No particular theme this time: Just three interesting books I picked up.
Posts Tagged ‘Mystery’
Three Random Interesting Book Purchases
Monday, July 23rd, 2012A List of the Top 25 Noir Films
Wednesday, February 29th, 2012Haven’t seen a lot of these, but the ones I have are all worth watching. Though I still think Sunset Boulevard is a bit of a stretch as Noir. It’s sui generis..
The Greatest Screen Couple in the History of Cinema
Saturday, October 1st, 2011I’ve only seen the first of these, but I do look forward to seeing the others.
Recent Library Acquisitions: Traycased Edition of Jack Vance’s Dangerous Ways
Tuesday, July 19th, 2011Vance, Jack. Dangerous Ways. Subterranean Press, 2011. Ultralimited PC traycased edition, one of an indeterminate number of signed, leatherbound copies beyond the 26 lettered copies.
I don’t often buy traycased editions (I have some for Stephen King, Neil Gaiman, Joe R. Lansdale, and some Cheap Street authors, since they regularly did traycase editions for their “Publisher’s States” of books), but a book dealer offered up this Vance traycase as part of a number of Subterrranean Press PC editions for less than the original (long-sold-out) published price, and I snapped it up. It’s a rather imposing traycase (I’m not sure if you can see it in the picture, but the title lettering has a somewhat metallic sheen, like burnished copper), though there are two small oddities about it: 1.) The rounded spine edge of the case looks nice, but it prevents the case from laying flat while it’s open, and 2.) The left-side folds into, rather than outside, the right hand part of the traycase holding the book.
Still a very attractive production. Click to embiggen.
15 New Dashiell Hammett Stories Found
Wednesday, February 9th, 2011In the archives at the University of Texas Harry Ransom center.
This is indeed good news for mystery fans, though I wouldn’t get your hopes up. Maybe they’re great, but frequently trunk stories remain in the trunk for a reason…
Dorchester Books Goes All Digital. The End of Hard Case Crime?
Sunday, August 8th, 2010In yet another worrying sign of the decline of printed books, Dorchester books has announced they’re going all digital.. Dorchester was also the distributor for Hard Case Crime, but not the imprint owner, which is mystery writer Charles Ardai (who, in “it’s a small world after all” fashion, is married to fantasy writer Naomi Novik). So Hard Case Crime (which has published a number of extremely interesting titles, including works by Stephen King, Roger Zelazny, and Watergate burglar E. Howard Hunt) will either disappear or move to another publisher; things are still up in the air.
Sadly, for a paperback publisher like Dorchester, this is probably the right economic decision. There may come a day when the only fictions books actually printed will be signed limited editions…
Neal Barrett Jr.’s Author Emeritus Party
Sunday, May 30th, 2010Since Austin’s own Neal Barrett, Jr. was named SFWA Author Emeritus for the 2009 Nebula Awards, FACT threw a party at Casa Siros to celebrate the occasion, with luminaries coming from as far away as Nacogdoches (Joe R. his ownself) to pay homage.
Susan Wade, William Browning Spencer (occluded), Neal Barrett, Jr. (holding up the art SFWA had commissioned, featuring himself and three of his characters), Don Webb
Susan Wade, William Browning Spencer, Neal Barrett, Jr., Don Webb
Susan Wade, William Browning Spencer, Neal Barrett, Jr., Don Webb
Neal Barrett, Jr. holding up the SFWA Author Emeritus, which is a kaleidoscope. (“Kaleidoscope” is also the name of an awesome Ray Bradbury story from The Illustrated Man.)
The back of Joe R. Lansdale’s head, Ruth Barrett, someone whose name I should remember, and Scott Cupp
A closer (albeit oblique) view of said painting; I took a straight-on picture, but the flash reflection on the glass made it impossible to see.
Neal iz 2 kewl 4 this skewl!
More of the same. Less of the sane.
Just a few of Casa Siros’ vast array of Glowing Gizmos.
Three excellent authors who have had their books published by St. Martin’s. Also, three authors who are not on The New York Times Bestsellers List. These two facts may be related.
Neal cuts the cake, while Carol is just slightly too slow to avoid being incriminated with the rest of us.
Joe R. Lansdale, William Browning Spencer, Don Webb, and Neal Barrett, Jr. Susan Wade would be in this picture, had she not been eaten by a Grue.
FACT party attendees. Just after this picture, one of their number was ritually chosen by lot to be stoned to death.
Joe R. Lansdale and William Browning Spencer, in the last known photo of them before being horribly devoured by Pixar characters.
“Walk towards the light….walk towards the light…”