Raymond Chandler (1888–1959) was a pioneering American-British writer best known for redefining the detective fiction genre. Born in Chicago and raised partly in England, Chandler returned to the United States as a young man and worked in various professions before turning to writing in his forties during the Great Depression.
He began his literary career writing for pulp magazines like Black Mask, where he introduced the tough, introspective private eye Philip Marlowe—a character who would become iconic in crime fiction. Chandler published his first novel, The Big Sleep, in 1939, to wide acclaim. He followed it with other celebrated works, including Farewell, My Lovely (1940), The Lady in the Lake (1943), The Little Sister (1949), and The Long Goodbye (1953).
Chandler’s richly atmospheric prose, morally complex characters, and vivid portrayal of Los Angeles helped establish the “hardboiled” detective genre. He also worked in Hollywood as a screenwriter, earning an Academy Award nomination for Double Indemnity (1944). His influence can be seen across literature and film, making him one of the most significant voices in 20th-century American fiction.
