Raymond Chandler: A Descriptive Bibliography by Matthew J. Bruccoli, published by the University of Pittsburgh Press in 1979, is a definitive reference work cataloging the published and unpublished writings of one of America’s most influential crime fiction authors. Known for iconic novels like The Big Sleep and Farewell, My Lovely, Chandler helped shape the hard-boiled detective genre with his distinct prose and moral ambiguity.
This bibliography meticulously records:
- First and subsequent editions of Chandler’s novels and short stories
- Magazine appearances, including pulp publications like Black Mask
- Screenplays, letters, and essays
- Variant printings and textual differences across editions
- Publishing histories and bibliographic minutiae (bindings, pagination, dust jackets)
It also includes annotations and contextual notes, providing insight into Chandler’s literary development and the evolution of his works in print. Like others in the Unifversity of Pittsburgh Press’s Pittsburgh Series in Bibliography, this volume is prized for its scholarly rigor and detail, making it an indispensable resource for collectors, librarians, literary scholars, and fans of noir fiction.
