Mickey Spillane is the most popular and influential pulp writer of all time. His first novel, I, THE JURY, and six subsequent titles were read by enough people to make him the best-selling novelist in the history of American publishing. Critics hated his books probably because they were uncomfortable with his depiction of sex and violence. But his tough-guy style of writing, epitomized by private detective Mike Hammer, resulted in book sales surpassing 200 million.

"There is so much here to sink your teeth into and enjoy. Great biographies must capture the individual portrayed --- his spirit, his accomplishments, and the times in which he lived and worked. SPILLANE does all of this so expertly that it reads almost as well as a Spillane novel."

Spillane’s success sometimes led to feuds. He and Ernest Hemingway were two of America’s top writers post-World War II. But they did not get along. A Florida Keys restaurant that Hemingway frequented proudly displayed his picture. Spillane went into the establishment one evening, and a picture was requested, taken and placed on the wall. On his next visit, an angry Hemingway told the owner, “Take him down or take me down!” Hemingway’s photo was soon gone.

After Spillane’s death, Max Allan Collins continued the Mike Hammer series. He also teamed up with James L. Traylor to pen MICKEY SPILLANE ON SCREEN. Their knowledge and respect for their subject are clearly displayed in SPILLANE: King of Pulp Fiction, a superbly written and exhaustive portrayal of the life of a writer who changed the mystery genre in the last half of the 20th century.

One of the more interesting details of Spillane’s career surrounds the publishing history of I, THE JURY. Spillane wanted it released immediately as a paperback. During WWII, books were provided to the military in this format. Obviously, they were smaller and lighter than hardcovers and could be transported more easily. I, THE JURY initially came out with a small hardback printing of 5,000, but it was the paperback version that experienced exploding sales. Spillane correctly predicted and shaped what eventually would be a new market for American publishers and readers. Until the advent of e-books, paperbacks fueled the publishing industry.

There is so much here to sink your teeth into and enjoy. Great biographies must capture the individual portrayed --- his spirit, his accomplishments, and the times in which he lived and worked. SPILLANE does all of this so expertly that it reads almost as well as a Spillane novel. While it’s still very early in the year, this massive achievement is a leading candidate for inclusion on my list of best biographies of 2023.