The Thin Man by Dashiell Hammett

In The Thin Man, Dashiell Hammett introduces Nick and Nora Charles, a hard drinking retired private detective and his wife. The book was later made into an Oscar-nominated movie starring William Powell and Myrna Loy. Interesting enough, this story takes place during the year of Prohibition, however the characters are practically constantly drinking. Hammett also created the iconic detective, Sam Spade.

Dashiell Hammett lived a rather interesting life.

He was a detective in the Pinkerton Detective Agency.
He served in World War I where he contracted tuberculosis which plagued him the rest of his life.
He joined the American Communist Party.
He spoke out against American involvement in World War II.
He pulled strings in order to serve in World War II and was stationed in the Aleutian Islands where he became stricken with emphysema.
He testified before Congress as part of Senator Joseph McCarthy's "witchhunt." He refused to cooperate and ended up getting blacklisted.

Next up is a doubleheader of Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass. There may be some delay in these stories as I'll be rather busy with assigned school reading for the next eight weeks.