In terms of sales, Mickey Spillane is one of the most popular writers of the twentieth century, and of all time. In terms of the content of the books themselves and the two fictional heroes for which he is best known, he has been widely reviled for his portrayal of extreme violence, sexual excess, and right-wing bigotry. Whatever the opinions of his critics, since the 1940s Spillane has proved himself to be a talented comic book writer, an author of prize-winning books for children and young adults, and, through his Mike Hammer series, a key player in the history of the hard-boiled detective novel.

Mickey Spillane

Frank Michael Morrison Spillane was born in Brooklyn, New York, and brought up by working-class parents during the Great Depression. He began publishing stories in the pulp magazines soon after graduating from High School and, dropping out of...