James M. Cain, along with Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett, is one of the figureheads of the hard-boiled school of detective fiction — despite his famous declarations to the contrary. His novels, short fiction, and nonfiction articles helped define the landscape of twentieth-century literature, and although he never found personal success as a screenwriter, the movies based on his fiction set a new standard for film noir.
James Mallahan Cain was born in Annapolis, Maryland, in 1892 to Rose Cain, an opera singer, and James W. Cain, a professor at St. John’s College. An intellectually precocious child, Cain entered Washington College at the age of fourteen. Though he enjoyed excellent academic standing, Cain would later admit that he did not feel emotionally prepared for the experience, and after completing a B.A. at eighteen, he drifted, taking and discarding any number of jobs.
While he would eventually achieve fame as a novelist, Cain always believed that being a writer was only a consolation prize. He wanted to be a professional singer like his mother, and although he had some talent, she told him that his voice would never be good enough. Forced to accept the reality...
Read more about James M. Cain
