Still, taste is at best a matter of dispute, and the mayor has a right to his preferences. To make matters worse, “The Thin Man” is not even Hammett’s best book, being outranked in the view of most critics by “The Maltese Falcon” and “Red Harvest.” In his wisdom, Hickenlooper has chosen “The Thin Man,” a whodunit by Dashiell Hammett that has the distinction of being one of the few cases in which the film version of a book is actually better than the novel. So far so good, but since this opens up the field considerably, you’d think the mayor might go with an author or book that has some kind of local following. Other cities feature books by authors who can’t be in attendance, so why not Denver? At least a dead author can’t be insulted by anemic audiences at discussions of his or her book. Given the discouraging attendance at programs featuring recent honorees, this is understandable, but one wonders what took Hickenlooper so long. Digital Replica Edition Home Page Close MenuĪfter four years of steadily dwindling support for his One Book/One Denver program, Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper has decided to make some changes for this year’s event.įirst and most important, he’s given up the idea that the book under consideration must be by a living author who can come to town and entertain the masses.
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