Been a while since since we feature Prepare My Glider, and they just released an EP called “Change” a couple of weeks ago, so here’s a track from it that exhibits a nice ethereal wall of sound.
Shoegazer Sunday: Prepare My Glider’s “One Look and I Know I’m Home”
September 27th, 2026Library Addition: Arthur Barnes’ Interplanetary Hunter
September 25th, 2026Another Gnome Press first from that Mysterious Benefactor:
Barnes, Arthur K. Interplanetary Hunter. Gnome Press, 1956. First edition (stated) hardback, a Fine- copy with slight crimping at head and trace of foxing to gutters (plus the characteristic age darkening of the pages common to Gnomes of this vintage), in a Very Good-, Mylar-protected dust jacket with shallow chipping at head, plus small 1/4″ chips at top and bottom of rear panel, smaller chip at heel front join, small chipping at points, significant age-darkening to spine, and general dust soiling to white dust jacket. Chalker/Owings, page 203. Kemp, The Anthem Series, page 250 (“This is a book of thrilling adventure replete with visits to strange worlds and wonderful fascinating lifeforms.”)
Library Addition: Hardback First of John Brunner’s The Traveller in Black
September 24th, 2026Another item from that Mysterious Benefactor.
Brunner, John. The Traveller in Black. Severn House, 1979. First hardback edition, a Fine- copy with slight crimping at heel, in a Fine- dust jacket with a trace of wear at heel. Linked stories about a mysterious traveler who can drive back chaos.
Supplements a copy of the PBO first (spelled with only one “l” in Traveler).
Library Addition: Hardback Facsimile of July 1939 Issue of Astounding
September 23rd, 2026Here’s a fairly neat item that came from that Mysterious Benefactor.
Campbell, John W. A Facsimile of the July 1939 Issue of Astounding Science Fiction. Southern Illinois University Press, 1981. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with slight bump at head, slight bend at heel and a trace of wear to bottom boards, in a Fine dust jacket. Just what it says, a hardback facsimile reprint of the July 1939 issue of Astounding Science Fiction, the one containing A. E. van Vogt’s classic first story “Black Destroyer,” as well as Isaac Asimov’s first sale to Astounding, “Trends.” This is the issue most historians mark as the beginning of the Golden Age of Science Fiction. This has an introduction by Stanley Schmidt, story notes by van Vogt and Asimov, and a reminiscence of Campbell by Ross Rocklynne.
Library Addition: Signed First of Jack Williamson’s The Reign of Wizardry
September 22nd, 2026Another small press book from that Mysterious Benefactor:
Williamson, Jack. The Reign of Wizardry. Phantasia Press, 1979. First hardback edition, a Fine copy in a Fine, Mylar-protected dust jacket, signed by Williamson on the title page. Fantasy set in Minoan Crete. The second Phantasia Press publication. Stephen Fabian dust jacket. Williamson, Wonder’s Child, page 121 (where he notes monthly rent when he wrote it was $12, and John W. Campbell’s penny-a-word check for publication in Unknown came to $510). Hauptmann, The Work of Jack Williamson A14.g. Chalker/Owings, page 339.
Library Addition: Lloyd Arthur Eshbach’s Tyrant of Time
September 21st, 2026Another day, another Mysterious Benefactor Fantasy Press first.
Eshbach, Lloyd Arthur. Tyrant of Time. Fantasy Press, 1955. First edition hardback (in first state cloth binding), a Fine- copy with tiny bump to top front tip and just a trace of foxing to gutters, in a Fine-, Mylar protected dust jacket with just a sliver of a sticker ghost to the right of flap price where a price sticker was applied that extended just beyond the edge of the Mylar, otherwise mint. Short story collection from the owner and operator of Fantasy Press. Chalker/Owings, page 162. Kemp, The Anthem Series, page 48.
Library Addition: Signed First of Kasey Lansdale’s First Chance
September 18th, 2026We interrupt our ongoing cataloging of that giant pile of books we were given to catalog a brand spanking new book:
Lansdale, Kasey. First Chance. Blackstone Publishing, 2026. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, inscribed to me at BookPeople on September 12, 2026, with a special bookmark laid in. I’ve known Kasey since I dropped by father Joe Lansdale’s house in the 1990s to compile his bibliography for Nova Express in the early 1990s (I think we went out for BBQ). This mystery is her first solo novel. Bought for cover price at BookPeople. This is a first, but Kasey said they’re already doing a second printing.
Library Addition: Lloyd Biggle, Jr.’s A Galaxy of Strangers
September 17th, 2026Another book from that Mysterious Benefactor:
Biggle, Lloyd Jr. A Galaxy of Strangers. Doubleday, 1976. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with slight bumping at head, heel and points, in a Fine- dust jacket with pinpricks of wear at head and heel. Short story collection. I read a fair number of Biggle’s novels in my youth, but not any short stories.
Library Addition: Raymond F. Jones’ The Toymaker
September 16th, 2026Another book from that Mysterious Benefactor:
Jones, Raymond F. The Toymaker. Fantasy Publishing Company Inc. (FPCI), 1951. First edition hardback, in the Currey A cloth binding (with “F.P.C.I.” binding at heel rather than Gnome Press), a Fine- copy with slight bend at head and heel, and very slight bumping of points, in a Near Fine- with trace of loss at points, slight edgewear at head and heel and slight dust soiling to white rear cover. Short story collection. Currey, page 273. Chalker/Owings, page 172 (though they mistitle it as The Toymaker and Others, a subtitle that doesn’t seem to appear anywhere on the book itself) (“All top-notch tales from the golden age of Astounding by a much under-appreciated writer, one of John W. Campbell’s favorites. There’s not a cropper in the book; highly recommended.”). Kemp, The Anthem Series, page 86.
Library Addition: E. E. “Doc” Smith’s Galactic Patrol
September 15th, 2026Another book from that Mysterious Benefactor:
Smith, Edward E., Ph.D. Galactic Patrol. Fantasy Press, 1950. First edition hardback in a first state blue cloth dust jacket, a Near Fine copy with slight wear to gold lettering on spine, slight send at head and heel, and trace of foxing to inside covers and gutters, in a Near Fine, Mylar-protected dust jacket with thin lines of wear at head and heel and trace of dust soiling to white rear cover. Currey, page 456. Chalker/Owings, page 160. Kemp, The Anthem Series, page 34.
