Shadow man Book

Having read all of Hammett's major works, I was interested in learning more about the author. Richard Layman's bio did not fail to deliver. Samuel Dashiell Hammett was lauded during his short, productive career as a hard-boiled writer for his work with the Pinkerton Detective Agency. In reality, he didn't work all that long for the storied company. But he made the most of it in his popular books.
What's sad is the story about how when he made money on his writing, he spent it. He had a chauffeur, he spend gobs of money on liquor - even during Prohibition - and he seemed to easily move about the country. Also of interest is how he treated his wife and kids. Ostensibly, he separated because he had tuberculosis, and didn't want to affect the children. But this seems like it gave him the excuse he needed to ignore them, and live a life of luxury, even though he wasn't paying his taxes, and he spent frivolous and often.
And, surprisingly, there's his desire to join the War Effort, even though he had fought in WWI and gotten sick and became disabled. By 1943, Hammett was a bit long in the tooth, and still not 100 percent health-wise. Initially, he was rejected, but he tried again, and was enlisted and spent most of his time in the Aleutian Islands editing a camp newspaper.
The latter part of his life he devoted to what he believed were civil rights, but amounted to promoting and protecting Communism in America - his losing cause.