Why people recommend it
The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler is a quintessential hardboiled detective novel that introduces the iconic private investigator Philip Marlowe and helped define the noir genre. On The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast, Andrew Klavan credited reading the novel as the exact turning point when he decided to pursue a career as a mystery writer, praising it as an instigator of great cinematic works. During the same discussion, Klavan and the host highlighted a memorable scene where the detective plays a solitary game of chess and knocks over the board, declaring that it is not a game for knights. Additionally, on SmartLess, Natasha Lyonne referenced Raymond Chandler's books while discussing major literary and cinematic influences. Speakers on these podcasts emphasized the profound structural and atmospheric impact of Chandler's writing, noting how his masterful creation of private eye fiction, complex plots, and cynical yet compelling characters shaped subsequent generations of mystery authors and filmmakers. The novel is continually recognized as a masterclass in atmospheric storytelling, establishing the blueprint for detective fiction and leaving an indelible mark on crime literature and cinematic noir alike.
Who recommended it
Mentioned on the show without a named speaker — 4
“He is also the instigator of several great movies, like 'The Big Sleep'.”
“Well, the moment I became a mystery writer was when I read 'The Big Sleep'.”
“And one of the great scenes in 'The Big Sleep' is when the detective is playing a chess game by himself—a solitary chess game—and he knocks over the board and says, 'This is not a game for knights!'”
“If anything, even, you know, John Fonte or Raymond Chandler books, which I'm, he knows all of that too.”