Drawing on unprecedented archival and family access,  Cooler Than Cool: The Life of Elmore Leonard , is the first comprehensive biography of the master American crime writer, author of witty, gritty bestsellers like  Get Shorty  and  Raylan . Over the course of his sixty-year career, Elmore Leonard, "the Dickens of Detroit," published forty-five novels that have had enduring appeal to readers around the world. Revered by Martin Amis, Margaret Atwood, Raymond Carver, and Stephen King, his books were innovative in their blending of a Hemingway-inspired noirish minimalism and a masterful use of realistic dialogue over exposition―a direct evolution in his celebrated crime writing process spurred by his years as a screenwriter. Leonard’s fiction contained many layers, and at the heart of his work were progressive themes, stemming from his years as a student of the Jesuit religious order, his personal beliefs in social justice, and his successful battle over alcoholism. He drew inspiration from greats like Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett, but the true motivation and brilliance behind his iconic Westerns and crime writing was the ongoing class struggle to achieve the American Dream―often seen through the eyes of law enforcement officers  and  the criminals they vowed to apprehend. C. M. Kushins tells Leonard’s full life story against recurring themes and evolving storytelling methods of his work, drawing on interviews with primary sources ranging from Leonard’s family and friends to those who acted in, produced, and directed his work onscreen, including for the hit TV series Justified. This definitive biography of an author also includes never-before-published excerpts from Leonard’s unfinished final novel and planned memoir. Revealing and insightful, Cooler Than Cool shows Leonard emerging from the "pulp fiction" era of midcentury America, to ultimately become one of the most successful storytellers of the twentieth century, whose influence continues to have far-reaching effects on both contemporary crime fiction and American filmmaking.  This landmark literary biography is the definitive story of Elmore Leonard’s life and work, revealing: The Life of a Crime Writer: Go inside the mind of a master, with exclusive access to Leonard’s personal archives and intimate interviews with his family, friends, and collaborators. - Pulp Fiction History: See how Leonard evolved from the pulp fiction era, drawing on influences like Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett to create his signature style. - Signature Noir Writing and Dialogue: Explore the development of his revolutionary noirish minimalism and the masterful use of realistic dialogue that made his novels leap off the page. - From Page to Screen: Discover Leonard’s incredible influence on American filmmaking, from his early screenplays and iconic Westerns to modern classics like Get Shorty . - Never-Before-Seen Writing: Features exclusive, never-before-published excerpts from Leonard's unfinished final novel and his planned memoir. "For Leonard’s legion of fans the book is a must-read, but you don’t need to be a Leonard fan to enjoy this beautifully crafted life story." - Booklist "Meticulously researched. . . . A thoroughly researched chronicle of Leonard and his literary career.” - Library Journal "Consistently engrossing ... Kushins does an excellent job of guiding us through Leonard’s stories, manuscripts and adaptations."  - Wall Street Journal "Monumental." - Times Literary Supplement (London) “If you love Elmore Leonard—and who doesn’t?—you’ll love this fascinating, richly detailed account of how one of our greatest storytellers lived his life and learned his craft. - Dave Barry, Pulitzer Prize winning New York Times bestselling author of Swamp Story "Meticulously researched, Cooler Than Cool gives Elmore Leonard fans not a glimpse, but a fond gaze into the legendary crime novelist's mind and motivations. C. M. Kushins makes exceptional and economical use of Leonard's personal notes and preserved files, to seamlessly chronicle his career and times for a memorable read. Arguably, Kushins was born for the assignment, having since his youth been among Leonard's countless admirers. Detailing the subject's growth from an unknown Detroit copywriter into a literary legend, Cooler Than Cool is a slicker than slick biography worthy of the top shelf." - Eddie B. Allen Jr., author, Low Road: The Life and Legacy of Donald Goines “A fascinating look at the origins and immense talent of Elmore Leonard. The most influential crime writer of the last half century finally gets the in-depth biography he deserves.” - Charles Ardai, co-founder and editor of Hard Case Crime "True Leonard fans will love the heavily detailed account, with page after page of facts about the author's 45 books, countless movie scripts and short stories."  - Denver Post "Exhaustive, though never exhausting...A rich biography of the genre’s greatest writer." - Toronto Star "