned in Paradise
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (1999) : Flying Blind: A Novel about Amelia Earhart
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (2002) : Angel in Black
Japanese: マックス・アラン・コリンズ
or マックス・アラン コリンズ
He has also published under the name Patrick Culhane. He and his wife, Barbara Collins, have written several books together. Some of them are published under the name Barbara Allan.
Book Awards
Shamus Awards Best Novel winner (1984) : True Detective
Shamus Awards Best Novel winner (1992) : Stolen Away
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (1995) : Carnal Hours
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (1997) : Damned in Paradise
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (1999) : Flying Blind: A Novel about Amelia Earhart
Shamus Awards Best Novel nominee (2002) : Angel in Black
Japanese: マックス・アラン・コリンズ
or マックス・アラン コリンズ
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
December 21, 2024
Spillane King of Pulp Fiction (February 2023) by Max Allan Collins and James L. Traylor is a full-length treatise on Spillane’s work. Although billed as a biography, the biographical details take a backseat to a cogent analysis of Spillane’s writing and the movies and television shows that were derived from his work, particularly from the character Mike Hammer, Spillane’s alter-ego. As told here, Spillane’s writing (in the Mike Hammer mythology) was a “veiled autobiography, written primarily in a colorful first-person point of view.” Shockingly, Spillane became the most popular mystery writer in the United States and was only rivaled internationally by Agatha Christie. The sales of his Mike Hammer and other novels were so vast and numerous that most other mystery writers lapsed into insignificance in comparison. Nevertheless, he was not necessarily hailed as a great literary giant, his popularity with the reading masses did not translate into popularity with the writing community.
His first six Mike Hammer novels broke new ground between 1947 and 1952, offering sex and violence and a gritty and surreal landscape. As related here, the Mike Hammer creation of Spillane paved the way for the anti-heroes that followed from James Bond to Dirty Harry. Much of this biography may not be of full interest to readers who have not a passing familiarity with Mike Hammer as each of the novels is examined and discussed at length. But for those who have ventured into such waters, we get a full analysis of each novel and insights into them that are invaluable.
Many attempts have been made to translate the Mike Hammer franchise into film and television and we are told here that part of the long hiatus Spillane took during the height of his character’s popularity was because he had sold off the rights to the franchise. Ultimately, none of the numerous film and television treatments of Hammer lived up to the novels, even when Spillane starred as Hammer.
But fear not for there are portions of the book focused on Spillane’s biography, his life in Murrell’s Inlet, South Carolina, the hurricane that blew his house down, his various marriages, the casting of his wife in the nude on the covers of his novels, and the colorful character Spillane played throughout his life, as big, loud, and colorful as Mike Hammer himself.
Then, there are plenty of bonuses at the end of the book, including bibliographies in publication and chronological order, an autobiography that Spillane himself started, and in depth explanations of what materials Collins has used to complete fourteen Mike Hammer novels and other novels from Spillane’s notes, outlines, and unfinished work.
In all, this is a definite must-read for the Spillane enthusiast.
His first six Mike Hammer novels broke new ground between 1947 and 1952, offering sex and violence and a gritty and surreal landscape. As related here, the Mike Hammer creation of Spillane paved the way for the anti-heroes that followed from James Bond to Dirty Harry. Much of this biography may not be of full interest to readers who have not a passing familiarity with Mike Hammer as each of the novels is examined and discussed at length. But for those who have ventured into such waters, we get a full analysis of each novel and insights into them that are invaluable.
Many attempts have been made to translate the Mike Hammer franchise into film and television and we are told here that part of the long hiatus Spillane took during the height of his character’s popularity was because he had sold off the rights to the franchise. Ultimately, none of the numerous film and television treatments of Hammer lived up to the novels, even when Spillane starred as Hammer.
But fear not for there are portions of the book focused on Spillane’s biography, his life in Murrell’s Inlet, South Carolina, the hurricane that blew his house down, his various marriages, the casting of his wife in the nude on the covers of his novels, and the colorful character Spillane played throughout his life, as big, loud, and colorful as Mike Hammer himself.
Then, there are plenty of bonuses at the end of the book, including bibliographies in publication and chronological order, an autobiography that Spillane himself started, and in depth explanations of what materials Collins has used to complete fourteen Mike Hammer novels and other novels from Spillane’s notes, outlines, and unfinished work.
In all, this is a definite must-read for the Spillane enthusiast.
April 15, 2023
4.5 stars
"Late at night, my host would lead me to his third-floor office. He would tell me about stories he had in mind . . . He would hand me a brittle old manuscript and sit in a chair and smile as I read it, enrapt. And we would talk about the craft of writing. This man who pretended not to care about writing cared more than anyone else that I have ever met in this game." -- the fond memories of Mickey Spillane from his friend / fan Max Allan Collins, co-author of this biography, on page 252
Talk about the most pleasant of surprises! I have read a number of Mickey Spillane's early 'Mike Hammer' private eye stories over the last decade or so, but have never really warmed to the series. (However, I still maintain a solid respect for the author and his character, knowing how outrageously successful / influential the books were in the 1950's, and that they pretty much initiated the U.S. paperback industry which still thrives today.) So I was intrigued when I noticed this bio on Spillane - co-authored by Max Allan Collins, an accomplished mystery author on his own - on the library's new release shelf. I found this to be an interesting, detailed, and often humorous look at a man who was amusingly not what you would expect. Although Spillane - who lived through the Great Depression during childhood, proudly served as a military pilot instructor in WWII, and much enjoyed blurring the line between his own personality and the harsh and hard-drinking private eye character which brought him everlasting fame - would seem to be scary two-fisted tough guy of sorts, he instead turned out to be almost the polar opposite. Spillane was a good-natured friend / neighbor / father / mentor who once wrote comic books, loved animals, attended a weekly Bible study, and tried to do right by his legion of fans. (He self-deprecatingly referred to himself as just a 'writer,' never as an author, and playfully called his readers his 'customers' but always tried to make appropriate time for them at his signings and meet 'n greets.) Although this book gets occasionally long-winded in its sections on the various TV and movie incarnations of the Hammer character, probably what I'll remember best are Collins' warm anecdotes in the latter pages in which he speaks of his 30+ years of friendship with Spillane. My absolute favorite moment was when the sharp-eyed septuagenarian Spillane suited up like he was Hammer working a case (dark suit, fedora, and trusty pistol) and likely stopped the probable commission of a violent felony. Sometimes truth really is stranger than fiction!
"Late at night, my host would lead me to his third-floor office. He would tell me about stories he had in mind . . . He would hand me a brittle old manuscript and sit in a chair and smile as I read it, enrapt. And we would talk about the craft of writing. This man who pretended not to care about writing cared more than anyone else that I have ever met in this game." -- the fond memories of Mickey Spillane from his friend / fan Max Allan Collins, co-author of this biography, on page 252
Talk about the most pleasant of surprises! I have read a number of Mickey Spillane's early 'Mike Hammer' private eye stories over the last decade or so, but have never really warmed to the series. (However, I still maintain a solid respect for the author and his character, knowing how outrageously successful / influential the books were in the 1950's, and that they pretty much initiated the U.S. paperback industry which still thrives today.) So I was intrigued when I noticed this bio on Spillane - co-authored by Max Allan Collins, an accomplished mystery author on his own - on the library's new release shelf. I found this to be an interesting, detailed, and often humorous look at a man who was amusingly not what you would expect. Although Spillane - who lived through the Great Depression during childhood, proudly served as a military pilot instructor in WWII, and much enjoyed blurring the line between his own personality and the harsh and hard-drinking private eye character which brought him everlasting fame - would seem to be scary two-fisted tough guy of sorts, he instead turned out to be almost the polar opposite. Spillane was a good-natured friend / neighbor / father / mentor who once wrote comic books, loved animals, attended a weekly Bible study, and tried to do right by his legion of fans. (He self-deprecatingly referred to himself as just a 'writer,' never as an author, and playfully called his readers his 'customers' but always tried to make appropriate time for them at his signings and meet 'n greets.) Although this book gets occasionally long-winded in its sections on the various TV and movie incarnations of the Hammer character, probably what I'll remember best are Collins' warm anecdotes in the latter pages in which he speaks of his 30+ years of friendship with Spillane. My absolute favorite moment was when the sharp-eyed septuagenarian Spillane suited up like he was Hammer working a case (dark suit, fedora, and trusty pistol) and likely stopped the probable commission of a violent felony. Sometimes truth really is stranger than fiction!
February 12, 2023
Mickey Spillane was a complicated man. Known by many as the creator of the iconic and influential character Mike Hammer, he is known by others primarily for a lengthy series of Miller Lite beer commercials. He earned a reputation as an edgy, hard-living, man’s man and yet was known to friends and family as kind, considerate, and willing to give a stranger the shirt off his back. His sense of humor was as evident as his legendary hard-punching, revenge-oriented, justice-delivering hero Mike Hammer.
I grew up after Spillane’s zenith and really only knew him via his reputation. In fact, I came to this biography not because of any great desire to learn about him and his work, (although I felt that would be interesting) but rather because I am a big fan of co-author Max Allan Collins (MAC) and his large body of work. I knew MAC had completed many of Spillane’s novels and stories after Spillane’s passing, a huge undertaking based on Spillane’s partially completed manuscripts, outlines, notes, interviews, and verbal knowledge passing.
Reading this biography was a real eye-opening experience. I confess to having only sampled the first three Hammer novels and one non-Hammer title so far but after completing this volume, I now have a desire to greatly expand my consumption of his writing. This biography is far more than a regurgitation of Spillane’s factual data, his writing, and the events of his life. MAC, along with co-author James L. Traylor have done a tremendous job of showing us the man himself. We come to understand how a fast-rising star of cutting edge, censor-baiting crime novels became an overnight pariah, despised by many of his peers. A ten-year absence from writing Mike Hammer novels, at the very pinnacle of their commercial success, may not have been due to his joining the Jehovah’s Witnesses as many people conclude. We get to ride along as Mickey combines an adrenaline-charged interest in adventurous hobbies like under water diving, racing cars, and collecting guns but the real joy here are the numerous insights into his writing processes, his complicated involvement in numerous movies and TV series, his self-parody, and his sheer joie de vivre.
Looking back on his incredibly popular fiction, Spillane referred to it as “the chewing gum of modern literature.” Maybe so, but along the way he was perfectly comfortable with and even seemed to relish in laughing all the way to the bank. And as the authors point out in this book, the evidence for him caring deeply about his writing, the “poetry” of his descriptive passages, and the masterful plotting is evident with each story he produced.
Included as appendices in this volume are a number of interesting additional items, not the least of which is a nice fragment of his own autobiography, a task that he had always planned to get to someday. It covers his childhood up until age 14 and provides some cool insights into his outlook on life. Also included is a timeline of key events in Spillane’s life which incorporates the dates of all his major publications and other media output. Several lists detail his novels, short stories, collections, etc. as well as a compilation of the Mike Danger comic book series titles. Pulp expert Will Murray provides input to an essay on whether or not pulp author Frank Morris was really Frank Morrison “Mickey” Spillane and I must say the evidence is compelling. Perhaps my favorite “extra” is MAC’s own resuscitation of his efforts to complete each of the Spillane unfinished manuscripts and how that process works.
Ultimately, the definition of a good biography of any author, is that it provides the reader with a full understanding of the subject while driving a burning need to read more of his work. By that standard, this is a great one. I must stop writing about this book now so that I can open up my copy of Kiss Me, Deadly” and plunge once again into that rain-soaked New York world of Mike Hammer/Mickey Spillane.
I grew up after Spillane’s zenith and really only knew him via his reputation. In fact, I came to this biography not because of any great desire to learn about him and his work, (although I felt that would be interesting) but rather because I am a big fan of co-author Max Allan Collins (MAC) and his large body of work. I knew MAC had completed many of Spillane’s novels and stories after Spillane’s passing, a huge undertaking based on Spillane’s partially completed manuscripts, outlines, notes, interviews, and verbal knowledge passing.
Reading this biography was a real eye-opening experience. I confess to having only sampled the first three Hammer novels and one non-Hammer title so far but after completing this volume, I now have a desire to greatly expand my consumption of his writing. This biography is far more than a regurgitation of Spillane’s factual data, his writing, and the events of his life. MAC, along with co-author James L. Traylor have done a tremendous job of showing us the man himself. We come to understand how a fast-rising star of cutting edge, censor-baiting crime novels became an overnight pariah, despised by many of his peers. A ten-year absence from writing Mike Hammer novels, at the very pinnacle of their commercial success, may not have been due to his joining the Jehovah’s Witnesses as many people conclude. We get to ride along as Mickey combines an adrenaline-charged interest in adventurous hobbies like under water diving, racing cars, and collecting guns but the real joy here are the numerous insights into his writing processes, his complicated involvement in numerous movies and TV series, his self-parody, and his sheer joie de vivre.
Looking back on his incredibly popular fiction, Spillane referred to it as “the chewing gum of modern literature.” Maybe so, but along the way he was perfectly comfortable with and even seemed to relish in laughing all the way to the bank. And as the authors point out in this book, the evidence for him caring deeply about his writing, the “poetry” of his descriptive passages, and the masterful plotting is evident with each story he produced.
Included as appendices in this volume are a number of interesting additional items, not the least of which is a nice fragment of his own autobiography, a task that he had always planned to get to someday. It covers his childhood up until age 14 and provides some cool insights into his outlook on life. Also included is a timeline of key events in Spillane’s life which incorporates the dates of all his major publications and other media output. Several lists detail his novels, short stories, collections, etc. as well as a compilation of the Mike Danger comic book series titles. Pulp expert Will Murray provides input to an essay on whether or not pulp author Frank Morris was really Frank Morrison “Mickey” Spillane and I must say the evidence is compelling. Perhaps my favorite “extra” is MAC’s own resuscitation of his efforts to complete each of the Spillane unfinished manuscripts and how that process works.
Ultimately, the definition of a good biography of any author, is that it provides the reader with a full understanding of the subject while driving a burning need to read more of his work. By that standard, this is a great one. I must stop writing about this book now so that I can open up my copy of Kiss Me, Deadly” and plunge once again into that rain-soaked New York world of Mike Hammer/Mickey Spillane.
April 12, 2023
This reminded me a lot of Mark Finn's Blood and Thunder, the biography of Robert E. Howard. Both books were written by superfans of their subjects, neither are perfect, and yet both are probably the best biographies that we are going to get about their respective authors.
I didn't feel like I really knew Spillane any better after reading this but I don't feel like that's Collins' fault. Spillane seemed like he was always "on" and playing a part. It seems like it was hard to tell where Spillane ended and his own personal Mike Hammer persona began.
This was still a fascinating look at Spillane's life, though, and required reading for any Spillane fan. There is also a lot of great supplemental material at the end, like a look at Spillane's unfinished autobiography and a peek into Collins' process of finishing Spillane's remaining novels with his posthumous notes and fragments.
I didn't feel like I really knew Spillane any better after reading this but I don't feel like that's Collins' fault. Spillane seemed like he was always "on" and playing a part. It seems like it was hard to tell where Spillane ended and his own personal Mike Hammer persona began.
This was still a fascinating look at Spillane's life, though, and required reading for any Spillane fan. There is also a lot of great supplemental material at the end, like a look at Spillane's unfinished autobiography and a peek into Collins' process of finishing Spillane's remaining novels with his posthumous notes and fragments.
February 23, 2023
An enjoyable and fascinating biography which covers not only the life of Mickey Spillane and his character, Mike Hammer, but also arcs the wider changes in popular literature.
This biography was not only a great read, it was also inspiring to this young writer.
This biography was not only a great read, it was also inspiring to this young writer.
February 21, 2023
I'm rounding this up from 3.5 stars -- the second half, with all the acting and TV & film work, didn't hold my attention as much as the first half. The best part of the book is its concise and exacting look at what makes Mickey Spillane's original Mike Hammer novels tick...and the background bio of the man behind the typewriter. I think I'm going to have to give the Hammer novels a visit some time soon...
October 31, 2022
Do you think you know all about the writer Mickey Spillane ? No matter your answer this intimate biography Spillane: King of Pulp Fiction by Max Allan Collins & James L. Traylor will introduce you to the writer. Having read Spillane’s books for years, including the completed manuscripts with Max Allen Collins, including introductory notes by the latter, I thought I knew the author. This in depth work on the writer was eye opening.
Not only does the reader better understand the development of Spillane’s seminal character, Mike Hammer, through the writer’s foray in writing comic books, but also how the paperbacks of the post war reading opened up an audience for these books.
Why did Mickey Spillane take long breaks between books and how did his religious faith play a part were also answered through this in depth work. As well as the books the biographers go in depth into all the Spillane media including radio, television, films, and recordings.
This labor of love concludes with sections from the autobiography that the subject was developing. Spillane: King of Pulp Fiction offers a deep dive into the life and work of writer, Mickey Spillane, and will satisfy many a bibliophile!
Not only does the reader better understand the development of Spillane’s seminal character, Mike Hammer, through the writer’s foray in writing comic books, but also how the paperbacks of the post war reading opened up an audience for these books.
Why did Mickey Spillane take long breaks between books and how did his religious faith play a part were also answered through this in depth work. As well as the books the biographers go in depth into all the Spillane media including radio, television, films, and recordings.
This labor of love concludes with sections from the autobiography that the subject was developing. Spillane: King of Pulp Fiction offers a deep dive into the life and work of writer, Mickey Spillane, and will satisfy many a bibliophile!
February 21, 2023
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 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 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 is why I love it so much.
My hope for you (the reader) is that one lonely night, you will pick up this book and get a big bang out of it.
"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 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 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 is why I love it so much.
My hope for you (the reader) is that one lonely night, you will pick up this book and get a big bang out of it.
June 26, 2023
Bit hagiographical, and not as lean as the author’s work, but interesting nonetheless. I had forgotten about the beer commercials .
February 18, 2023
Fantastic page-turner of a biography worthy of its subject. Spillane and mystery fans alike will find much to enjoy.
February 13, 2023
A wonderful biography of an important figure in the mystery world. I have a full review coming out later this week on Bookreporter.com Here it is....https://www.bookreporter.com/reviews/...
January 19, 2023
As a biography, this was more a review of Mickey Spillane's writing than a thorough look at his life. The chronology of his personal life was presented almost as an afterthought only as it affected his writing. The pace of the book suffered because each book, movie. radio program, etc. was dissected in excruciating detail. Having said that I enjoyed the book and it inspired me to read more of his books, and watch old Mike Hammer movies and TV shows. And afterall, isn't that what a biography should be about. Strongly recommended
Thanks to NetGalley and Mysterious Press for an advanced reader copy.
Thanks to NetGalley and Mysterious Press for an advanced reader copy.
October 20, 2022
I couldn't decide between 4 and 5 stars and chose the latter because of how thorough the authors were at showcasing Spillane's life and thought, and also dissecting the Mike Hammer major novels. I guess I need to read more than just "I, the Jury" and "Kiss Me Deadly."
January 2, 2023
My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Penzler Publications Mysterious Press for an advanced copy of this biography on one of the biggest publishing sensations of the 20th century, an author who changed a genre forever.
A little secret that bookstores and publishers don't want to admit is that genre books are the ones whose book sales keep the lights on for stores, and allows the New Yorker to write their articles about the top writers under 30 years old, authors that most people outside of publishing have no idea who they are. Knopf Books from Random House are known for the borzoi on their spines, their numerous Pulitzer and National Book Award winning books, but Ross Macdonald's Archer's mystery helped keep them in ink. Genre writers get short shrift, told they only write science fiction or mysteries, never get the praise, or get sniffed at say when up for a literary prize, even from fellow writers who really should know better. Mickey Spillane was one of those writers. Spillane's books sold over 225 million copies, changed a genre, gave birth to numerous movies and television shows, but he was never given the kudos he so richly deserved. Spillane: King of Pulp Fiction is a biography and an appreciation by fellow mystery writers Max Allan Collins and James L. Traylor which tells the story or a man who was both a writer and a force of nature who wrote and lived a very singular way.
Frank Morrison Spillane was born in 1918 in the Brooklyn, New York, the only child in his family. Reading was a huge influence on Spillane, starting with classic adventure novels, and moving on to anything he could get his hands on. As were airplanes, something which helped him later in life. He started his career writing for the comics, a huge business at the time which needed as much product as it could get. Spillane was writer, editor, and idea man, working with and against some comic legends like Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. During World War II he was a flight instructor, staying stateside, something that always bothered him. After the war he found a piece of property but lacking the down payment needed to write something quick and for a lot of dough. I, the Jury was the result the first Mike Hammer book, which due to the rise in the paperback market became a huge success. And a genre was born.
A wonderful biography about a man whose book's I have read but knew nothing about. And lived a life that was just fascinating. A man as tough as his character, and yet loved animals, people and was a Jehovah's Witness, with his own take on the religion. Collins, a longtime friend, collaborator, and mystery writer and scholar has written a well balanced book about the man, his writing and how he wrote and how he lived. This is no hagiography, this is a warts and all telling about a life with mistakes, maybe a little fiction when more interesting than the facts. Collins does a very good job of trying to get to the truth, even when the lie has become excepted. There is a lot of information about comic books, movies, publishing, even advertising which is told well but does slow down the story about the man. Every page has something interesting, and one gets a sense of not only what Spillane was like, but how it must have been to be around him. Exhilarating and exhausting is all I can think. What a wonderful life, and Collins and Traylor do a very good job of capturing it.
A great book on a writer that will never ever be again. A portrait of America, publishing, entertainment and even advertising when one guy could be all that, and more. Recommended for mystery fans both Max Allan Collins and Mickey Spillane fans, people who enjoy good biographies, and for those interested in mid-century America.
A little secret that bookstores and publishers don't want to admit is that genre books are the ones whose book sales keep the lights on for stores, and allows the New Yorker to write their articles about the top writers under 30 years old, authors that most people outside of publishing have no idea who they are. Knopf Books from Random House are known for the borzoi on their spines, their numerous Pulitzer and National Book Award winning books, but Ross Macdonald's Archer's mystery helped keep them in ink. Genre writers get short shrift, told they only write science fiction or mysteries, never get the praise, or get sniffed at say when up for a literary prize, even from fellow writers who really should know better. Mickey Spillane was one of those writers. Spillane's books sold over 225 million copies, changed a genre, gave birth to numerous movies and television shows, but he was never given the kudos he so richly deserved. Spillane: King of Pulp Fiction is a biography and an appreciation by fellow mystery writers Max Allan Collins and James L. Traylor which tells the story or a man who was both a writer and a force of nature who wrote and lived a very singular way.
Frank Morrison Spillane was born in 1918 in the Brooklyn, New York, the only child in his family. Reading was a huge influence on Spillane, starting with classic adventure novels, and moving on to anything he could get his hands on. As were airplanes, something which helped him later in life. He started his career writing for the comics, a huge business at the time which needed as much product as it could get. Spillane was writer, editor, and idea man, working with and against some comic legends like Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. During World War II he was a flight instructor, staying stateside, something that always bothered him. After the war he found a piece of property but lacking the down payment needed to write something quick and for a lot of dough. I, the Jury was the result the first Mike Hammer book, which due to the rise in the paperback market became a huge success. And a genre was born.
A wonderful biography about a man whose book's I have read but knew nothing about. And lived a life that was just fascinating. A man as tough as his character, and yet loved animals, people and was a Jehovah's Witness, with his own take on the religion. Collins, a longtime friend, collaborator, and mystery writer and scholar has written a well balanced book about the man, his writing and how he wrote and how he lived. This is no hagiography, this is a warts and all telling about a life with mistakes, maybe a little fiction when more interesting than the facts. Collins does a very good job of trying to get to the truth, even when the lie has become excepted. There is a lot of information about comic books, movies, publishing, even advertising which is told well but does slow down the story about the man. Every page has something interesting, and one gets a sense of not only what Spillane was like, but how it must have been to be around him. Exhilarating and exhausting is all I can think. What a wonderful life, and Collins and Traylor do a very good job of capturing it.
A great book on a writer that will never ever be again. A portrait of America, publishing, entertainment and even advertising when one guy could be all that, and more. Recommended for mystery fans both Max Allan Collins and Mickey Spillane fans, people who enjoy good biographies, and for those interested in mid-century America.
March 24, 2023
Mickey Spillane biographer and collaborator, Max Allan Collins, states he was 13 years old when he first read a Mike Hammer novel. (Even then, Collins had to fib his age to buy the book).
This reader is just a few years younger than Collins, and hadn’t really discovered mystery and detective fiction until high school. At that point, the word was out—Spillane was trash—simple plot, little characterization, gratuitous sex, and anathema to a young man in the mid 1970s—rabidly conservative.
Spillane’s beer commercials were a joke—just like those from the baseball announcer who watched games from the “cheap seats.”
Fast forward, this reader discovers Max Allan Collins in the mid 1980s—a couple of Mallory mysteries, and then the earth shattering Nate Heller historical mysteries. Pretty soon, anything that MAC publishes, this reader will buy—except the Mike Hammer books.
But if Collins likes Mike Hammer, perhaps this reader should try one, then another two, and maybe a third—even if they are listed on the cover as by Mickey Spillane and Max Allan Collins. He does.
Then, why not try the originals, “I, the Jury” and “My Gun is Quick”—silly titles both. But Collins is right, this Spillane guy can tell a good story.
“Spillane: King of Pulp Fiction” is a spot-on title. Mickey Spillane single handedly began the impetus for the pulpy, under-200 page, 25 cent paperbacks, which gained fame as Gold Medal paperbacks and other imprints. I’ve been reading these reprints for years; I didn’t know it was the success of Mike Hammer and Spillane that caused this revolution in publishing.
Of course, this book is a biography, but it’s also a look at publishing in the 1950s through 1960s. Why did the Hammer books and movies fail in the mid 1960s? Collins suggests a British author and his Double-0 secret agent, whose books and movies include similarly high body counts and lots of sex presented a cooler, more up to date version of a seeker of justice.
The book includes information on Spillane’s other projects and characters, as well as Hammer’s various portrayers on television and in the movies. The reader learns that Spillane was sometimes a real world version of dangerous loner, Mike Hammer, while other times a faithful friend, raconteur, and loving spouse.
Fans of detective fiction in print and on film, those interested in the evolution of views on sex and violence, as well as those curious about a one-man phenomenon whose books once dominated best seller lists would be well advised to give this book a read.
This reader is just a few years younger than Collins, and hadn’t really discovered mystery and detective fiction until high school. At that point, the word was out—Spillane was trash—simple plot, little characterization, gratuitous sex, and anathema to a young man in the mid 1970s—rabidly conservative.
Spillane’s beer commercials were a joke—just like those from the baseball announcer who watched games from the “cheap seats.”
Fast forward, this reader discovers Max Allan Collins in the mid 1980s—a couple of Mallory mysteries, and then the earth shattering Nate Heller historical mysteries. Pretty soon, anything that MAC publishes, this reader will buy—except the Mike Hammer books.
But if Collins likes Mike Hammer, perhaps this reader should try one, then another two, and maybe a third—even if they are listed on the cover as by Mickey Spillane and Max Allan Collins. He does.
Then, why not try the originals, “I, the Jury” and “My Gun is Quick”—silly titles both. But Collins is right, this Spillane guy can tell a good story.
“Spillane: King of Pulp Fiction” is a spot-on title. Mickey Spillane single handedly began the impetus for the pulpy, under-200 page, 25 cent paperbacks, which gained fame as Gold Medal paperbacks and other imprints. I’ve been reading these reprints for years; I didn’t know it was the success of Mike Hammer and Spillane that caused this revolution in publishing.
Of course, this book is a biography, but it’s also a look at publishing in the 1950s through 1960s. Why did the Hammer books and movies fail in the mid 1960s? Collins suggests a British author and his Double-0 secret agent, whose books and movies include similarly high body counts and lots of sex presented a cooler, more up to date version of a seeker of justice.
The book includes information on Spillane’s other projects and characters, as well as Hammer’s various portrayers on television and in the movies. The reader learns that Spillane was sometimes a real world version of dangerous loner, Mike Hammer, while other times a faithful friend, raconteur, and loving spouse.
Fans of detective fiction in print and on film, those interested in the evolution of views on sex and violence, as well as those curious about a one-man phenomenon whose books once dominated best seller lists would be well advised to give this book a read.
February 12, 2023
Mickey Spillane is the most popular and influential pulp writer of all time. His first novel, I, THE JURY, and six subsequent titles were read by enough people to make him the best-selling novelist in the history of American publishing. Critics hated his books probably because they were uncomfortable with his depiction of sex and violence. But his tough-guy style of writing, epitomized by private detective Mike Hammer, resulted in book sales surpassing 200 million.
Spillane’s success sometimes led to feuds. He and Ernest Hemingway were two of America’s top writers post-World War II. But they did not get along. A Florida Keys restaurant that Hemingway frequented proudly displayed his picture. Spillane went into the establishment one evening, and a picture was requested, taken and placed on the wall. On his next visit, an angry Hemingway told the owner, “Take him down or take me down!” Hemingway’s photo was soon gone.
After Spillane’s death, Max Allan Collins continued the Mike Hammer series. He also teamed up with James L. Traylor to pen MICKEY SPILLANE ON SCREEN. Their knowledge and respect for their subject are clearly displayed in SPILLANE: King of Pulp Fiction, a superbly written and exhaustive portrayal of the life of a writer who changed the mystery genre in the last half of the 20th century.
One of the more interesting details of Spillane’s career surrounds the publishing history of I, THE JURY. Spillane wanted it released immediately as a paperback. During WWII, books were provided to the military in this format. Obviously, they were smaller and lighter than hardcovers and could be transported more easily. I, THE JURY initially came out with a small hardback printing of 5,000, but it was the paperback version that experienced exploding sales. Spillane correctly predicted and shaped what eventually would be a new market for American publishers and readers. Until the advent of e-books, paperbacks fueled the publishing industry.
There is so much here to sink your teeth into and enjoy. Great biographies must capture the individual portrayed --- his spirit, his accomplishments, and the times in which he lived and worked. SPILLANE does all of this so expertly that it reads almost as well as a Spillane novel. While it’s still very early in the year, this massive achievement is a leading candidate for inclusion on my list of best biographies of 2023.
Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman
Spillane’s success sometimes led to feuds. He and Ernest Hemingway were two of America’s top writers post-World War II. But they did not get along. A Florida Keys restaurant that Hemingway frequented proudly displayed his picture. Spillane went into the establishment one evening, and a picture was requested, taken and placed on the wall. On his next visit, an angry Hemingway told the owner, “Take him down or take me down!” Hemingway’s photo was soon gone.
After Spillane’s death, Max Allan Collins continued the Mike Hammer series. He also teamed up with James L. Traylor to pen MICKEY SPILLANE ON SCREEN. Their knowledge and respect for their subject are clearly displayed in SPILLANE: King of Pulp Fiction, a superbly written and exhaustive portrayal of the life of a writer who changed the mystery genre in the last half of the 20th century.
One of the more interesting details of Spillane’s career surrounds the publishing history of I, THE JURY. Spillane wanted it released immediately as a paperback. During WWII, books were provided to the military in this format. Obviously, they were smaller and lighter than hardcovers and could be transported more easily. I, THE JURY initially came out with a small hardback printing of 5,000, but it was the paperback version that experienced exploding sales. Spillane correctly predicted and shaped what eventually would be a new market for American publishers and readers. Until the advent of e-books, paperbacks fueled the publishing industry.
There is so much here to sink your teeth into and enjoy. Great biographies must capture the individual portrayed --- his spirit, his accomplishments, and the times in which he lived and worked. SPILLANE does all of this so expertly that it reads almost as well as a Spillane novel. While it’s still very early in the year, this massive achievement is a leading candidate for inclusion on my list of best biographies of 2023.
Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman
August 29, 2023
Mickey was born Frank Morrison Spillane in Brooklyn in 1918. As a child, he read widely and began writing when he entered high school.
He received a pilot’s license when he was 14. As a result, he was a flight instructor during World War II and never saw active combat.
He started out writing comic books, including Captain America and The Human Torch. He wrote the Count of Monte Cristo for Classics Illustrated.
As he was writing I, The Jury, he was also building a house in upstate New York.
Spillane was influenced by John Daly‘s Race Williams character. Another influence was Shakespeare. Because of his mass appeal he was dismissed by both Chandler and Hemingway.
Splaine becomes a Jehovah’s Witness.
He strikes a deal to have five of his novels made into movies, along with his next book. This keeps Mickey busy, but it doesn’t produce great results. He does not write another book for eight or nine years.
And yet the money is still coming in. He moved to South Carolina. He gets into hot rod racing. He joined a friend in pursuit of bootleggers. He moved around the country and was involved in pursuing drug rings in organized crime. His wife leaves him and he leaves the Witnesses.
In 1958, Darrin McGavin is cast as Hammer and the show runs for two years.
The movie, The Girl Hunters, is produced with him as the star. Doctor No the first James Bond movie comes out. Spillane begins to lose some of his market.
He marries a second time.
In 1981, the Miller Lite commercials start their run.
Stacy Keach is cast as Mike Hammer and runs sporadically for five years or so.
He marries a third time and rejoins the Witnesses.
The co-authors are not biographers. And it shows. Dates are missing for marriages and divorces, the release of books and other important events. The narrative moves forward in time and then suddenly mentions something from decades ago.
No mention of his relationship with his four children with his first wife. No mention of whether he continued to fly after his service in WWII. His relationship with Ayn Rand is relegated to an appendix.
They play up his vengeance focus in his stories but make no attempt to discuss where that came from. They make no attempt to research his time in the world of comics, claiming he was a braggart and self-promoter and then leaving it at that. I think they did no actual research at all. His books sold 200,000,000 copies.
He received a pilot’s license when he was 14. As a result, he was a flight instructor during World War II and never saw active combat.
He started out writing comic books, including Captain America and The Human Torch. He wrote the Count of Monte Cristo for Classics Illustrated.
As he was writing I, The Jury, he was also building a house in upstate New York.
Spillane was influenced by John Daly‘s Race Williams character. Another influence was Shakespeare. Because of his mass appeal he was dismissed by both Chandler and Hemingway.
Splaine becomes a Jehovah’s Witness.
He strikes a deal to have five of his novels made into movies, along with his next book. This keeps Mickey busy, but it doesn’t produce great results. He does not write another book for eight or nine years.
And yet the money is still coming in. He moved to South Carolina. He gets into hot rod racing. He joined a friend in pursuit of bootleggers. He moved around the country and was involved in pursuing drug rings in organized crime. His wife leaves him and he leaves the Witnesses.
In 1958, Darrin McGavin is cast as Hammer and the show runs for two years.
The movie, The Girl Hunters, is produced with him as the star. Doctor No the first James Bond movie comes out. Spillane begins to lose some of his market.
He marries a second time.
In 1981, the Miller Lite commercials start their run.
Stacy Keach is cast as Mike Hammer and runs sporadically for five years or so.
He marries a third time and rejoins the Witnesses.
The co-authors are not biographers. And it shows. Dates are missing for marriages and divorces, the release of books and other important events. The narrative moves forward in time and then suddenly mentions something from decades ago.
No mention of his relationship with his four children with his first wife. No mention of whether he continued to fly after his service in WWII. His relationship with Ayn Rand is relegated to an appendix.
They play up his vengeance focus in his stories but make no attempt to discuss where that came from. They make no attempt to research his time in the world of comics, claiming he was a braggart and self-promoter and then leaving it at that. I think they did no actual research at all. His books sold 200,000,000 copies.
May 4, 2023
Collins and Traylor have put together a biography that is equal parts Spillane and his body of work. Yes, most of that is Mike Hammer, but there is also a significant number of pages devoted to Spillane's other books and characters. I'm glad I recently finished 'Last Cop Out' before reading this. It made me appreciate his other works far more than I would have otherwise.
The authors share a love for and long-standing friendship with Mickey Spillane but used that to turn in a better book. That's rarely the case, but these guys have been a part of the world of Pulp for most of their lives and understand that it is more important to get the story right, even if it is non-fiction. Maybe that's even more important than a fiction novel.
This book is filled with interviews, first person experiences, and little rumor. The few points in contention (was Frank Morris really Frank Morrison "Mickey" Spillane for example) are laid out with the author's opinions but leave it to the readers to make up their own minds.
For the completist, there are multiple lists for Hammer afficionados, Spillane fans, or Pulp lovers in general. I have to admit there were at least fifteen short-stories I had never heard of before and probably five novels at least. Especially useful is the timeline of all the Hammer novels.
This book is a must for anyone in any of the above categories.
Find it! Buy it! READ IT!
The authors share a love for and long-standing friendship with Mickey Spillane but used that to turn in a better book. That's rarely the case, but these guys have been a part of the world of Pulp for most of their lives and understand that it is more important to get the story right, even if it is non-fiction. Maybe that's even more important than a fiction novel.
This book is filled with interviews, first person experiences, and little rumor. The few points in contention (was Frank Morris really Frank Morrison "Mickey" Spillane for example) are laid out with the author's opinions but leave it to the readers to make up their own minds.
For the completist, there are multiple lists for Hammer afficionados, Spillane fans, or Pulp lovers in general. I have to admit there were at least fifteen short-stories I had never heard of before and probably five novels at least. Especially useful is the timeline of all the Hammer novels.
This book is a must for anyone in any of the above categories.
Find it! Buy it! READ IT!
February 15, 2023
A biography years in the making by two men who are singularly equipped to relate and make sense of the life and work of writer Mickey Spillane. Max Allan Collins, a Spillane enthusiast from his teens became friends with Mickey and eventually Spillane’s literary executor having completed more than a dozen incomplete works by the master, and James Traylor, author of critical works on Spillane have collaborated to create a readable and informative study of Spillane, his novels and his influence on crime novels and popular culture.
The book is well organized, filled with photographs and deep dives into Spillane’s novels as well as films and television shows based on his works, Hammer-related and others.
Spillane’s life was anything but dull and the reader will learn of Spillane’s forays into stock car racing, chasing moonshiners and becoming a human cannonball. I was intrigued by Spillane’s joining the Jehovah’s Witnesses, his friendship with Ayn Rand, his starring as Mike Hammer in the film of The Girl Hunters, and his unorthodox second marriage. Packed with many extras (an attempt at autobiography, Collins’ personal reminiscences and account of finishing Spillane’s unfinished manuscripts, a filmography and more) Spillane: King of Pulp Fiction is an embarrassment of riches for the fan of Mickey Spillane.
Highly recommended.
The book is well organized, filled with photographs and deep dives into Spillane’s novels as well as films and television shows based on his works, Hammer-related and others.
Spillane’s life was anything but dull and the reader will learn of Spillane’s forays into stock car racing, chasing moonshiners and becoming a human cannonball. I was intrigued by Spillane’s joining the Jehovah’s Witnesses, his friendship with Ayn Rand, his starring as Mike Hammer in the film of The Girl Hunters, and his unorthodox second marriage. Packed with many extras (an attempt at autobiography, Collins’ personal reminiscences and account of finishing Spillane’s unfinished manuscripts, a filmography and more) Spillane: King of Pulp Fiction is an embarrassment of riches for the fan of Mickey Spillane.
Highly recommended.
February 19, 2023
Mickey Spillane was also called the king of hard-boiled crime novels and you can’t read a history of the rise of paperback originals in this country without reading a chapter on the novels of Mickey Spillane. Here is a whole book telling the story of that publishing phenomenon who once had 7 novels on a top ten bestseller list. Max Allan Collins and James Traylor, who also collaborated on One Lonely Knight: Mickey Spillane’s Mike Hammer and Mickey Spillane on Screen, tell the story through a look at the books he wrote as MIckey wrote what he knew best and that was himself. There was a lot of Spillane in Mike Hammer, he even played the character himself in The Girl Hunters movie. Just a word of warning if you haven’t read Spillane’s novels yet, there are a lot of spoilers here. At the back of the book there are over 50 pages of interviews, essays, a timeline of events, and lists of publications, movies and tv shows featuring MIckey Spillane and his most popular character, Mike Hammer. I would recommend this biography to you if you’re a fan, but you already know you want it.
March 29, 2023
There was a giant revolution in paperback publishing in the late 1940s, and the man almost entirely responsible was Mickey Spillane. The immense success of his first novel, I, THE JURY, convinced publishers that there was a huge market for original (as opposed to reprint) paperback novels. Mickey also tried to stay ahead of, or at least abreast of, later trends. Noting the success of Ian Fleming, Mickey tried his hand at spy novels with the absurd "Tiger Mann" series. And he continued to experiment with new characters until the end of his career. But most readers just wanted to have a new adventure of Mike Hammer. Yet Mickey ceased to write Hammer material for an entire decade... the authors come up with a convincing and complicated explanation for this situation. Micky was a complex man, with a many-sided personality. This book does an excellent job of depicting some of those sides. Recommended, especially if you are a fan of his unique approach to the private-eye genre.
February 13, 2023
Before reading this biography of Spillane I had only read a few of his Mike Hammer books and had watched the tv series, Mike Hammer. Certainly not much with which to judge a NWA Grand Master. Because the author of this book is Max Allan Collins, an author I do admire, I decided I needed to fill in the many blanks and find out what I have to catch up on. After reading Spillane: King of Pulp Fiction, my TBR list has grown. I have missed a lot.
I enjoyed the history of Mike Hammer shared within these pages but what I really found the most interesting was the man himself. The man his family and friends knew, the connection to the FBI and, yes, the beer commercials. He was so much more than his creation, Mike Hammer.
My thanks to the publisher Mysterious Press and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
I enjoyed the history of Mike Hammer shared within these pages but what I really found the most interesting was the man himself. The man his family and friends knew, the connection to the FBI and, yes, the beer commercials. He was so much more than his creation, Mike Hammer.
My thanks to the publisher Mysterious Press and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
April 28, 2023
I will confess to having never read a Mickey Spillane book and probably only seeing one of the Mike Hammer movies (which I think I didn’t make it through), so I’m not really the target audience for this first-ever biography on the larger-than-life writer, who was just as tough as his fictional creations. Collins and Traylor have certainly done their homework and this is an exhaustive bio, but it gets really bogged down at times in its excessive recaps on Spillaine’s books and movies. Spillaine was a mega-bestselling author in the 1950s and ‘60s (make that writer … he hated the word “author”). He came out of the comic book industry, where he wrote primarily for Timely Comics, which eventually became Marvel. He is a fascinating person, much more than just the beer commercial salesman he became best known for later in life.
October 24, 2022
Collins did incredibly thorough research on Spillane and his work. Each book and each movie are dissected and reviewed in and out and all the background action that was taking place around each was covered in great detail. The stories were interesting, but I think in order to really appreciate this book one would need to have a high level of familiarity with Spillane's work and with pulp and noir in general. I would have liked to see more information about Spillane's childhood and his family life, but it seems as though he was pretty tight-lipped about those things. Overall a really informative book but best enjoyed by those who are already Spillane fans.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.
April 13, 2023
Excellent biography filled with plenty of personal detail while also covering the many, many works of Mickey Spillane.
Here you have Spillane the man, the author, the actor, and the main ingredient behind the success of the Miller Lite commercials. (Just had to add that one!)
Here you have Spillane the man, the author, the actor, and the main ingredient behind the success of the Miller Lite commercials. (Just had to add that one!)
April 27, 2023
I loved reading about the man behind Mike Hammer, and how the two weren't all that far apart when you read this book. Mickey Spillane was a product of his time and a great pulp fiction author, and his life story is so interesting. And I loved his beer commercials when I was a kid.
April 24, 2023
Not as good as I hoped for, but still a book worth reading.
May 12, 2023
Listened to Audible version, which is not listed here, and thought the narration quite good.
January 1, 2024
2023 biography of author Mickey Spillane (creator of Mike Hammer) by Max Allan Collins and James L. Traylor.
July 3, 2025
Extensive biography of a great writer - he might not have been initially liked by the critics but this guy is legendary. The biography is engaging and told with many nods to Spillane's style.
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