MALTESE FALCON by Dashiell Hammett - great story, simplistic characters

My first impression of MALTESE FALCON by Dashiell Hammett was that it was certainly a book that was much more readable than most of our selections.  Because we are affilated with Great Books, we tend to read serious literature.  Sometimes that means the reading can be tedious, sometimes VERY tedious as some of you will probably agree.  But this one went very fast for me (and I'm a slow reader).  

The entertainment element was rather high but unfortunately the philosophical analytical element was rather low.  Still, there is a reason that this text is still around.  What a GREAT story told by a GREAT story teller.  There are many reasons why a book might qualify as a Great Book. In this case, most agreed that the fact it was the first of  the "crime noir"  genre makes it historically significant and that fits one of the criteria for a great book.  

Though another criteria is often described as whether it is worthy of a second reading where one might continue to get new and different ideas from when they read it the first time.  I think the book fails in this criteria for me. I don't plan to revisit it unless I'm required (i.e. if it is on the list of one of the other groups I belong to.)

Flat or simplistic character development on the other hand was probably the most serious flaw of the book according to most participants (18 attended).  

Looking forward to our next discussion of readings by Mark Twain on May 1 at Freed-Montrose library at 6pm.  Titles include MYSTERIOUS STRANGER (the Univ of Calif press version),  THE NOTORIOUS JUMPING FROG OF CALAVERAS COUNTY and THE WAR PRAYER.  More details at: http://www.houstonbookclubs.org/Montrose/