Tuesday, December 6, 2011

William Shatner as Archie Goodwin?, March 14, 1959


from New York Times, March 14, 1959.

"William Shatner has been signed to star with Kurt Kasznar in a pilot film that may be the basis for a 'Nero Wolfe' television series."

Saturday, October 15, 2011

"Champagne for One" Reviewed by Anthony Boucher, January 4, 1959


From "Criminals at Large," by Anthony Boucher, New York Times, January 4, 1959.

"Archie Goodwin happens to attend a dinner party for unwed mothers, at which an 'impossible' champagne-poisoning furnishes Nero Wolfe with 'a devil of a problem, with monstrous difficulties in an disagreeable context.' It's Wolfe's best book-length case in some years, combining an adroit puzzle with the most agreeably disrespectful treatment of maternity...."

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

"Champagne for One" Display Advertisement November 30, 1958



Display advertisement from New York Times, November 30, 1958.

"At a party for unwed mothers, Archie meets a murderer and Nero discovers his identity. The new Nero Wolfe mystery novel."

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Mystery Guild Display Advertisement, October 5, 1958.


Display advertisement, New York Times, October 5, 1958.

"In Before I Die, you meet a man who died for a pork chop."

Monday, October 10, 2011

"And Four To Go" Reviewed by Anthony Boucher, July 13, 1958


From "Criminals at Large," by Anthony Boucher, New York Times, July 13, 1958.

"Oddly, each is a case in which Wolfe is not hired by a client, but trapped by circumstance; however, his astute professionalism (and Mr. Stout's) is as evident as ever in these highly satisfactory novelties."

Friday, October 7, 2011

"Reprint Department,"All Aces," April 22, 1958


From "Criminals at Large," by Anthony Boucher, New York Times, April 22, 1958.

"[I]n all, a quarter of a million of Archie Goodwin's choicest words, and grand value."

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Monday, October 3, 2011

"Wolfe In a Lady's Clothing," March 24, 1958


From "Random Notes in Washington," New York Times, March 24, 1958.

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Rex Stout Testifies, March 20, 1958


From "Freedom of Arts Held Threatened," New York Times, March 20, 1958.

Saturday, October 1, 2011

"If Death Ever Slept" Reviewed by Anthony Boucher, November 3, 1957



From "Criminals at Large," by Anthony Boucher, New York Times, November 3, 1957.

"Fair warning: Don't waste time (as I did) poring over the seven pages of fine-print timetables that are supposed to contain the key to the solution. They don't."

Friday, September 30, 2011

"Reprint Dept." July 21, 1957


From "Criminals at Large," by Anthony Boucher, New York Times, July 21, 1957.

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

"Might As Well Be Dead" Reviewed by Anthony Boucher, November 25, 1956



From "Criminals at Large," by Anthony Boucher, New York Times, November 25, 1956.

"Readers who have followed this outsized private eye in his long career will welcome his latest exploit, even though the telling is a bit under par."

Sunday, September 25, 2011

"He Wanted to Cook, and He Did" by Rex Stout, August 21, 1955


From New York Times, August 21, 1955.

"This book fooled me. A book titled "International Chef" would surely be about cooking and would therefore have many recipes. But it hasn't."

Saturday, September 24, 2011

"How Like A God" Reviewed by Anthony Boucher, May 22, 1955



From "Criminals at Large," by Anthony Boucher, New York Times, May 22, 1955.

"...[W]holly unlike Stout's later work, it's a striking anticipation of the modern school of psychological suspense, and even more welcome today than when it originally appeared."

Friday, September 23, 2011

"The Black Mountain" Reviewed by Anthony Boucher, October 24, 1954




From "Criminals at Large," by Anthony Boucher, New York Times, October 24, 1954.

"Some Wolfe addicts... may regret the experiment; a straight foreign intrigue tale with neither humor nor deduction hardly seems a proper Wolfe exploit."

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Rex Stout Reviews M.F.K. Fisher's "An Alphabet for Gourmets," September 9, 1949


"Suggestions for the Sensitive Palate," by Rex Stout, New York Times, September 9, 1949.

"It would be fun to argue the question: which is the greater treasure, a gifted cook or a gifted writer on cooking? But M.F.K. Fisher -- to stick to the lady's pseudonym -- could not be cited in evidence on either side, because she is both."

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

"Three Men Out" Reviewed by Anthony Boucher, April 25, 1954


From "Criminals at Large," by Anthony Boucher, New York Times, April 25, 1954.

"The first of these three novelettes from the American Magazine seems pretty obvious for Wolfe's talents; but the other two should entertain you well with they dying message of a mathematician, not too credible but fine detective fun, and a murder at the World Series (Giants vs. Red Sox, which seems to introduce an element of fantasy) in which Archie and Nero separately reach the solution in a dead heat."

Monday, September 19, 2011

Saturday, September 17, 2011

"Talk With Rex Stout," November 15, 1953


"Talk With Rex Stout," by Lewis Nichols, New York Times, November 15, 1953.

"As to Nero Wolfe, himself, was he suggested by anyone? This is the $64 question, and it is inevitable and Mr. Stout probably is sick of hearing it."

Friday, September 16, 2011

"The Golden Spiders" Reviewed by Anthony Boucher, November 15, 1953

This year's Bouchercon World Mystery Convention, named for the late Anthony Boucher (William Anthony Parker White), well-known writer and critic from the New York Times, will be held September 15 through 18 in St. Louis, Missouri. The prestigious Anthony Awards are given annually with the winners selected by the attendees of Bouchercon.


From "Criminals at Large, by Anthony Boucher, New York Times, November 15, 1953.

"A vicious racket concerning displaced persons, a nice puzzle in impersonation, a neatly logical denouement and Archie Goodwin's adept narration (a perfect example of the art which conceals art) add up to a highly professional and thoroughly satisfactory mystery."

"The Golden Spiders" Display Advertisment, November 1, 1953

Display advertisement, New York Times, November 1, 1953.

"And Nero, at a new pinnacle of courage, risks Archie's neck as it was never risked before -- in pursuit of the mysterious wearer of the golden spiders."