Raymond Chandler, a notable figure in American literature, was born in Chicago in 1888. His life was marked by significant personal challenges and a career that eventually saw him become a distinguished author and screenwriter. Chandler's journey from a troubled childhood to literary fame is a testament to his resilience and creative spirit.

Early Life and Education

Chandler's early years were fraught with family troubles. The son of Maurice Benjamin Chandler, a railroad worker, and Florence Dart Chandler, an Irish immigrant, his childhood was disrupted by his father's alcoholism. After his parents divorced when Raymond was seven, he and his mother moved to London. They lived with his stern grandmother and unmarried Aunt Ethel, while his Uncle Ernest Thornton, an Irish solicitor, grudgingly supported them. These early experiences instilled in Chandler a sense of abandonment by his father and forged a deep bond with his mother, shaping the themes of justice and loyalty found in his later work.

Academic Foundations

Chandler attended Dulwich College, a traditional English public school, which offered a curriculum steeped in the Bible and classical texts. This education imparted a rigid Victorian moral ethos centered on honor, public service, and self-denial, which profoundly influenced Chandler's character. These principles became the foundation for Philip Marlowe, the iconic detective character in Chandler's celebrated novels.

Career Aspirations and Early Writing

After graduating from Dulwich in 1905, Chandler aspired to study law at a university. However, his uncle refused to fund such ambitions, pushing Chandler towards a government career instead. To qualify for a civil service examination, he became a British citizen and traveled to France and Germany. Despite successfully becoming an accountant for the navy, he soon abandoned this career path to pursue writing, much to his uncle's dismay.

Transatlantic Move and Literary Struggles

Facing limited success with his early writing endeavors, Chandler borrowed money from his uncle and set sail for the United States in 1912. He initially landed in St. Louis and Nebraska before settling in Los Angeles with acquaintances from his voyage. Among them was Warren Lloyd, a philosophy scholar turned oil businessman, who helped Chandler find work and introduced him to his social circle. It was there Chandler met Cissy Pascal, who was married to one of Lloyd's friends at the time.

Personal Life and Military Experience

Chandler's mother joined him in Los Angeles in 1916. The following year, he enlisted in the Canadian army during World War I, surviving a devastating artillery attack in France. By 1919, feeling unmoored, Chandler wandered through the Pacific Northwest to San Francisco, where he took a banking job. Eventually, he returned to Los Angeles and rekindled his relationship with Cissy Pascal. Although she divorced her husband in 1920, they did not marry until 1924, after his mother passed away. Their marriage, though often strained, lasted until Cissy's death in 1954.

Career in the Oil Industry and Shift to Writing

Chandler joined the Dabney Oil Syndicate, eventually rising to vice president. However, his burgeoning alcoholism led to his dismissal at 45. He abandoned drinking and began writing for pulp magazines, with his first story appearing in Black Mask in 1933. For six years, he supported his family through these publications until his debut novel, The Big Sleep, was published in 1939.

Success and Hollywood Ventures

Though The Big Sleep sold well, it netted Chandler a modest two thousand dollars. His subsequent novels, Farewell, My Lovely and The High Window, received positive reviews but did not perform as well commercially. His fourth novel, The Lady in the Lake , released in 1943, marked his breakout success, capturing Hollywood's...