- Paperback: 128 pages
- Publisher: Orion; New Ed edition (1 Dec 2005)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0752861743
- ISBN-13: 978-0752861746
- Product Dimensions: 19 x 13 x 1.5 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 29,961 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
The Postman Always Rings Twice (CRIME MASTERWORKS)
and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle .
Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Plus, get an extra £5 Gift Certificate when you trade in books worth £10 or more before June 30, 2012. Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. |
Product details |
More About the Author
Product Description
Book Description
'Nobody has ever quite pulled it off the way Cain does, not Hemingway, and not even Raymond Chandler' Tom Wolfe
Product Description
First published in 1934, The Postman Always Rings Twice caused a scandal with its explosive mix of violence and sex, and immediately became a bestseller. The torrid story of Frank Chambers, the amoral drifter, Cora, the sullen and brooding wife, and Nick Papadakis, the amiable but inconvenient husband, has become a classic of its kind, and established Cain as a major novelist with a spare and vital prose style and a bleak vision of America.
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book, James M. Cain's debut novel, is arguable the finest of its genre and certainly of its period. Whereas previous first person narrative crime novels were seen from the eyes of the law, "The Postman Always Rings Twice" describes the crimes committed from the perpetrator's point of view. The novella moves along at a fast speed and can be read in one sitting. I was gripped by the narrative from the classic opening, through the tumultuous plot right up until the magnificent twist ending. The characters are as realistic and believable as their actions and it becomes easier for the reader to relate to them as the tale progresses. Highly recommended to fans of great crime literature. If only all debuts were this good!
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I bought this book, opened it to have a look at the first few pages and was still reading two hours later. Cain immerses you in the plot and builds up tension with minimal use of words and detail. A brilliant thriller by a master of writing. I can't remember the last time a book absorbed me this much.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book is brilliant. It's a work of genius. And it is also an unputdownable read of stark simplicity. Cain achieves his breathtaking prose by avoiding adjectives, adverbs, dialogue tags and beats, parenthetical clauses, semicolons and anything that might slow the intravenous injection of the plot. This thing is only 115 pages, but you'll want to keep it forever and read it again and again. Wow! What a book! (Double Indemnity is also good, but not as good as this.)
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
So simple..
This is one of the most stunning books of the last century. It concerns a drifter, Frank, who accidentally ends up at a roadside sandwich bar on his travels. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Craig Hall
Disappointing
I can imagine that when it was first published, this book must have caused a storm, but so many versions if it exist now on film, and in other stories that have pinched the idea... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Mrs. K. A. Wheatley
This may well be the most perfect short novel ever written.
I urge anyone interested in character driven, fast paced and spare writing, read this perfect novel, even if you have seen the film and think you know the story there is plenty to... Read more
Published 6 months ago by Rachel Moody
Brutal and efficient
I read this book on the recommendation of a friend. The story is based around three characters, Frank Chambers - a petty crook, Nick Papakadis - a Greek bar owner whom he goes to... Read more
Published 12 months ago by J. S. Dixon
a classic
It seems no accident that the victim of the crime in this story is a Greek, for the plot seems to have much in common with a Greek tragedy: the protagonists are subject to their... Read more
Published 14 months ago by moby-dick
Excellent, short, compelling
I read this book inspired by the film. The book's starkness means that unlike most adaptations there is more texture on screen than on the page. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Calum Davey
Beware the hell-cat
Hard bolied crime novel set in Depression California. Frank Chambers drifts into Cora Papadakis' life via her 'greasy' husband's roadside grill. Read more
Published 20 months ago by Officer Dibble
The Postman Always Rings Twice
Crime thrillers are not what I would usually read but I found a copy of this book in a charity shop and decided to give it a go as I had nothing to lose. Read more
Published 23 months ago by N. A. Spencer
James M. Cain and Film Noir (May contain spoilers)
James M. Cain's novels The Postman Always Rings Twice and Double Indemnity (amoung others) were made into Films during the 1940s. Read more
Published on 13 Feb 2010 by Joanne
You are in for a treat I envy you
I saw the film for the first time recently. It was the classic 1946 version with Lana tuner. She exuded sex. Read more
Published on 28 Feb 2009 by Peter Wade
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
