A masterpiece of noir, Raymond Chandler´s The Big Sleep helped to define a genre and remains one of the most celebrated and stylish novels of the twentieth century. Now, this comprehensive, annotated edition offers a fascinating look behind the scenes of the novel, bringing the gritty and seductive world of Chandler´s iconic private eye Philip Marlowe into full color. Notes on the historical context of Chandler´s Los Angeles; excerpts from the author´s personal letters and source texts; explorations of the issues of gender, sexuality, and race that permeate the story; and important interpretations and clarifications enrich the reader´s understanding and situate the novel within the tradition of crime fiction that Chandler both built upon and made new.