A fun book about genre fiction and the ways women have appropriated the hard-boiled tradition of Sam Spade, Philip Marlowe, and Mike Hammer and the writings of Hammet, Chandler, Spillane, and others. A story of texts, movies, TV shows, and publishing, it goes quite beyond textual analysis. A bit like Jan Radway's and Tania Modleski's analysis of culture in the making (and we'll probably have blurbs from both on the cover of our book).

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Once in a great while, a book comes along that changes our view of the world. This magnificent novel from the Nobel laureate and author of Never Let Me Go is “an intriguing take on how artificial intelligence might play a role in our futures ... a poignant meditation on love and loneliness” (The Associated Press). • A GOOD MORNING AMERICA Book Club Pick! Here is the story of Klara, an Artificial Friend with outstanding observational qualities, who, from her place in the store, watches carefully the behavior of those who come in to browse, and of those who pass on the street outside. She remains hopeful that a customer will soon choose her. Klara and the Sun is a thrilling book that offers a look at our changing world through the eyes of an unforgettable narrator, and one that explores the fundamental question: what does it mean to love?