Posts Tagged ‘Gene Wolfe’
Monday, February 5th, 2024
Here are all the books I added to my library in 2023. Most (but not all) have been covered in previous posts.
Adams, Douglas (edited by Kevin Jon Davies). 42: The Wildly Improbable Ideas of Douglas Adams. Unbound, 2023. First edition hardback (number line ending with 1), a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued. A compendium of scripts, drafts, notes, sketches etc. from the archives of this Dr. Who and Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy writer. I backed this on Kickstarter, and my name can be found on page 315. This book was actually a #1 Sunday Times bestseller. I’m not sure if this Kickstarter edition differs from the trade edition, though I count 320 pages, while Amazon UK says 336 pages, so, maybe? I have a copy of this available through Lame Excuse Books.
Aldiss, Brian W. Journey to the Goat Star. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #22. Tiny bit of rubbing along spine. This is the first of a complete run of 61 Pulphouse Short Story paperbacks I bought for $61. All the subsequent listings for Pulphouse titles for this post are part of the Pulphouse Short Story Paperbacks line, and all are Fine copies, unless otherwise listed.
Aldrin, Buzz, and John Barnes. Encounter With Tiber. Warner Books, 1996. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, inscribed by Aldrin: “To Michael,/Buzz Aldrin.” Pretty sure Barnes did the overwhelming majority of the writing, but it’s pretty cool to own a book signed by a guy who walked on the moon. Bought for $7.99.
Anonymous. In the Future. Arno Press, 1974. First edition hardback thus, a reprint of a book originally published in 1867, a Fine- copy with slight bumps at points, sans dust jacket, as issued. Bought for $7.99.
Antieau, Kim. Blossoms. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #5.
Aquilone, James, editor. Dead Detectives Society. Monsterous Books, 2023. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine copy, with extras bag including three cardstock illustrations and a Dead Detective’s Society Membership card. Includes stories by Joe and Kasey Lansdale, Nancy Collins, Kevin J. Anderson, etc. Bought off Kickstarter for $32.
Aquilone, James, editor. Kolchak: The Night Stalker: 50th Anniversary. Moonstone, 2022. First edition hardback graphic novel, the hardcover variant version (ISBN 978-1-946346-16-2), a Fine- copy with slight bumping to upper points, in decorated boards, sans dust jacket, as issued, with illustration card signed on the back by Aquilone laid in. Collection of stories (some graphic novel style some straight prose) based on the legendary Kolchak: The Night Stalker TV show. According to the Kickstarter page, there were 231 of this version backed.
Aquilone, James, editor. Kolchak: The Night Stalker: Satanic Panic ’88 + Two Other Uncanny Tales. Moonstone, 2022. First edition comic book, a Fine copy, signed by Aquilone. Bought from Kickstarter as an add-in to the above.
Aquilone, James, editor. Shakespeare Unleashed. Monstrous Books, 2023. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in decorated boards, sans dust jacket, as issued, with Monstrous Books card laid in. Original anthology of Shakespeare-related horror stories, featuring stories from Joe and Kasey Lansdale, Steve Rasnick Tem, etc. Adding up the various hardware bundles, it looks like there were just over 500 copies of this done. My name can be found on page 356. You can buy the book through Amazon, though no guarantee that you’ll get a first printing, or received it unbumped.
With:
Aquilone, James, editor. Shakespeare Unleashed One Shot. Monstrous Books, 2023. First edition graphic novel chapbook containing additional work.
“Author, J.Q.” Issue Zero. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #0, a binding dummy for the entire run of the series, with bank pages. Would never have bought this on it’s own, but since I was buying the entire thing I got this too. This one has a tiny bit of edgewear on rear spine join.
Anderson, Poul. Loser’s Night. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #1.
Bacigalupi, Paolo. The Water Knife. Knopf, 2015. First edition hardback, a Fine copy with a bound-in signature page, with a Fine dust jacket with a “SIGNED FIRST EDITION” sticker. Bought for $8. (Note: The Scanner does not like the “poly-chromatic on black” effect so I had to adjust it some to make it legible.)
Barry, Dave. Best. State. Ever. A Florida Man Defends His Homeland. Putnam, 2016. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, signed by Barry. Non-fiction humor book. Bought for $8.
Barry, Dave, and Alan Zweibel. Lunatics. Putnum, 2012. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, signed by Barry. This and the above are my second and third signed Barry firsts. I already had a book signed by Zweibel. Bought for $8.
Baxter, Stephen. Xeelee: Endurance. PS Publishing, 2017. First edition hardback, letter D of 26 lettered copies, a Fine copy in a decorated boards and a Fine dust jacket and a Fine decorated slipcase. I collected Baxter for a while until he become too prolific for me to keep up with, but I did like the Xeelee books. Bought from Camelot Books for $50.
Beagle, Peter S. The Essential Peter S. Beagle. Tachyon, 2023. First edition hardback, #95 of 474 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in silver decorated boards, sans dust jacket, as issued, with Tachyon sticker and business card laid in. Just what it says, a best of collection of stories for this beloved fantasy writer. This combines what are two volumes for the trade edition (which I have on order but haven’t seen yet). I have a small number of these available through Lame Excuse Books.
Bear, Greg Killing Titan. Orbit, 2015. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, signed by Bear. Second book in the military SF trilogy started with War Dogs, which I just read. Bought for $18 from a fellow Biblio dealer.
Bear, Greg. Sisters. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #43.
Beaumont, Charles. The Carnival and Other Stories. Subterranean Press, 2022. First edition hardback, #417 of 1,250 numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Short story collection.
Bell, M. Shayne. Inuit. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #34.
Bernard, Dr. Raymond (pseudonym for Walter Siegmeister). The Hollow Earth. Fieldcrest Publishing, 1964. “New Edition” hardback (I think this amounts to the second printing of the first edition, which was evidently offset, so this might qualify as the first printed edition), a Very Good+ copy in red decorated boards with a few pinhead spots of staining to rear, slight wear at head and heel, slight blunting of points, and slight wear to gold lettering, lacking the dust jacket. Barnard wrote several books promulgating various fringe and pseudoscience beliefs (vegetarianism, parthenogentic reproduction, sexual abstinence, etc.), and this book discusses how UFOs actually come from the hollow earth. He also believed there was a hollow earth opening in Brazil, and tried to start a farming colony somewhere in the general vicinity of the entrance. Kafton-Minkel, Subterranean Worlds, pages 192-216. Standish, Hollow Earth pages 277-278 (“a distillate of virtually every crackpot theory about the hollow earth that had been accumulating for a hundred years or more”). Though this had many later printings, any Fieldcrest printing seems uncommon.
Bishop, Michael. The Quickening. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #12.
Blackwood, Algernon (Mark Sieber, editor). A Little Black Book of Bedevilment. Borderlands Press, 2022. First edition hardback, #462 of 500 copies signed by the editor, a Fine copy. Bought from the publisher at the usual discount. I have copies of this available through Lame Excuse Books.
Blaylock, James P. Lord Kelvin’s Machine. Arkham House, 1992. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine Mylar-protected dust jacket, signed by Blaylock. Joshi, Sixty Years of Arkham House 179. Nielsen, Arkham House Books 185. Replaces an unsigned copy.
Blaylock, James P. Paper Dragons. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #57. A few small rubs along spine. Supplements a copy of the Axolotl Press hardback (which precedes).
Blaylock, James P. Pennies From Heaven. PS Publishing, 2022. First edition hardback, #167 of 200 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket with repricing sticker over UPC, as issued. New novel. The signed edition is the only hardback edition, and the PS edition is the only edition thus far. 200 is a pretty small run for a Blaylock hardback.
Blaylock, James P. Winter Tides. Ace, 1997. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine Mylar-protected dust jacket, inscribed by Blaylock to the previous owner. Replaces an unsigned copy.
Bloch, Robert. The Skull of the Marquis de Sade. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #51.
Bloch, Robert. Yours Truly, Jack The Ripper. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #10. Not to be confused with the short story collection of the same name.
(Bloch, Robert) Larson, Russell D. The Complete Robert Bloch: An Illustrated Comprehensive Bibliography. Fandom Unlimited Enterprises, 1986. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine- copy with trace of wear at tips, signed by Bloch. Just what it says, an illustrated bibliography of Bloch’s work. Looks useful, though the type is a bit small for my aging eyes. Justice, Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Reference 185. Bought of eBay for $35 plus shipping.
Block, Lawrence. The Scoreless Thai. Subterranean Press, 2000. First hardback edition (previously published in a 1970s PBO), a trade edition, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, signed by Block. Novella. Bought for $10, 1/3rd of publication price, and the trade edition wasn’t issued signed by Block.
Block, Lawrence. Tanner’s Tiger. Subterranean Press, 2001. First hardback edition (previously published as a 1968 paperback original), a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, signed by Block. Tanner novel. Bought for $10, 1/3rd of publication price, and the trade edition wasn’t issued signed by Block.
Boston, Bruce. All the Clocks are Melting. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #4.
Bradbury, Ray (text) and Amanda Blanco (photographs). About Norman Corwin. Santa Susana Press, 1979. First edition traycased portfolio, an “artist’s proof” copy of 60 signed, numbered sets, a Fine- copy (there seem to be a couple of drops of moisture staining to the back of the signature page) in a Fine- traycase with a few small spots of staining to the inner right edge (though the case itself has a bit of an odd outward slant to the top and bottom edges). Loose printed cardstock pages, including a multi-page essay celebrating radio essayist Norman Corwin by Bradbury followed by 11 photographs of Corwin by Blanco. An odd, oversized item, and one that doesn’t fit entirely on my scanner, so either the bottom or top is chopped off. Bought for $250 off eBay after a touch of haggling.
Bradbury, Ray (Jonathan R. Eller, editor). The Collected Stories of Ray Bradbury: A Critical Edition: Volume 2: 1943-1944. Kent State University Press, 2014. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with just a tiny bit of wrinkling at heel. Bought from Half Price Books for $37.49, considerably more than the $15 I paid for the first volume, but this one doesn’t seem to have been nearly as widely remaindered.
Bradbury, Ray. A Chapbook for Burnt-Out Priests, Rabbis and Ministers. Cemetery Dance, 2001. First edition trade hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, signed by Bradbury. Bought off eBay for $21.50. Replaces an unsigned copy and supplements a slipcased signed/limited edition copy.
Bradbury, Ray. Fahrenheit 451. Ballantine Books, 1953. First edition hardback (Currey (1978) D state/Currey (2002) C state, red boards lettered in yellow, no precedence among hardback states), a Near Fine copy with a few small indentations, very slight glue wrinkling (binding flaw) to bottom of rear cover, slight wear to bottom boards, slight wear at head, heel and points, in a Fine facsimile dust jacket, with a Bradbury signature plate laid in. Currey (1978), page 55, Currey (2002) page 44. Pringle, Science Fiction: The 100 Best Novels 8. Barron, Anatomy of Wonder 4 3-31. Locke, A Spectrum of Fantasy, page 39. Magill, Survey of Science Fiction Literature, pages 749-755. Heritage Rare Books and manuscripts Auction #675, page 87 (“one of the most influential and widely read science fiction tales ever published”). Heritage Americana Auction #658 & 65801, page 32. Heritage The Frank Collection Auctions #7001 and #684, page 58. A key 20th century science fiction novel, and the most difficult of Bradbury’s mainstream publisher hardback firsts by a good measure. Bought for $750 plus tax and shipping from an offer on eBay.
Bradbury, Ray. That Son of Richard III: A Birth Announcement. Roy A. Squires, 1974. First edition chapbook original, #332 of 400 numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine cloth traycase, inscribed by Bradbury to Lord John Press publisher Herb Yellen: “For Herb -/Good wishes/From/Ray Bradbury/ 9/28/28.” As Yellen later published several Bradbury chapbooks himself, this is an interesting association copy. According to Chalker/Owings, Squires only did 30 traycases, of which 25 were offered to buyers of the “Autograph Edition” (which this is not). Supplements an unsigned copy. Chalker/Owings, page 589. Bought from a PBA Galleries auction for $75 plus shipping and handling.
Bradbury, Ray. The Toynbee Convector. Knopf, 1988. First edition hardback, #36 of 350 signed, numbered copies, “printed on special paper and specially bound,” a Fine copy in a Mylar protector and a Fine slipcase, sans dust jacket, as issued. This version is not in the Locus database, but ISFDB says they came out the same month. Most limited editions from mainstream publishers are fairly unimpressive, but this is actually quite a nice production, with patterned boards and an attractive slipcase. Bought for $110.49 off eBay, a considerable discount off the original offering price of $150 (which must have seemed plenty pricey in 1988).
(Bradbury, Ray) Eller, Jonathan R. Becoming Ray Bradbury. University of Illinois Press, 2011. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy in a Fine- dust jacket with slight bumping at head, heel and points. Biography of Bradbury that made use of his personal notes and correspondence. Bought for $17.49.
Brin, David. Dr. Pak’s Preschoool. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #45. Supplements a copy of the Cheap Street edition (which precedes).
Brin, David. Piecework. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #23.
Brin, David and Stephen W. Potts. Chasing Shadows: Visions of Our Coming Transparent World. Tor, 2017. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, signed by Brin on a signature page. Collection of essays by science fiction writers like Neal Stephenson, Bruce Sterling, William Gibson, Robert Silverberg, Vernor Vinge, etc. It says “Brin Presents” but Potts appears to be the actual editor. This and Lunatics are signed on this gray box in what assume is a tipped-in page, presumably something this particular bookseller does. It’s a bit odd. Bought for $8.
Brunner, John. A Case of Painters Ear. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #2.
Brunner, John. The Traveler in Black. Ace, 1971. First edition paperback original (no statement of printing and 75¢ as per Currey), a Fine- copy with slight wear at points and a drop of discoloration to bottom page block at heel, otherwise a very nice copy. Celebrated fix-up of linked stories. Currey, page 74. De Bolt, The Happening Worlds of John Brunner, page 57.
Bryant, Edward. The Cutter. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #8.
Busby, F.M. If This Is Winnetka, You Must be Judy. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #54.
Bush, Barbara. A Memoir. Scribner’s, 1994. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with slight bumping at heel and trace of wear at points, inscribed by Bush: “To Chris Hyatt/With best wishes/Barbara Bush/December 1998. Autobiography by First Lady Barbara Bush, wife of 41 and mother of 43, who died in 2018. Not my usual thing, but I stumbled across it checking for signatures in books by 41 and 43. Bought for $14.48 at Half Price Books.
Butler, Octavia. The Evening and the Morning and the Night. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #38. Holy moley, the prices on this online are crazy. The prices for the signed hardback I can at least sort of understand, since Butler died young, but the prices for unsigned copies like this are still crazy. I had no idea.
Bryant, Edward. The Thermals of August. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #56.
Cadigan, Pat. My Brother’s Keeper. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #55.
Calvino, Italo. Invisible Cities. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1974. First English language edition, a Near Fine+ copy with small name to front free endpaper, slight bumping at head and heel and uneven fading at top and bottom edges, in a Very Good+ dust jacket with two closed 3/4″ tears at top front cover, shallow chipping at head, crease to front inner flap, slight bumping at points, and traces of wear to reflective silver surfaces along spine board join, front edge-fold and rear cover (slightly exaggerated in the scan). Important slipstream work of European fantasy, or what John Clute would call “Fantastika.” Bought for $45.
Campbell, Ramsey. Six Stooges and Counting. PS Publishing, 2023. First edition hardback, #76 of 100 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Non-fiction overview of the work of The Three Stooges, year by year. (A nit: The title refers to all six of the named stooges, but the cover only depicts Moe, Curly and Larry, with nary a glimpse of Shemp or Joe Besser, and just a tiny image of Curly-Joe DeRita from The Three Stooges Meet Hercules at upper left.) I have one copy available through Lame Excuse Books.
Carter, Lin, editor. The Year’s Best Fantasy Stories. DAW, 1975. First edition paperback original, a Fine- copy with slight wear at points and along spine, otherwise apparently new and unread, with SFBC insert still present. Includes stories from Robert E. Howard and Clark Ashton Smith!
Caraker, Mary. I Remember, I Remember. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #24.
Card, Orson Scott. Unaccompanied Sonata. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #49.
Chabon, Michael. Summerland. Hyperion, 2002. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy in a Fine- dust jacket with slight bumping at head and heel, signed by Chabon. Bought for $9.99, which, oddly enough, seems to be about market. After he won the Hugo and Nebula for the excellent The Yiddish Policeman’s Union, I though Chabon books were going to head steadily upward in value; the exact opposite seems to have happened. It looks like every single one of Chabon’s novels except The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay can be found in signed first edition hardbacks at or less than cover price. I can’t figure it out, as all three of the Chabon books I’ve read (The Yiddish Policeman’s Union, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, and Gentlemen of the Road) were excellent.
Charnes, Suzy McKee. Listening to Brahms. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #19.
Clarke, Arthur C. A Fall of Moondust. Harcourt, Brace and World, 1961. First edition hardback, an Ex-Library copy with the usual flaws, including stamps, pocket removal, tape to boards, etc, but with a much better than usual dust jacket, with a couple of short closed tears on flap edges, a small sticker ghost on spine, and slight protector discoloration to edges; call it a G/NF Ex-Lib copy. Currey, page 114. Replaces a less attractive Ex-Library copy. Bought for $20.
Clemence, Bruce No Way Street. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #15. Guy had this, and a story in Synergy 3, and that was it…
Crowley, John. Great Work of Time. Subterranean, 2023. First edition hardback, #219 of 500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. I have a small number of these available through Lame Excuse Books.
Davidson, Avram. AD 100: Volume I and AD 100: Volume II. Or All the
Sea With Oysters Publishing, 2023. First edition trade paperback
originals (print on demand), as new. The Avram Davidson Society has set these up as Amazon print on demand originals. Together they include 100
unpublished or uncollected Avram Davidson stories. If you’re interested in picking them up, click the links above.
Davidson, Avram. Naples. The Nutmeg Point District Mail/Temporary Culture, 2022. First edition self-wrappers chapbook original, one of 160 copies, a Fine copy, inside a black envelope with Mylar protective wrappers and with a mounted black and white photograph laid in. Bought for $150 (the subscriber price). Story reprinted from Charles L. Grant’s Shadows anthology.
DeChancie, John. A Little Gray Book of Alien Stories. Borderlands Press, 2004. First edition hardback, #168 of 500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy. Bought as part of a 15 book lot.
Delany, Samuel R. The American Shore. Dragon Press, 1978. First edition hardback, #77 of 100 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued. Detailed, close-reading non-fiction critical analysis of Thomas Disch’s “Angouleme,” a segment of 334. Weedman, The Starmont Reader’s Guide to Samuel R. Delany, page 22 (“Here Delany exercises himself as the critic’s critic, remaining fairly inaccessible to a general audience.”). Chalker/Owings, page 132. Replaces an unsigned copy.
Delany, Samuel R. Babel-17. Ace, 1966. First edition paperback original, a Fine copy, though with slight age darkening to the pages. Nebula Award winner and Hugo nominee. Currey, page 139. Replaces a slightly less attractive copy. Bought for $5 at Recycled Books in Denton.
Delany, Samuel R. The Einstein Intersection. Easton Press, 1986 (stated; the Locus database lists this coming out in 1991). First edition thus, a special leatherbound collector’s edition, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued, inscribed by Delany to the previous owner and with an Ex-Libris plate and “Collector’s Notes” laid in. Nebula winner for Best Novel, Hugo finalist. Magill, Survey of Science Fiction pages 703-707. Supplements a signed copy of the Gollancz first hardback edition. Strictly speaking this is just a “nice to have,” but it is signed, and Easton Press makes attractive books.
Delany, Samuel R. The Straits of Messina. Serconia Press, 1989. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Delany essays on Delany. Chalker/Owings, page 390 (“these at least are readable”). Replaces a copy with a less attractive dust jacket.
Delany, Samuel R. (edited by Kenneth R. James). In Search of Silence: The Journals of Samuel R. Delany Volume 1, 1957-1969. Wesleyan University Press, 2017. First edition hardback (“5 4 3 2 1” numberline), a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Selections from Delany’s journals when he was first making his mark on the SF field. Bought for $9.95. I have copies of this available through Lame Excuse Books.
de Lint, Charles. Merlin Dreams in the Mondream Wood. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #52.
de Lint, Charles. Uncle Dobbin’s Parrot Fair. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #17.
Donaldson, Stephen R. The Wounded Land. Del Rey, 1980. First edition hardback (“First Edition: June 1980/1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10”), a Fine copy in a Near Fine dust jacket with faint crease down spine, small closed tear at top frotn, and wear at heel and points, signed and dated (“4/15/82”) by Donaldson, with bookmark for the trilogy laid in.
Donaldson, Stephen R. The One Tree. Del Rey, 1982. First edition hardback (“First Edition: April 1982”), a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, signed and dated (“4/15/82”) by Donaldson, with bookmark for the trilogy laid in. Note: While the other two first editions in the trilogy feature numberlines, this one does not. I know that this is not the book club edition (which I also have in hand), there are no pictures of a copyright page with a numberline for this title I can locate, and consensus is that they apparently just left it off.
Donaldson, Stephen R. White Gold Wielder. Del Rey, 1983. First edition hardback (“First Edition: April 1983/1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10”), a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, signed and dated (“5/6/89”) by Donaldson, with bookmark for the trilogy laid in.
Dozois, Gardner. The Peacemaker. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #39. Supplements a copy of the Short Story Hardback edition.
Duchamp, L. Timmel. A Case of Mistaken Activity. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #7.
Eddy, C.M. and Muriel E. Erased from Exile. Stygian Isle Press, 1976. First edition chapbook original, #234 of 300 copies signed (on stickers) by Muriel E. Eddy and illustrator Gene Day, a Near Fine+ copy with slightly bumped corners and two small black lines near top front outer corner. Stories and poetry by two members of Lovecraft’s circle, with illustrations by Day. Day, who did a lot of work for underground comics and role-playing games, died at the very untimely age of 31.
Effinger, George. Schrodinger’s Kitten. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #42. Supplements the hardback version.
Eisenstein, Phyllis. The Crystal Palace. Grafton Books, 1991. First hardback edition, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, signed by Eisenstein. Sequel to Sorceror’s Son. The U.S. paperback precedes, but this was the first hardback. This was part of the last big Zelazny purchase in 2020 and I’ve just now gotten around to cataloging it. As I’ve said before, there are few price points more attractive than “you’ve already paid for it.”
Ellison, Harlan. FOE: Friends of Ellison. Edgeworks Abbey, 2019. First edition (stated) trade paperback original (these are Print on Demand books; the POD barcode page states “10 February 2019,” making it possible that these were run off as part of the initial batch run off for the Ellison website sales), a Fine copy. Collection of non-fiction essays, introductions and appreciations of other writers (Jack Vance, Richard Matheson, Philip Jose Farmer, Robert Silverberg, etc.). Bought for $20 (half-off the $40 list price) from the Harlan Ellison Books website.
Ellison, Harlan. Why do you call me Ishmael when you know my name is Bernie?. Edgeworks Abbey, 2019. First edition (stated) trade paperback original (these are Print on Demand books; the POD barcode page states “16 June 2019”), a Fine copy. Collection of non-fiction essays on various topics, including one on Lafferty. Bought for $20 (half-off the $40 list price) from the Harlan Ellison Books website. This now shows up as out of print there.
Erickson, Steve, Our Ecstatic Days. Simon & Schuster, 2005. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine, Mylar-protected dust jacket. Bought at Recycled Books in Denton for $6.80.
Etchison, Dennis. The Dark Country. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #21. Not to be confused with the short story collection of the same name.
Etchison, Dennis. Red Dreams. Scream/Press, 1984. First edition hardback, #192 of 250 numbered hardbacks signed by Etichson and artist J.K. Potter, a Fine copy in a Fine, Mylar-protected dust jacket and a Fine- slipcase with a trace of haze rubbing, and additionally signed by Etchison. The second short story collection by this acclaimed horror writer. The third publication of Scream/Press. Chalker/Owings, page 335. Supplements a trade copy. Bought for $30.
(Surface wear is on the dust jacket protector.)
Fowler, Karen Joy. Booth. Putnam, 2022. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with just a trace of edgewear, the signed publisher’s variant with a “Signed Copy” sticker on the cover and a page signed by Fowler bound in. Novel of the theatrical Booth family (including presidential assassin John Wilkes Booth) in early 19th century America. Bought for $13.99.
Fowler, Karen Joy. The War of the Roses. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #28.
Friesner, Esther M. Ecce Hominid. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #6.
Gaiman, Neil. A Little Gold Book of Ghastly Stuff. Borderlands Press, 2011. First edition hardback, #168 of 500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued. Mixture of fiction, non-fiction, essays, speeches, poetry, etc. Cool cover illustration by Gahan Wilson. Probably the hardest of the Little Book series to find (followed by the Lansdale, Ligotti and Malerman volumes). Bought as part of the 15 book lot.
Gaiman, Neil. Norse Mythology. W. W. Norton, 2017. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Bought for $12.99.
Gaiman, Neil. Words of Fire. Arte Editions, 2022 (actually 2023). First edition trade paperback original (with self-flaps), #276 of 300 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy. Poetry collection. There were two different hardback editions (the Portfolio Edition and the Roman edition), both of which were sold out by the time I heard about it. Now out of print from the publisher. I still have one copy left available through Lame Excuse Books.
Gardner, Craig Shaw. A Little Purple Book of Peculiar Stories. Borderlands Press, 2004. First edition hardback, #168 of 500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued. Bought as part of the 15 book lot.
Gibson, William. Agency. Berkley, 2020. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Sequel to The Peripheral. Bought for $9.99.
Gotthelf, Jeremias (pseudonym for Albert Bitzius). The Black Spider. John Calder (Publishers) Ltd., 1958. First English language edition, a Near Fine+ copy with slight spine lean and former owners name inside front cover under flap, in a Very Good+ dust jacket with 1/4″ chip at head, two pinhead-sized abrasions at heel front join, wear at points, and moderate age darkening to white portion of spine. Nineteenth century allegorical horror story about evil made manifest as a giant black spider. Introduced and translated from the original German by H. M. Waidson. Barron, Horror Literature 2-35. Not in Bleiler’s Guide to Supernatural Fiction. Bought off a fellow Biblio dealer for $21.25.
Haldeman, Joe. More Than The Sum of His Parts. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #14.
Haldeman, Joe. Worlds Enough and Time. Morrow, 1992. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, signed by Haldeman. Third book in the Worlds trilogy.
Hand, Elizabeth. Hard Light. Minotaur Books, 2016. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy in a Fine- dust jacket with slight bend at heel, signed by Hand. “A Cass Neary Crime Novel.” Bought for $8.
Hample, Stuart. Dread & Superficiality: Woody Allen as Comic Strip. Abrams Comic Arts, 2009. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Near Fine dust jacket with slight waviness, slight grubbiness to uncoated stock, and a thin scratch across bottom of spine. Received as a Christmas gift only because, many moons ago, I noted to Dwight my incredulity that this comic strip ever existed at all. Yes, Woody Allen’s neurotic nebbish character was so well known in the 1970s that a comic strip based on it (but written and drawn by someone else) appeared in numerous newspapers from 1976-1964. I am equally incredulous that someone found the strip worth of a prestige retrospective collection. Supplements my copy of Non-Being and Somethingness, which contains selections from the strip.
Hample, Stuart. Non-Being and Something-ness: Selections from the Comic Strip Inside Woody Allen. Random House, 1974. First edition trade paperback original (numberline beginning with “2”, Random House’s deeply irritating method of identifying a first edition), a Near Fine copy with chip to top rear corner, crease to bottom front corner, nick to middle front edge, and a bit of wear. Dwight bought this for me based on my stumbling across this comic in a newspaper archive looking for something else and expressing surprise that it ever existed at all.
Heinlein, Robert A. Off the Main Sequence: The Other Science Fiction Stories of Robert A. Heinlein. Science Fiction Book Club, 2005. First edition hardback (stated “First SFBC Science Fiction Printing, October 2005”; the SFBC is the only edition), a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Short story collection, including three (“My Object All Sublime,” “Pied Piper,” and “A Tenderfoot in Space”) that were previously uncollected. Bought for $5.95.
Hill, Doug and Jeff Weingrad. Saturday Night: A Backstage History of Saturday Night Live. Beech Tree Books, 1986. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with bumping at head and heel in a Near Fine dust jacket with with one 1/16″ chip at heel, crease to bottom of front flap, slight bumping at head and heel and a bit of pull to top jacket edge. History of Saturday Night Live. Part of a very small collection of books on early SNL. Most people today don’t realize how amazingly funny, daring and groundbreaking the original cast SNL was. Bought for $4.99.
Holder, Nancy. The Ghosts of Tivoli. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #44.
Hughes, Matthew. Ghost Dreams. PS Publishing, 2022. First edition hardback, #55 of 100 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket.
Jeter, K.W. Star Wars: Hard Merchandise. Bantam Spectra, 1999. First edition paperback original, a Fine- copy with just a trace of wear at points. The third book in the Bounty Hunter Wars trilogy, and evidently the hardest one to find. Supplements a signed first of the SFBC Bounty Hunter Wars Trilogy I bought from the Fred Duarte estate sale. I supposed now I need to find a PBO first of Slave Ship, the second in the trilogy, but it seems the easiest to find of the three. Bought from Half Price Books for $4.49.
King, Florence. Reflections in a Jaundiced Eye. St. Martin’s Press, 1989. First edition hardback, a Near Fine copy with slight bumping at head and heel and thrift store stamp to insider rear cover, in a Fine- dust jacket with slight bumping at head, in a Mylar dust jacket protector. Collection of essays. Replaces an Ex-Library copy. Bought for $7.99.
Jordan, Will. Dark Harvest. Blackstone Publishing, 2022. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Science fiction novel/technothriller Mike bought for me. Jordan is generally better known as YouTube movie reviewer The Critical Drinker.
Joshi, S. T. Black Wings VII: New Tales of Lovecraftian Horror. PS Publishing, 2023. First edition hardback, one of 200 copies signed by all the contributors, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and a Fine slipcase. Original anthology, including stories from John Shirley, Ramsey Campbell and Steve Rasnick Tem. Bought from the publisher at the usual discount.
Keene, Brian. A Little Silver Book of Street Wise Stories. Borderlands Press, 2008. First edition hardback, #168 of 500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued. Bought as part of the 15 book lot.
King, Stephen. The Long Walk. Centipede Press, 2023. First edition thus and first separate hardback edition (a previous Turtleback library hardback binding appears to be just a rebind of the Signet trade paperback edition), one of 1,400 trade copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, still in shrinkwrap. Near future SF dystopia, my favorite of the Bachman books, and one of my favorite of King’s books, period. Instantly out of print from the publisher. I have copies available through Lame Excuse Books.
King, Stephen, Richard Chizmar, and Stewart O’Nan. A Face in the Crowd b/w The Longest December. Cemetery Dance, 2023. First hardback edition and first edition thus (with King and O’Nan’s “A Face in the Crowd” previously only available in a eBook edition, and Chizmar’s “The Longest December” stating “Expanded Version,” but ISFDB doesn’t show a previous edition), a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Two novellas. Bought off eBay for $20 plus shipping.
Kress, Nancy. The Price of Oranges. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #53.
Kuttner, Henry. The Best of Henry Kuttner. Nelson Doubleday (SFBC), 1975. First edition hardback (code “01 R” on page 335, as per Currey), a Fine- copy with trace of bumping at points in a Fine- dust jacket with slight edgewear and small fold to tip of bottom front flap. Introduction by ray Bradbury. Currey, page 291. Bought for $6 at the Book Cellar in Temple.
Lafferty, R. A. Alaric: The Day The World Ended. United Mythologies Press, 1993. First edition hardback, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued. Reprint of The Fall of Rome, and the last book done by the press. Chalker/Owings (2002), page 931. Think I paid $50 for this.
Lafferty, R. A. The Back Door of History. United Mythologies Press, 1988. First edition chapbook original, #126 of 150 (according to Chalker/Owings) signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy, with errata notice laid in and conclusion of “Phoenic” pasted in after page 34. Chalker/Owings (2002), page 928. Supplements a trade edition.
Lafferty, R. A. The Collected Short Fiction Volume Seven: Mad Man. Centipede Press, 2023. First edition hardback, #40 of 300 copies signed by introduction author Scott Bradfield, a Fine copy in a Fine dust wrapper, still in shrinkwrap. Yes, I have matching numbers of all the rest. Bought from the publisher at the usual discount.
Lafferty, R. A. Cranky Old Man From Tulsa. United Mythologies Press, 1990. First edition chapbook, trade edition, a Fine copy. Three pieces of biographical non-fiction. Chalker/Owings (2002), page 928.
Lafferty, R. A. The Elliptical Grave. United Mythologies Press, 1989. First edition trade paperback original, a review copy of 70 signed, numbered copies with an extra story (“The Man Who Lost His Magic”), a Fine- copy with a slight bump at bottom right corner.
Lafferty, R. A. The Early Lafferty. United Mythologies Press, 1988. First edition chapbook original, #147 of (according to Chalker/Owings) 150 copies, a Fine copy. The first United Mythologies Press item. Chalker/Owings (2002), page 928. Supplements an unsigned copy.
Lafferty, R. A. Funnyfingers & Cabrito. Pendragon Press, 1976. First edition hardback, letter av of 50 signed, lettered copies, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued. This actually completes my R.A. Lafferty in hardback collection (which is to say that every Lafferty first edition that came out in hardback I have, though not every one is signed, and I don’t necessarily have the signed/limited state of every Lafferty book that was issued in one). Chalker/Owings (1991), page 328. I paid $100 for it.
Lafferty, R. A. How Many Miles To Babylon. United Mythologies Press, 1989. First edition chapbook original, #94 of (according to Chalker/Owings) 150 copies. Chalker/Owings (2002), page 928.
Lafferty, R. A. Promontory Goats. United Mythologies Press, 1989. First edition chapbook original, #132 of (according to Chalker/Owings) 150 copies, a Fine copy. The second United Mythologies Press book. Supplements an unsigned copy. Chalker/Owings (2002), page 928.
Lafferty, R. A. Strange Skies. United Mythologies Press, 1988. First edition chapbook original, #182 of 300 copies, a Fine copy. The third United Mythologies Press book. Chalker/Owings (2002), page 928.
Lansdale, Joe R. Cold in July. Mark V. Ziesing, 1989. First hardback edition, #388 of 500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and a Fine- slipcase with a bump at bottom rear. Isajenko, World Lansdalean A011.b. With Lansdale, Joe R. Savage Season. Mark V. Ziesing, 1989. First edition hardback, #388 of 500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, in the same slipcase. Isajenko, World Lansdalean A013.a. Supplements a PC set (received as part of typing Cold in July into a computer from galley proofs) and a signed “mock” limited set. Bought from a private collector for $50.
Lansdale, Joe R. The Donut Legion. Mulholland Books/Little Brown and Company, 2023. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, inscribed to me by Lansdale. Bought from Book People at cover price during a signing. It was good to see Joe again.
Lansdale, Joe R. The Drive-In (A B-Movie With Blood and Popcorn, Made in Texas). Bantam Spectra, 1988. First edition paperback original, #57 of 100 aftermarket copies from The Overlook Connection with a special limitation page pasted in, a Fine- copy with pinprick of abrasion to bottom rear tip, in a Mylar-bag, in a Fine embossed aftermarket slipcase. Isajenko, World Lansdalean A010.a. With Lansdale, Joe R. The Drive-In 2 (Not Just One Of Them Sequels). Bantam Spectra, 1989. First edition paperback original, #57 of 100 aftermarket copies from The Overlook Connection with a special limitation page pasted in, a Fine copy, in a Mylar-bag, in the same slipcase. Isajenko, World Lansdalean A012.a. Supplements inscribed copies of the ordinary PBOs, plus inscribed hardback firsts of the Kinnell editions, plus The Complete Drive-In from Centipede Press. These Overlook Press aftermarket paperback limiteds were weird things, which is why I didn’t pick these up until I found a set at the right price. Bought from the same private collector for $35.
Lansdale, Joe R. The Events Concerning. Subterranean Press, 2022. First edition hardback, #371 of 1,250 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Short story collection. Bought from the publisher. I’ll have copies of this available in the next 
Lansdale, Joe R. Edge of Dark Water. PS Publishing, 2012. First edition hardback, letter D of 26 lettered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and a Fine slipcase. Supplements a signed Mullholland Books first and both a signed PS trade edition and a signed, numbered copy. Not really an impressive limited, as it’s identical to a signed, numbered copy, but it was only $75, which is about what the regular numbered edition goes for these days. Isajanko, A044.d.ii (but he doesn’t list this lettered edition).
Lansdale, Joe R. (illustrated by Ted DiLucia). Incident On and Off a Mountain Road. Crystal Lake Publishing, 2023. First edition hardback (“10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1” numberline), a Fine copy in decorated boards, sans dust jacket, as issued. Illustrated version of the dark suspense novelette originally published in Night Visions 8 and later adapted as an episode of the Showtime Masters of Horror TV anthology series. Amazon seems to be the main fulfillment avenue for this book, so I provided an Amazon link above.
Lansdale, Joe R. Shooting Star. Pandi Press, 2023. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine copy with signed plate (and two bookmarks) laid in. At 43 pages long, it’s somewhere in the novelette/novella range.
Lansdale, Joe R. The Steel Valentine. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #11. Isajanko, The World Lansdalean C01.a.i. Supplements another copy and a Short Story Hardback version.
Lansdale, Joe R. (as Ray Slater). Texas Night Riders. leisure, 1983. First edition paperback original, a Fine- copy with tiny loss at very tip of top rear outer corner and some foxing to inside covers, otherwise tight, square and apparently unread. This is far and away the best copy I’ve ever seen. Supplements a less attractive copy of the PBO inscribed to me, the Chivers Press large print (and first hardback edition) inscribed to me, and both the lettered and numbered editions of the Subterranean signed/limited edition. Isajenko, A003.a. Bought for $40 from Half Price Books.
Lansdale, Joe R. Things Get Ugly: The Best Crime Stories of Joe R. Lansdale. Tachyon, 2023. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine copy. Bought from the publisher at the usual discount.
Lansdale, Joe R. Tight Little Stitches in a Dead Man’s Back. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #46. Isajanko, The World Lansdalean C03.a.i. Supplements a copy of the Short Story hardback version.
Lansdale, Joe R. and Kasey Lansdale. Dark Kin. Thunderstorm Books, 2023. First edition hardback, #232 of 250 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Collection of collaborative stories, one of which appears here for the first time. Bought from the publisher at a dealer discount. I have copies of this available through Lame Excuse Books.
Lansdale, Joe R. and Kasey Lansdale. Terror is Our Business: The Dana Roberts Casebook of Horrors. Short Scary Tales (SST) Publications, 2023. First edition hardback, #101 of 500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, with tissue paper closure sticker laid in.
Lansdale, Joe R. (edited by Christopher Golden and Brain Keene). The Drive-In: Multiplex. Pandi Press, 2023. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine copy.
Lansdale, Joe R. and Keith Lansdale. Prisoner of Violence. Dark Regions Press, 2023. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in decorated boards, sans dust jacket, as issued, into which I’ve laid a signature plate by Joe and Keith Lansdale. Graphic novel that was announced several years ago, but only recently came out. I have copies of this available through Lame Excuse Books.
Lansdale, Joe R. (and Andreas Guinaldo). Joe R. Lansdale’s The Drive-In. Avatar, 2005. First edition graphic novel original thus (no additional printings listed, preceded by four individual comic book issues), a Fine copy, signed by Lansdale. Graphic novel adaptation of the novel.
(Lansdale, Joe R.) Andrew J. Rausch and Mark Slade, editors. Conversations with Joe R. Lansdale. University Press of Mississippi, 2022. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in decorated boards, sans dust jacket, as issued. Collection of interviews with Lansdale, including the ones Dwight Brown and I did for Nova Express. Bought from the publisher. I’ll have signed copies of this available through Lame Excuse Books catalog.
(Lansdale, Joe R.) Andrew J. Rausch and Mark Slade, editors. Conversations with Joe R. Lansdale. University Press of Mississippi, 2022. First edition trade paperback original (simultaneous with the much smaller hardback run), a Fine copy. Sent to me as a contributor’s copy.
Lee, Tanith. Into Gold. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #32.Tiny rub on spine.
Le Fanu, Sheridan (edited by Eric J. Guignard). A Little Fuchsia Book of Fears. Borderlands Press, 2023. First edition hardback, #462 of 500 numbered copies signed by the editor, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued. I will have copies of this available in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog.
Le Guin, Ursula K. Nine Lives. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #50.
Ligotti, Thomas. Pictures of Apocalypse. Chiroptera Press, 2023. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, still in shrinkwrap. Also includes a special 24 page Pictures of Apocalypse: Interviews and Sketches chapbook, including new interviews with the author and artist, “Concept to finish” art documentation, outtakes, a thank you card, and a bookmark. A verse cycle. A fairly elaborate small press production for this stylish horror writer. The book is no longer on the publisher’s website, so I assume it is now out of print. But I still have copies through Lame Excuse Books (including the extras bag).
Locke, George. Voyages in Space: A Bibliography of Interplanetary Fiction 1801-1914. Ferret Fantasy, 1975. First edition hardback, #17 of 18 signed, numbered hardback copies (plus an additional 10 copies not for sale), a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued. The definitive bibliography on early space travel fiction. Chalker/Owings, page 527. Tymn/Schlobin/Currey A Research Guide to Science Fiction Studies 47. Barron mentions this in Anatomy of Wonder 4 7-7 (on Currey’s Science Fiction and Fantasy Authors), but does not have a separate listing for it. Not in Justice. Supplements an inscribed copy of the trade paperback.
Long, Frank Belknap (S. T. Joshi, editor). Library of Weird Fiction: Frank Belknap Long. Centipede Press, 2022. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, still in shrinkwrap. Massive 800+ page collection of fiction by this contemporary and correspondent of H. P. Lovecraft. Bought for $40.
Lovecraft, H. P. The Dream Quest of Unknown Kadath. Shroud: Publishers, 1955. First edition trade paperback original (Currey A, orange wrapper bound with brown tape) simultaneous with a small hardback run, #1341 of 1,500 copies, a Near Fine copy with former owner’s name on front free endpaper and some evenly-spaced diagonal wrinkles to spine (possibly as issued by Shroud), in a Very Good first state (publisher’s address of 819 Michigan Avenue, Buffalo 3, New York, as per Currey) dust jacket with shallow chipping at head and heel and staining along spine and at top front near edgefold. First edition of this Dunsanean Dreamlands novella, which ties into Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos but is also distinct from it. Shroud was an odd press, and this book displays Shroud’s “amateurish” (to quote Chalker/Ownings) quality. Currey, page 322. Chalker & Owings, The Science Fantasy Publishers, pages 403-404. Joshi, H.P. Lovecraft: A Comprehensive Bibliography I.31. Bleiler, The Guide to Supernatural Fiction 1048 (“repetitious, alternately aiming for childishness and horror, maundering and wandering, it has little to offer except a rather pointless integration of the earlier Dunsanean stories”). Magill, Survey of Modern Fantasy Literature, pages 431-435. Bought from a Potter & Potter auction for $187.50.
Lovecraft, H. P. Miskatonic Missives. Helios House, 2022 (actually 2023). First edition hardback, one of 521 Limited Collector’s Edition sets (given the number of kickstarter backers), containing three volumes, plus a fake book that’s actually a traycase to contain the ephemera extras, all Fine copies, sans dust jacket, as issued, in a Fine slipcase.
Each volume contains a reprint of one of H.P. Lovecraft’s most interesting letters, presented alongside related archival material such as contemporary short stories, art, maps, etc., as well as original art and new scholarship.
Each volume is also packaged with a set of exclusive extras—replicas of related contemporary materials such as photos, maps, ticket stubs, postcards, news clippings, and diary pages. The Collector’s set packages all of these extras in a custom box which nests in the slipcase alongside the three books. Each Limited Edition Collector’s set is supplied with a Certificate of Ownership signed by editors Andrew Leman and Sean Branney of the H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society, and a collectible enamel pin.
This is just the loose extras; there are additional extras for each volume, in their individual envelopes in the Ephemera traycase.
with
Lovecraft, H. P. (Sean Branney and Andrew Lman, editors and annotators). The Spirit of Revision: Lovecraft’s Letters to Zeila Brown Reed Bishop. Helios House, 2022. Second Edition hardback (I believe the first edition was trade paperback only), a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued. Bought with the above as an add-in.
(Lovecraft, H. P.) Houllebecq, Michel. H. P. Lovecraft: Against the World, Against Life. Cernunnos, 2019. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Critical analysis of Lovecraft and his work by the French writer and critic. Introduction by Stephen King. Bought for $9.95.
(Lovecraft, H.P.) Day, Gene. Richard Upton Pickman: A Portfolio with Dirk W. Mosig’s H. P. Lovecraft: Psychological Realist. Stellar Z. Publications, 1977. First edition chapbook originals (for each), a Near Fine+ copy of the portfolio, with slight bending at the corners, and a Fine copy of the smaller Mosig critical chapbook. 10 art prints based on Lovecraft’s “Pickman’s Model,” plus a chapbook from a psychologist who has done a lot of essays on Lovecraft. There’s not a lot of Internet hits on either of these, and the few hits on the portfolio don’t appear to have the Mosig chapbook. I’m not sure what the print run on this was. I even reached out to Mosig himself (who’s still alive and teaching at a university) to ask the print run, but he didn’t know.
(Though they seem the same size here (the blog image default size), the Mosig chapbook is much smaller, which makes sense given it probably shipped inside the portfolio.)
(Lovecraft, H.P., Robert E. Howard, Clark Ashton Smith) Jones, Stephen. The Weird Tales Boys. First edition hardback, #92 of 100 signed (by Jones, introduction author Ramsey Campbell, artist Lee Edwards, and facsimile signatures for Lovecraft, Howard and Smith), numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine slipcase. A triple biography of H.P. Lovecraft, Robert E. Howard and Clark Ashton Smith as the most important writers for Weird Tales. Now sold out from the publisher. A small number of copies of this will be available in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog.
Machen, Arthur (attributed). From the London Evening News. The Arthur Machen Society/Four Ducks Press, 1959. First edition chapbook original, #33 of 50 copies printed, a Fine copy, with a letter enclosed presenting the work from J. H. Stewart, Jr. to Joseph Kelly Vodray (who left an archive of Machen papers to Princeton) describing how the book was designed and printed by Bill Jackson. Three stories covering purportedly supernatural events reprinted from the London Evening News tentatively identified as the work of Arthur Machen. This is a remarkably attractive chapbook, crisply designed and printed in multiple colors inside, and really looks like something printed 20 years later. No online listings, though Worldcat does locate 13 copies in various libraries (including UT’s Harry Ransom Center).
(Machen, Arthur) Wesley D. Sweeter and Adrian H. Goldstone. Arthur Machen. Arthur Machen Society, 1960. First edition hardback chapbook, one of 200 copies, a Near Fine copy with sports of rubbing to extremities and cover and the decorative bookplate of Paul Jordan Smith (Literary Editor of The Los Angeles Times for 25 years and noted Machen fan) affixed to insider front cover. Reprints two pieces on Machen from The Aylesford Review: Sweeter’s “Machen: A Biographical Study” and Goldstone’s “Men About Machen,” discussing some of the more notable members of the Society (including Vodray and Smith).
Maclay, John. A Little Red Book of Vampire Stories. Borderlands Press, 2003. First edition hardback, #168 of 500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy. Bought as part of the 15 book lot.
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MacLeod, Fiona (pseudonym for William Sharp). The Hills of Ruel and Other Stories. Heinemann, 1921. First edition hardback, a Near Fine+ copy in decorated boards (the design matching the dust jacket) with sight bumping at head, heel and points and slight foxing to inside covers and endpapers in a Very Good- dust jacket with a 7/8″ chip at head, 1/2″ chip at heel, smaller losses at top and bottom edges and wear along outer edges. Beliler Checklist (1978) page 131.
MacLeod, Ian R. Ragged Maps. Subterranean Press, 2023. First edition hardback, #171 of 1,000 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and publisher’s plastic bag. Short story collection.
Martin, George R. R. The Pear-Shaped Man. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #37.
Martin, George R. R., editor. Wild Cards VI: Ace in the Hole. Bantam Books/SFBC, 1989. First hardback edition, the SFBC book club edition, preceded by the PBO, a Fine- copy with bumping at head, heel and top points, in a Near Fine+ dust jacket with slight bumping at head, heel and top points, a couple of phantom creases across rear cover, and slight edgewear. Bought for $6 at the Book Cellar in Temple.
Martin, George R. R. Wild Cards VIII: One-Eyed Jacks. Bantam Spectra, 1991. First edition paperback original, a Near Fine copy with mild spine creasing and a trace of wear at points. This completes my Wild Cards paperback collection. Bought for $2.49.
Massie, Elizabeth. A Little Magenta Book of Mean Stories. Borderlands Press, 2003. First edition hardback, #168 of 500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy. Bought as part of the 15 book lot.
Matheson. Richard. Duel: Terror Stories By Richard Matheson. Tor, 2003. First edition hardback, a Fine- with slight bend at heel copy in a Fine- dust jacket with a slight wrinkle at rear bottom. Supplements a trade paperback edition. Bought for $12.99.
McBride, H. W. A Rifleman Went to War. Small-Arms Tactical Publishing Company, 1935. First edition, second printing (according to Dwight’s bibliography of this press), a Near Fine copy with a slight bit of spine wear and previous owner’s bookplate, in a Very Good- dust jacket with 1 1/2″ wide x 1/2″ deep chip at head, small chip at heel, creasing along front flap fold, and general wear, but no loss of lettering anywhere, in a Mylar dust jacket protector. Memoirs of the experiences of an American rifleman who joined the Canadian expeditionary forces during World War I (my second favorite World War). A Christmas gift from Dwight, who collects this press.
McCarthy, Cormac. The Crossing. Knopf, 1994. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, with McCarthy signature plate attached to half-title page. Second book in the Border Trilogy, preceded by his breakthrough bestseller and National Book Award winner All the Pretty Horses. Supplements an unsigned first. Bought for $400 (with discount) from a fellow dealer.
Merritt, A (and Hannes Bok). The Black Wheel. New Collector’s Group, 1947. First edition hardback, in a first state (Currey A) binding, #571 of 1,000 copies, a Near Fine- copy with slight bumping at head and heel, abrasions to title on front cover, inner hinge before title page just starting at top, with copyright correction pasted to copyright page. Novel started by Merritt and finished by Bok, who also illustrates the book. Currey, page 364. Chalker/Owings (2002), pages 608-9. Chalker/Owings (1991), page 308. Kemp, The Anthem Series, pages 384-385.
Merritt, A (and Hannes Bok). The Black Wheel. New Collector’s Group, 1947. First edition hardback, in a second state (Currey B) binding, a Very Good+ copy with BB-sized indention to front board (extending to front free endpaper), bumping at head, heel and points, large former owner plate for Robert C. Culp affixed to inside front cover, and foxing to interior gutters, and no number on copyright page, in a Near Fine FFF dust jacket (see Chalker/Owings for details, though they note the yellow jacket had “no illustrations,” which is clearly incorrect) with bumping at head, and a faint, dime-sized damp-staining drop and slight creasing to rear panel. Novel started by Merritt and finished by Bok, who also illustrates the book and the post-publication jacket. Currey, page 364. Chalker/Owings (2002), pages 608-9. Chalker/Owings (1991), page 308. Kemp, The Anthem Series, pages 384-385.
Mirrlees, Hope. Lud-In-The-Mist. W. Collins & Sons, 1926. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with a couple of abrasion spots on front cover, slight bend and head and heel, and small bookseller sticker to bottom of rear inside cover, otherwise a nice, sharp copy in an immaculate facsimile dust jacket. Bleiler, Checklist (1978), page 141. Magill, Survey of Modern Fantasy Literature, pages 926-931. Barron, Fantasy Literature 3-250 (“A beautifully written allegory unashamedly celebrating the necessity of enchantment”). Tymn Zahorsky Boyer, Fantasy Literature pages 141-142. Widely considered one of the classic novels of pre-Tolkien fantasy. Bought for $395 plus shipping.
Monteleone, Thomas F. A Little Brown Book of Bizarre Stories. Borderlands Press, 2004. First edition hardback, #168 of 500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy. Bought as part of the 15 book lot.
Moorcock, Michael, editor (John Brunner, Roger Zelazny, J. G. Ballard, etc.). New Worlds March 1966, Vol. 49, No. 160. Compact SF, 1966. First edition magazine in the form of a paperback original, a Near Fine copy with slight glue ridging to spine, slight wear at points, a faint, thin line of abrasion down rear cover near outer edge, and a few touches of general wear. Right in the middle of Moorcock’s acclaimed run as editor of New Worlds when it became the epicenter of the New Wave, with a murder’s row of writers in this issue. The Zelazny is the first appearance of the classic “For a Breath I Tarry” (Levack, Stories 69a), and this came from the last purchase of books from Bob Pylant’s Zelazny collection.
Moore, Ward. Caduceus Wild. Pinnacle Books, 1978. First edition paperback original, a Near Fine- copy with one tiny spine crease near front join, bookstore stamp inside, slight rubbing to rear cover, trace of magic marker left over price on front cover (Bestine took care of the rest), and touch of edgewear. Moore’s last novel. Replaces a slightly less attractive copy. Bought for $1.99.
Morlan, A.R. The Cat With The Tulip Face. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #29.
Morrell, David. Creepers. CDS Books, 2005. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine, Mylar-protected dust jacket, signed by Morrell. Bought for $8.
Mundy, Talbot. Full Moon. D. Appleton-Century, 1935. First edition hardback (“(1)” on page 312), a very Good copy with slight spotting to top and bottom page block edges (and possibly side, but it’s hard to tell with deckled edges), slight concavity at top of spine, slight bend at head and heel, light foxing to inside covers, and a few penciled notes front and back, in a Very Good dust jacket with shallow chipping at head, heel and points, spine faded, top rear flap corner clipped (but front panel and price intact), wear along front fold edge, slight dust staining to white rear panel, one 1/2″ closed tear to top front and one 1/4″ closed tear to rear bottom, and slight foxing to flaps; not pristine, but nice for the age. Oriental adventure with magic set in India. Grant, Talbot Mundy: Messanger of Deastiny, page 184. Day, Talbot Mundy Biblio, page 5. Bleiler, Checklist (1978), page 145. Bought for $40 at Antiquarian Book Mart in San Antonio.
Murphy, Pat. Rachel in Love. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #48.
Murray, Charles. Losing Ground: American Social Policy 1950-1980. Basic Books, 1984. Third printing, a Fine- copy in a Fine- dust jacket, with slighting bumping at head and heel, a trace of wear at points, and a touch of surface wear, inscribed by Murray: “To Dr. Harry Schmitt,/with best wishes/Charles Murray/18 July 1986.” (I wonder if this was inscribed to former astronaut and Republican senator Harrison Schmitt.) This is probably the most important book ever written about the American welfare state, in which Murray showed in meticulously researched detail why the welfare state expansions instituted by Lyndon Baines Johnson’s Great Society inflicted lasting economic and social harm to black families in America. Without Losing Ground, the welfare reform act of 1996 never would have happened. It came out back when some Democrats will still willing to look at research and data rather that automatically calling critics of the welfare state racist. Highly recommended. Supplements an unsigned first printing. (I had a second printing inscribed to me that I foolish lent out and never had returned.) Bought for $5.99.
Oates, Joyce Carol. The Bingo Master. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #41.
Page, Gerald W., editor. The Year’s Best Horror Stories VII. DAW, 1979. First edition paperback original, a Fine- copy with tiny crease to very tip of bottom front corner and a trace of edgewear. Includes stories from Stephen King, Jack Vance, Manly Wade Wellman and Lisa Tuttle, among others.
Piccirilli, Tom A Little Black Book of Noir Stories. Borderlands Press, 2003. First edition hardback, #168 of 500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy. Bought as part of the 15 book lot.
Piper, H. Beam. Lord Kalvan of Otherwhen. Garland Publishing, 1975. First hardback edition, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued. Novel of a modern day state trooper accidentally sucked into an alternate timeline where he uses his knowledge of military tactics and technology (such as the composition of gunpowder) to topple a corrupt theocracy. Part of the Garland Library of Science Fiction, reprinted from slightly blown-up pages from the Ace paperback original. Supplements a PBO first. Bought for £68 plus shipping from a UK seller.
Powers, Tim. The Anubis Gates. Mark V. Ziesing, 1989. First edition thus, part of the signed, limited edition of 500, but lacking a number and a slipcase, a Fine- copy in a Fine- Mylar-protected dust jacket with slight bend at head. Berlyne, A4h.2, who notes that Ziesing says many slipcases were destroyed in a flood. Chalker/Owings (2002), page 1000, who says Ziesing had an overrun of slipcases. Supplements an inscribed PBO first, an inscribed Chatto & Windus first hardback, a slightly flawed copy of the Centipede Press limited edition, and the holograph manuscript copy included in the ultralimited edition of the Berlyne bibliography.
Powers, Tim. Declare. Morrow, 2001. First trade edition hardback (preceded by the Subterranean Press limited edition), a Fine copy in a Fine Mylar-protected dust jacket, signed by Powers. Berlyne, A11b. Supplements a copy of the Subterranean Press limited.
Powers, Tim. Earthquake Weather. Legend, 1997. First edition hardback, a Fine copy (though with the characteristic page darkening for Legend books of this era) in a Fine Mylar-protected dust jacket, signed by Powers. Berlyne, A10a (who notes that reportedly only 800 copies were produced). Replaces an unsigned copy.
Powers, Tim. An Epitaph in Rust. Charnel House 2023. First edition hardback thus, #54 of 200 numbered copies, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued. Bought from the publisher at the usual discount.
Resnick, Mike. Kirinyaga. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #58. Just the novelette. Kelleghan, Mike Resnick: An Annotated Bibliography and Guide to His Work A39.
Robinson, Kim Stanley. Black Air. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #20.
Robinson, Kim. New York 2040. Orbit, 2017. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy in a Fine- dust jacket with slight bumping at head and a trace of edgewear. Bought for $9.99.
Romero, George A. and Daniel Kraus. The Living Dead. Short Scary Tales (SST) Publications, 2023. First edition hardback, 322 of 400 copies signed by Suzanne Romero, Daniel Kraus, Vincenzo Natali and Francois Vaillancourt, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Hefty 736 page original novel set in Romero’s Living Dead universe. Now sold out from the publisher, though I do have one copy available through Lame Excuse Books.
Russell, Eric Frank. Wasp. Avalon Books, 1957. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with a tiny bit of bend at head and heel in a Fine- dust jacket with one 1/2″ closed tear are top rear head, and tiny bit of wrinkling on bottom front edge near heel, and just the barest traces of dust soiling to an otherwise bright white dust jacket. Military SF adventure novel of a spy sent to a hostile alien planet to bring down the government through psychological and guerilla warfare, like a wasp crashing a car by attacking the driver. Bought from a notable UK dealer for £200 plus shipping.
Sagan, Carl. Contact. Simon and Schuster, 1985. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with slight bumping at head, slight dust soiling to outer page block, and slight bunting of points, in a Fine- dust jacket with slight bumping at head, slight wear at points, and a trace of staining to blind side. Sagan’s only novel, and the basis of the 1997 film. Bought for $8.49.
Saki (H.H. Munro) (edited by Stuart David Schiff). A Little Red Book of Wit & Shudders. Bands Press, 2023. First edition hardback, #462 of 500 copies signed by Schiff, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued. I have copies available through Lame Excuse Books.
Sammons, Brian M. Tales From Arkham Sanitarium. Dark Regions Press, 2022. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy in decorated boards with one tiny bump near bottom front corner, sans dust jacket, as issued. Cthulhu Mythos anthology, featuring a few familiar names (Don Webb, W. H. Pugmire, etc.).
Sarrantonio, Al. A Little Yellow Book of Fevered Stories. Borderlands Press, 2004. First edition hardback, #168 of 500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy. Bought as part of the 15 book lot.
Schow, David J. Sedalia. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #25.
Searight, Richard F. The Sealed Casket. The Strange Company, 1975. First edition prose portfolio (wrappers containing loose pages for the story), one of 100 copies, a Fine- copy with a touch of bumping or creasing at the points. Short story from another Lovecraft circle writer, and Hippocampus Press published a volume of their correspondence (combined with Lovecraft correspondence with E. Hoffman Price), one copy of which I have available for sale through Lame Excuse Books.
Selznick, Brian. The Invention of Hugo Cabret. Scholastic Press, 2007. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Illustrated young adult novel. Winner of the 2008 Caldecott Medal and basis of the 2011 film Hugo, which I also enjoyed.
Shatner, William (with Chris Kresski). Star Trek Memories. HarperCollins, 1993. First edition hardback, limited issue, one of 4,500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine slipcase, sans dust jacket, as issued, still in shrinkwrap. Non-fiction memoir of his time on the original Star Trek TV series. Bought for $65, less than cover price and less than a fourth of what it lists for these days.
Sheckley, Robert. Xolotl. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #3.
Shepard, Lucius. The Ends of the Earth. Arkham House, 1991. First edition hardback, #5 of 100 copies signed and numbered by Shepard, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket (with SIGNED sticker on spine). This is a post-first limited that Lucius did himself, much like Greg Bear did his 250 copy limited edition of The Wind From A Burning Woman. Chalker/Owings (2002), page 73 (where he says this edition was sold at $100 a pop). Joshi, Sixty Years of Arkham House 178 (where he doesn’t mention this limited edition). Nielsen, Arkham House Books: A Collector’s Guide 184 (he doesn’t mention this edition either). Supplements an unsigned copy (which I must not have had the last time Lucius came through Austin). Bought for $17.50 plus shipping (which is less than even the original Arkham House cover price).
Shiner, Lewis. More Collected Stories. Subterranean Press, 2023. First edition perfect bound chapbook, a Fine copy, in publisher’s plastic bag. Six stories Lew has published since Subterranean’s Collected Stories. Bought from the publisher.
Shiner, Lewis. Twilight Time. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #30.
Silverberg, Robert. Monsters and Things. PS Publishing, 2023. First edition hardback, #100 of 100 signed, numbered copies in decorated boards signed by Silverberg, editor Stephen Jones, and illustrator Randy Brocker, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and a Fine slipcase, with erratum sheet laid in noting that one of these stories (many of them written under pseudonyms) actually was from Donald Westlake writing as Richard Stark. Oops! Already sold out from the publisher. I will have a small number of these available in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog.
Silva, David B. A Little White Book of Lies. Borderlands Press, 2005. First edition hardback, #168 of 500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy. Bought as part of the 15 book lot.
(Sime, Sydney H.) Skeeters, Paul W. (introduction by Ray Bradbury). Sidney H. Sime: Master of Fantasy. Ward Ritchie Press, 1978. First edition hardback, #178 of 200 copies signed by Skeeters and Bradbury, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued. Art book featuring Sime’s illustration work. This was a pleasant surprise, as I thought it was just a trade hardback lacking the dust jacket, but it’s actually the limited edition signed by Ray Bradbury, which alone is worth just shy of what I paid for the entire lot. Chalker/Owings, page 1072 (not a listing for the book, but a description of the post-publication dust jacket for the limited edition that George Locke printed up). Supplements a copy of the unsigned trade paperback edition.
Simmons, Dan. Entropy’s Bed at Midnight. Lord John Press, 1990. First edition hardback, #93 of 100 signed, limited copies, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued, in a Fine slipcase. Reginald, Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature, 1975-1991 33966 (but not this state). Supplements a signed, non-slipcased 1/300 edition.
Sloca, Sue Ellen. Candles on the Pond. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #59. As far as I can tell, this is her only publication anywhere.
Smith, Clark Ashton. Seer of the Cycles. CASiana Literary Enterprises (i.e., Roy A. Squires), 1976. First edition chapbook, #223 of 325 copies, a Fine copy in a slightly worn printed envelope that’s starting to split at the top fold. Fifth volume in the Second Series of Fugitive Poems (Xiccarph Edition). Joshi/Schultz/Connors, Clark Ashton Smith: A Comprehensive Bibliography, I.A.38 (for the Fugitive Poems: Second Series as a whole). Not in Currey. I also have Titans in Tartarus from this series. Bought off eBay for $35.
Smith, Clark Ashton (Scott Connors and Ron Hilger, editors). The Miscellaneous Writings of Clark Ashton Smith. Night Sahde Books, 2011. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. I already had the five volume collected fantasies, but somehow never picked this one up, perhaps because Night Shade was so horrible at fulfillment. Bought for $14.99.
Somtow, S. P. Fiddling for Waterbuffaloes. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #47.
Stableford, Brian. Slumming in Voodooland. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #26.
Straub, Peter. A Little Blue Book of Rose Stories. Borderlands Press, 2004. First edition hardback, #168 of 500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy. Bought as part of the 15 book lot.
Swanwick, Michael. The Best of Michael Swanwick Volume Two. Subterranean Press, 2023. First edition hardback, #204 of 1,000 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and publisher’s plastic bag, with a Subterranean bookmark laid in. Supplements the first volume Subterranean did back in 2008. I have copies of this available through Lame Excuse Books.
Swanwick, Michael. Brief Essays on Genre. Dragonstairs Press, 2023. First edition chapbook original, #10 of 75 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy. 25 brief essays on genre fiction. Bought from the publisher at the usual discount. I have copies of this available through Lame Excuse Books.
Swanwick, Michael. Red Fox, Blue Moon. Dragonstairs Press, 2023. First edition chapbook original, #64 of 69 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy. Vignettes about a fox, inspired by a fox that visited Swanwick’s backyard. “This is the story of how she saved the world. Well, her world.” I have copies of this available through Lame Excuse Books.
Swanwick, Michael. Transits of Venus. Dragonstairs Press, 2023. First edition chapbook original, #28 of 36 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy with interlocking geometric pattern cover (there were also floral pattern versions). I have one copy this available through Lame Excuse Books.
Swanwick, Michael. The Vinter’s Guide to Remarkable Wines. Dragonstairs Press, 2023. First edition chapbook original, #36 of 55 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy. Collection of vignettes around wine themes. I have copies of this available through Lame Excuse Books.
Swanwick, Michael. Winter Songs. Dragonstairs Press, 2022 (not offered for sale until 2023). First edition chapbook original, #37 of 115 copies, a Fine copy. I will have copies of this available in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog.
Tiptree, James Jr. (Alice Sheldon). The Voice That Murmurs in the Darkness. Subterranean Press, 2023. First edition hardback, #389 of 1,000 numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and publisher’s plastic bag. Includes out of print and previously uncollected work, including the essay “How to Have An Absolutely Hilarious Heart Attack” and the story “Beam Us Home.”
Thorburn, Wayne. Red State: An Insiders Story of How the GOP Came to Dominate Texas Politics. University of Texas Press, 2014. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine-dust jacket with just a touch of wear, signed by Thorburn. This is an interesting book that describes (among other things) how leftists deliberately drove conservatives and moderates out of the Texas Democratic Party so they could control it. Of course, they expected voters would simply keep voting for Democrats, but that didn’t happen. Recommended. Bought for $7. Replaces an unsigned copy.
Vance, Jack. The Languages of Pao and The Dragon Masters. The Vance Integral Edition, 2002. First edition hardback, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued. The first edition restoring Vance’s original texts. This was bought from a collector as part of a small Jack Vance lot. I think I could have bought this for $32 at the time, but having paid for the VIE itself (a considerable chunk of change), I didn’t want to spend more for work that would later be included in the complete VIE anyway. Chalker/Owings (2002), page 946, which states there were 500 copies of this volume produced, but it seems a bit rarer than that. Also, I finally had a chance to add the proof dust jacket I bought back in 2020.
Vance, Jack. Night Lamp. Tor, 1996. First edition hardback (precedes the Underwood Books edition), a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, signed by Vance. Cunningham, 61a. Supplements the Underwood Books limited edition.
Vance, Jack. The Space Pirate. Toby Press, 1953. First edition trade paperback original (no statement of printing, as per Currey), a Fine- copy with a bare trace of dust soiling/age darkening to rear cover, plus the usual age darkening to pages; all but perfect, and far and away the nicest copy I’ve seen. Vance’s second novel. Hewett, A2. Cunningham, B.75.a. Currey, page 500. Supplements a signed but less attractive copy. Bought for $12 from Recycled Books in Denton.
(Vance, Jack) Hewitt, Jerry, and Daryl F. Mallett. The Work of Jack Vance: An Annotated Bibliography & Guide. Borgo Press/Underwood -Miller, 1994. First edition hardback, #121 of 200 numbered copies signed by Vance, introduction author Robert Silverberg, Hewett and Mallett, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued, in a Fine- slipcase with a bump to the top rear that I probably inflicted myself. The definitive Vance bibliography. Supplements a trade copy. Hewitt, M166 (yes, a reference to the book in the book itself). Cunningham E.2. Jerry tells me that Mallett was actually the editor rather than co-compiler, and on my trade copy he’s crossed out “Borgo” and written in “Bozo” on the title page. I sense some tension there…
(Vance, Jack) Temianka, Dan. The Jack Vance Lexicon: From Ahuloh to Zipahgote. Underwood-Miller, 1992. First edition hardback, #87 of 200 numbered copies signed by Vance and Temianka, a Fine- copy with a slight bit of bend at heel, sans dust jacket, as issued, in a Fine slipcase. Just what it says, a Lexicon of Vancian vocabulary. Supplements a trade copy. Hewitt, M163. Cunningham I.3.
(Vance, Jack) Levack, Daniel J. H. and Tim Underwood. Fantasms: A Bibliography of the Literature of Jack Vance. Underwood-Miller, 1978. First edition trade paperback original (simultaneous with a much smaller hardback run), one of 900 copies, a Fine- copy with slight bumping to points, signed by Jack Vance. The first serious, professional bibliography of Vance’s work. Hewett, M47. Cunningham, E1. Stephensen-Payne/Benson, M3.
(Vance, Jack) Stephensen-Payne, Phil and Gordon Benson, Jr. Jack Vance: A Fantasmic Imagination (2nd Revised Edition) A Working Bibliography. Galactic Central, no date (but 1990). First edition of one-sided brad-bound sheets, either Fine- (for the condition of the sheets), with a two penciled notes at bottom of front page, or Very Good+ is you count the wrinkled condition of the Duotang thin cardstock brad binder, but it is unreasonable to expect such to last decades in pristine condition. Back before the rise of Internet bibliographies, a number of projects were started to make comprehensive science fiction bibliographies. (Willie Siros was involved in one, until he said he hit the undocumented limit of many-to-many links in the Macintosh 4D database software.) Galactic Central was one project working on an author-by-author basis, this being the 28th in a series that eventually reached 58 before petering out. Hewitt, M152. (He states that Borgo Press even did a hardback of this! I’ve never seen one.) Not in Cunningham.
(Vance, Jack). Rawlins, Jack. Demon Prince: The Dissonant Worlds of Jack Vance. Borgo Press, 1986. First edition hardback (plasticized boards), a Fine copy with “KATER-BOUND” sticker to rear cover (presumably as issued). Critical companion to the works of Jack Vance. Depending on the title, Borgo either did plasticized boards with the trade paperback encased, or cloth with the cover of the trade paperback pasted to the front; this is one of the former. I can’t recall ever seeing any copy of this title before, much less the hardback variant. Hewett, M.126. Cunningham, F.2.
(Vance, Jack) Jean Luc Esteban. Jack Vance: Works published in PULPS magazines 1945-1975. LuLu, 2023. First edition (POD) hardback, a Fine copy in decorated boards, sans dust jacket, as issued. An odd reference work, showing the full-color cover illustrations, title pages, first few story pages, and interior black and white illustrations, for every story Jack Vance published in pulp magazines for the covered period. (Never mind that by the 1970s, the magazines publishing Jack Vance weren’t pulps and hadn’t been for some time.) Sort of an strange work, with high production values (all the page are slick stock, not just the ones for the color illustrations) and odd editorial choices (the Table of Contents is at the rear, and there are a lot of pages left unnecessarily blank). Also, there is no magazine or illustrator index. But buying this is a whole lot less expensive than tracking down every single issue covered. If this is the sort of reference work you think you need, then you need it, and if you don’t, you don’t. Note also that there are four slightly variant titles this could be known under: the spine says Jack Vance in Pulps 1945-1975, the front cover says Jack Vance in Pulps First issues 1945-1975, the half-title page says Jack Vance Pulps Editions 1945-1975, and the title page says Jack Vance: Works published in PULPS magazines 1945-1975. Yeah, the book could have used an editor…
(Vance, Jack) Parmentier, Gregg. The Vance Phile issues 1 through 6. First edition center-stapled fanzine originals, each #5 of 30 copies, signed by Parmentier (and sometimes other contributors), each a Fine copy. Fanzines full of interesting articles from Vance fans, from reprints of rare Vance works to a lot of bibliographic updates (include some from Jerry Hewett to his Vance bibliography). Strangely, I’ve been on a private Vance collector’s list with Gregg for decades now, but I believe I started getting those only after his period of publishing these, so I never heard about it. There was evidently an Issue 7 I’m still trying to track down a print copy of.
(Vance, Jack) George L. Mina, editor. Cosmopolis: a nexus for the admirers of of the works of Jack Vance. George L. Mina, 1988. First edition comb-bound with clear plastic covers fanzine original, a Fine copy, with letters from Mina and L.W. Currey laid in. Fanzine miscellanea related to Vance, including Vance’s essay “The Symbol,” which according to Hewett (D20) is its only appearance. Hewett, M140 (which notes a total of 75 copies: 12 copies with hand-colored illustrations for contributors and 63 copies with uncolored illustrations (this edition) for subscribers). Not to be confused with the later newsletter of the same name published by the Vance Integral Edition project.
(Vance, Jack) Offut, Robert Jr. The Many World of Jack Vance Vol. 1 No. 1 Spring 1977. First edition fanzine original, #185 of 300 numbered copies, a Near Fine+ copy with a touch of staining along staple fold edge, signed by Vance. Includes an appreciation by Poul Anderson, a lengthy interview by Tim Underwood, and some bibliographic material. Hewett, M31a.
(Vance, Jack) Robert Offutt Jr., editor. The Many Worlds of Jack Vance & The Horns of Elfland. Robert Offutt Jr., 1978. First edition illustrated fanzine, a Fine- copy with a couple of small spots of dust staining to rear, signed by Vance. Features Vance’s “The Secret,” the first chapter of an illustrated adaptation of The Eyes of the Overworld, etc. Second (and last) volume of an illustrated, semiprozine quality publication dedicated to Vance’s work (though the cover illustration, “Boromir’s Fall,” is obviously from The Lord of the Rings). Chock-full of illustrations from Rod Whigham, who later did a great deal of comic book work. Hewett, M31b, who notes there were 1,000 copies of this printed. Replaces an unsigned and less attractive copy.
(Vance, Jack) V-Con [7] Program Book. V-Con 7, 1979. First edition program chapbook original (10 3/4″ tall by 8 1/4″ wide), a Fine- copy with just a tiny bit of fading to the stapled spine edge, signed by Vance. Program books for a 1979 convention in Vancouver, British Columbia, where Jack Vance was Guest of Honor (and Frank Herbert Toastmaster).
(Vance, Jack) (Tim Underwood and Chuck Miller, unlisted editorsThe Book of the Sixth World Fantasy Convention. Underwood/Miller, 1980. First edition hardback, one of 1000 copies, a Fine- copy, with slight bumping at head and heel, sans dust jacket, as issued, with pocket program and card for the convention laid in. World Fantasy Convention where Jack Vance was Guest of Honor. Hewett, M88.
(Vance, Jack) Laws, Robin D. The Kaain Player’s Guide: A Supplement for the Dying Earth RPG. Pelgrane Press, 2002. First edition (“First printing June 2002”) trade paperback original, a Fine copy. Supplement for the Dying Earth RPG. My role-playing game days are long behind me, and I haven’t really made a point of picking up RPG stuff for authors I collect, but this was cheap, and I have some books from the Amber Diceless RPG I haven’t cataloged yet from the last Bob Pylant purchase. Now I just need to find a place to put them…
Wagner, Karl Edward. Where the Summer Ends. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #31.
Wagner, Karl Edward, and David Drake. Killer. Baen Books, 1985. First edition paperback original, a Near Fine- copy with slight spine creasing, edgewear, and foxing to insider covers. Hunting an alien killer in ancient Rome. Bought for $1.49.
Waldrop, Howard (George R. R. Martin and Bradley Denton, editors). H’ard Starts. Subterranean Press, 2023. First edition hardback, #414 of 750 numbered copies signed by Waldrop, Martin and Denton. Collection of early, rare Waldrop stories from a wide variety sources, including a 25 copy self-published story from 1966! (I have a copy and provided George with the text.) Available through Lame Excuse Books. My memorial to Howard can be found here.
Wallace, Edgar (Stephen Jones, editor). Kong: An Original Screenplay. PS Publishing/Electric Dreamhouse, 2023. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. The original screenplay for King Kong, which evidently differs considerably from the final film. Slightly oversized (10 1/2″ high) and profusely illustrated, with a good 90 pages of notes from Jones, who worked from “Wallace’s personal copy of his original draft script with his own corrections and interpolations” plus “a boys’ story-paper adaptation of the film, preliminary production stills and art-work, and a colour portfolio of King Kong posters from around the world.” A couple of production sketches are from the lost spider pit scene.
Wells, H. G. The Country of the Blind and Other Stories. Thomas Nelson and Sons, no date (but 1911). First edition hardback (as per Currey), a Very Good copy with a dime-sized, light black dot to center of front cover, slight wear to bottom boards, slight wear at tips, head and heel and small “Fiction ● 1855” written in two different colors of ink (black and blue) at the top of the inside front cover and check-marks and red underlining on table of contents, five lines of penciled bookseller notes on the back of the color frontispiece page, and a few other touches of wear, lacking the rare dust jacket. Short story collection, including five previously uncollected stories. Scheck and Cox, H. G. Wells: A Reference Guide, page XXV, which lists the five stories first published in book form here as “A Vision of Judgment,” “The Empire of the Ants,” “The Door in the Wall,” “The Beautiful Suit,” and “The Country of the Blind.” H. G. Wells: A Comprehensive Bibliography 42. Currey, page 517. Bleiler (1978), page 205. Oddly enough, Locke’s A Spectrum of Fantasy page 225 lists five different editions of The Country of the Blind, but not this true first.
Wells, H. G. The First Men in the Moon. George Newnes, Limited, 1901. First UK hardback edition (and first edition with complete text), second state binding (white rather than black endpapers, as per Currey), a Very Good copy with a 1 1/2″ x 3/4″ slight abrasion/rub to front cover, wear at head, heel and points and along spine, with small W.H. Smith blindstamp and inscription “M. G. Walkin-Graves/from K.M.K, J.H.A.H/Jan. 25. 1904” and price and “BL 1705” on front free endpaper, along with a large rectangle of light foxing there and a similar rectangle on rear free endpaper. His novel (possibly the first) of man landing on the moon, plus the Selenite civilization they find there. Filmed at least three times, most famously in 1964. H. G. Wells: A Comprehensive Bibliography 18. Scheck and Cox, H. G. Wells: A Reference Guide, page xxiv. Williamson, H. G. Wells: Critic of Progress, pages 111-119. Currey, page 518. Locke, A Spectrum of Fantasy, page 226. Locke, Science Fiction First Editions, page 56. Locke, Voyages in Space 208.Bleiler, Checklist of Science Fiction & Supernatural Fiction (1978), page 205. 333, page 68. Anatomy of Wonder 4 1-98. Magill, Survey of Science Fiction, pages 782-785.
Wells, H. G. The Food of the Gods and How It Came to Earth. Macmillan and Co., Limited, 1904. First edition hardback, first state (Currey A) binding (green cloth with cover lettered in gold, top edge in gilt) in first issue (Currey (1) state (16 page catalog at rear dated 20.7.04)), a Very Good+ copy with wear along bottom boards, at head, heel and points, and just a trace of foxing to insider covers, with PRESENTATION COPY blindstamp on title page and inscribed and initialed by Wells: “Henry Newbolt/ 26 [August? Sept?] 1904/[line]/from H.G.W.” The signature matches examples online of Wells’ signing with just initials. Newbolt was a writer and poet contemporary of Wells, with one fantasy novel, Aladore, to his name. On page 761 of Experiment in Autobiography, Wells stated that Newbolt was a member of his club the “Coefficients,” a Fabien Socialist dining club.
The exact same copy previously sold in an earlier Heritage Auction for $1,625, coming from the John McLaughlin/Book Sail Collection. They obviously did not check carefully enough to see that it had come back to them in this lot, as there was no indication that any of the books in that lot were signed. And the earlier listing didn’t mention the “Coefficients” connection.
H. G. Wells: A Comprehensive Bibliography 24. Scheck and Cox, H. G. Wells: A Reference Guide, page xxiv. Williamson, H. G. Wells: Critic of Progress, pages 39-43. Parrinder, H.G. Wells: The Critical Heritage, pages 103-109. Currey, page 519. Locke, A Spectrum of Fantasy, page 226. Locke, Science Fiction First Editions, page 56. Bleiler, Checklist of Science Fiction & Supernatural Fiction (1978), page 205. 333, page 68. Anatomy of Wonder 4 1-99. Magill, Survey of Science Fiction, pages 807-812. Heritage Rare Book Auction ##6094 catalog, page 115 (this copy).
Wells, H. G. In the Days of the Comet. Macmillan and Company Limited, 1906. First edition hardback, (Currey B) state, with “PRINTED BY/WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED/LONDON AND BECCLES” and publisher’s catalog dated “20.8.06” at rear, which was the first issued edition (only one copy of Currey (A) known to exist, that being the British Library deposit copy, which Locke (see below) believes to be a bound proof rather than a true first printing), a Very Good copy with slight abrasion above title on front cover, slight bumping at head, heel and points, slight wear along bottom boards and along top front spine join and near outer board edges on point, slight foxing to inside covers, and bookseller pencil notices to FFE and inside front cover, with a letter from Bertram Rota, London bookseller, to a Lawrence Davern Esq. of Washington, D.C., discussing the first edition points of the title. Locke, Science Fiction First Editions, pages 56-57 and pages 94-96 (and this is the reference Currey cites). Currey, pages 519-520. H. G. Wells: A Comprehensive Bibliography 27. Scheck and Cox, H. G. Wells: A Reference Guide, page xxiv. Parrinder, H.G. Wells: The Critical Heritage, pages 133-145. Locke, A Spectrum of Fantasy, page 226. Bleiler, Checklist of Science Fiction & Supernatural Fiction (1978), page 205.
Wells, H. G. The Island of Dr. Moreau. William Heinemann, 1896. First edition hardback (Currey A binding, publisher’s monogram stamped in blind on rear cover, with Currey (2) (no priority) catalog state (32 page catalog starting with The Manxman and ending with Out of Due Season)), a Very Good copy with soiling along the spine, top and outer edges and head, and rounded points. Currey, 520. H. G. Wells: A Comprehensive Bibliography 8. Williamson, H.G. Wells: Critic of Progress, pages 74-82. Scheck and Cox, H. G. Wells: A Reference Guide, page xxiii. Parrinder, H.G. Wells: The Critical Heritage, pages 43-62. Locke, A Spectrum of Fantasy, page 226. Bleiler, Checklist of Science Fiction & Supernatural Fiction (1978), page 205. Barron, Anatomy of Wonder 4 1-100. Magill, Survey of Science Fiction Literature, pages 1079-1083.
Wells, H. G. The Plattner Story and Other Stories. Methuem & Co., 1897. First edition hardback (no statement of printing on copyright page, and 40 page catalog (in this case with most of the leaves unopened) dated March 1897 inserted at rear, as per Currey), a Very Good copy with spine significantly darkened, a bit of bumping to tips, and slight spots of dark staining to front boards, with previous owner having written “Ellis Parker/1905” on the front free endpaper (there was a famous American detective by that name, but I can’t find any examples of his signature online to compare), with a sales slip from Nigel Williams Rare Books to Gary Munson laid in (he paid $540 after discount). Wells’ second short story collection. Currey, 522. H. G. Wells: A Comprehensive Bibliography 10. Scheck and Cox, H. G. Wells: A Reference Guide, page xxiii. Parrinder, H.G. Wells: The Critical Heritage, pages 43-62. Locke, A Spectrum of Fantasy, page 226. Bleiler, Checklist of Science Fiction & Supernatural Fiction (1978), page 205.
Wells, H.G. The Sea Lady: A Tissue of Moonshine. Methuen & Co., 1902. First edition hardback (red cloth stamped in gold and 40 page catalog dated JULY 1902, as per Currey), a Near Fine- copy with spine slightly darkened and corners slightly bumped, but all gilt lettering present, with 4 1/2″ x 1″ catalog listing slip rectangle from 1979 pasted in just at the very top of the inside front cover, rear gutter starting, tiny bit of separation to front gutter, foxing to second front free endpaper, and trace of foxing to front free endpaper gutter, otherwise a very nice, attractive copy. Novel about a mermaid who comes ashore in England with a desire to join high society. One of Wells’ less reprinted novels. Currey, page 522. H. G. Wells: A Comprehensive Bibliography 10. Scheck and Cox, H. G. Wells: A Reference Guide, page xxiii. Bleiler, Checklist of Science Fiction & Supernatural Fiction (1978), page 205.
Wells, H. G. The Stolen Bacillus and Other Incidents. Methuen and Co., 1895. First edition hardback (no statement of printing and publisher’s catalog at rear dated SEPTEMBER 1895, as per Currey), a Very Good copy with bumps to top and bottom boards (most slight, one with a dime-sized bumped area to front boards), bumping and creasing to head and heel, points slightly bumped, and partial cracking to front and rear hinges, with picture postcard of H. G. Wells laid in. His first book of short stories. Wells’ sixth published book and first short story collection. Currey, 523. H. G. Wells: A Comprehensive Bibliography 6. Scheck and Cox, H. G. Wells: A Reference Guide, page xxiii. P Locke, A Spectrum of Fantasy, page 225 (not a listing, but a mention that he had traded away the only acceptable and affordable copy he had run across). Bleiler, Checklist of Science Fiction & Supernatural Fiction (1978), page 205. Bleiler, The Guide to Supernatural Fiction 1674 for “The Temptation of Harringay” and “The Moth.”
Wells, H. G. The War in the Air, and Particularly How Mr. Bert Smallways Fared While It lasted. George Bell and Sons, 1908. First edition hardback, first issue binding (Currey A, with lettering on front cover in and spine in gilt, GEORGE BELL & SONS at base of spine), a Very Good copy with slight spine creasing, a split at heel, three small splits at head, slight wear to bottom boards, wear along spine edges, trace of wear at points, light foxing blocks to front and rear free endpapers, and frontispiece tissue guard present, with sales slip to Gary Munson laid in. Novel that anticipated aerial warfare. Currey, page 526. Locke, Science Fiction First Editions, page 58 and pages 93-94. H. G. Wells: A Comprehensive Bibliography 36 (“two pages of ads,” check). Scheck and Cox, H. G. Wells: A Reference Guide, page xxiv. Clarke, Voices Prophesying War (new edition), pages 88-89. Locke, A Spectrum of Fantasy, page 227-228. Bleiler, Checklist of Science Fiction & Supernatural Fiction (1978), page 205. Barron, Anatomy of Wonder 4 1-104. Magill, Survey of Science Fiction Literature, pages 2407-2410.
Wentworth, Jim. Giants in the Earth: Ray Palmer, Oahspe and the Shaver Mystery. Palmer Publications, 1973. First edition? (no additional printings mentioned) trade paperback original, a Near Fine- copy with one tackhead-sized chip at the end of a crease to top front corner and slight wear at points, otherwise a fairly nice copy. Mishmash of Shaver Mystery, spiritualism, UFOs, Shaver’s “rock books,” and a dozen other fringe ideas, mostly taken from Palmer’s publications. Not in Kafton-Minkel or Standish.
White, Edward Lucas. A Little Green Book of Grue. Borderlands Press, 2023. First edition hardback, #462 of 500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy. A shame they didn’t make it a little white book of some sort…
Whitehead, Henry S. (Thomas Tessier, editor). A Little Orange Book of Voodoo Tales. Borderlands Press, 2023. First edition hardback, #462 of 500 numbered copies signed by the editor, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued. Five stories, two of which (“Jumbee” and “West India Lights”) were the title stories of his two Arkham House collections. Weirdly, this book has about 130 pages of text, then another 30 numbered but blank pages at the back. I have copies of this available through Lame Excuse Books.
Wilhelm, Kate The Girl Who Fell Into the Sky. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #9.
Williams, Walter Jon. Dinosaurs. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #18.
Williamson, Chet. A Little Blue Book of Bibliomancy. Borderlands Press, 2016. First edition hardback, #456 of 500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy. Bought off eBay for $14.06.
Willis, Connie. Daisy, in the Sun. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #33. Tiny rub on spine.
Wilson, F. Paul. The Peabody-Ozymandias Traveling Circus & Oddity Emporium. Necessary Evil Press, 2007. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with a 3/4″ closed tear to bottom front near spine. Bought for $30 from a Half Price Books location in the Metroplex.
Wilson, F. Paul. A Little Beige Book of Nondescript Stories. Borderlands Press, 2004. First edition hardback, #168 of 500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy. Bought as part of the 15 book lot.
Wilson, F. Paul. The Shade of Lo Man Gong. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #35.
Wilson, F. Paul. Buckets. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #36.
Wolfe, Gene. The Dead Man and Other Horror Stories. Subterranean Press, 2023. First edition hardback, #870 of 1,000 numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and publisher’s plastic bag. Now out of print from the publisher.
Wolfe, Gene. The Hero as Werewolf. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #40. This is one I did actually need, and I still need the hardback version.
Wong, David (pseudonym of Jason Pargin). Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits. St. Martin’s, 2015. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with one tiny wrinkle at heel and a trace of wear at top points. Bought for $13.49.
Wu, William F. Shaunessy Fong. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #60. Has some slight rubbing along front near spine. Last in the Short Story Paperbacks series.
Yarbro, Chelsea Quinn. The Spider Glass. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #16.
Yolan, Jane. The Sword and the Stone. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #27.
Zelazny, Roger. The Doors of His Face, The Lamps of His Mouth. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #13. Not to be confused with the short story collection of the same name. I needed this for my Zelazny collection.
Tags:Avram Davidson, Books, Charles de Lint, Clark Ashton Smith, David Brin, F. Paul Wilson, Gene Wolfe, George R. R. Martin, Greg Bear, H. G. Wells, H. P. Lovecraft, Jack Vance, James Aquilone, James P. Blaylock, Joe Haldeman, Joe R. Lansdale, John Brunner, Karl Edward Wagner, Lewis Shiner, Michael Swanwick, Neil Gaiman, R. A. Lafferty, Ray Bradbury, Robert Bloch, Samuel R. Delany, Stephen King, Subterranean Press, Tim Powers, Woody Allen
Posted in Books, Fantasy, Horror, Science Fiction | No Comments »
Thursday, December 14th, 2023
When Pulphouse first unveiled the short story paperback, I remember thinking “That’s stupid.” For all they bragged about “buying a single story for $1.95,” you could buy an entire issue of Asimov’s (with 5-10 times as much content) for $2.50. And, indeed, they were not swift sellers. Though a few of these (the Wolfe, the Lansdales, etc.) became slightly collectable over the years. (And a few of the companion Short Story hardbacks even more so.)
But I bough these from that same collector culling his collection for $1 each.
Almost all of these are paperback originals thus (though some of these have previously shown up as the title stories in collections, like Bloch’s Yours Truly, Jack the Rapper or Zelazny’s The Doors of His Face, The Lamps of His Mouth), though exceptions (like Blaylock’s Paper Dragons) are noted. Some of the early ones (“Loser’s Night,” “Xolotl”) are the first publication anywhere, but most of the stories have appeared somewhere previously. Unlike most Library Addition entries, these will be listed by series order rather than alphabetical by author.
All of these are Fine copies unless otherwise noted.
“Author, J.Q.” Issue Zero. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #0, a binding dummy for the entire run of the series, with bank pages. Would never have bought this on it’s own, but since I was buying the entire thing I got this too. This one has a tiny bit of edgewear on rear spine join.
Anderson, Poul. Loser’s Night. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #1.
Brunner, John. A Case of Painters Ear. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #2.
Sheckley, Robert. Xolotl. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #3.
Boston, Bruce. All the Clocks are Melting. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #4.
Antieau, Kim. Blossoms. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #5.
Friesner, Esther M. Ecce Hominid. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #6.
Duchamp, L. Timmel. A Case of Mistaken Activity. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #7.
Bryant, Edward. The Cutter. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #8.
Wilhelm, Kate The Girl Who Fell Into the Sky. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #9.
Bloch, Robert. Yours Truly, Jack The Ripper. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #10. Not to be confused with the short story collection of the same name.
Lansdale, Joe R. The Steel Valentine. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #11. Isajanko, The World Lansdalean C01.a.i. Supplements another copy and a Short Story Hardback version.
Bishop, Michael. The Quickening. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #12.
Zelazny, Roger. The Doors of His Face, The Lamps of His Mouth. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #13. Not to be confused with the short story collection of the same name. I needed this for my Zelazny collection.
Haldeman, Joe. More Than The Sum of His Parts. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #14.
Clemence, Bruce No Way Street. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #15. Guy had this, and a story in Synergy 3, and that was it…
Yarbro, Chelsea Quinn. The Spider Glass. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #16.
de Lint, Charles. Uncle Dobbin’s Parrot Fair. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #17. One of the harder titles to find.
Williams, Walter Jon. Dinosaurs. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #18.
Charnes, Suzy McKee. Listening to Brahms. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #19.
Robinson, Kim Stanley. Black Air. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #20.
Etchison, Dennis. The Dark Country. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #21. Not to be confused with the short story collection of the same name.
Aldiss, Brian W. Journey to the Goat Star. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #22. Tiny bit of rubbing along spine.
Brin, David. Piecework. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #23.
Caraker, Mary. I Remember, I Remember. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #24.
Schow, David J. Sedalia. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #25.
Stableford, Brian. Slumming in Voodooland. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #26.
Yolan, Jane. The Sword and the Stone. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #27.
Fowler, Karen Joy. The War of the Roses. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #28.
Morlan, A.R. The Cat With The Tulip Face. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #29.
Shiner, Lewis. Twilight Time. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #30.
Wagner, Karl Edward. Where the Summer Ends. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #31.
Lee, Tanith. Into Gold. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #32.Tiny rub on spine.
Willis, Connie. Daisy, in the Sun. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #33. Tiny rub on spine.
Bell, M. Shayne. Inuit. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #34.
Wilson, F. Paul. The Shade of Lo Man Gong. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #35.
Wilson, F. Paul. Buckets. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #36.
Martin, George R. R. The Pear-Shaped Man. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #37.
Butler, Octavia. The Evening and the Morning and the Night. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #38. Holy moley, the prices on this online are crazy. The prices for the signed hardback I can at least sort of understand, since Butler died young, but the prices for unsigned copies like this are still crazy. I had no idea.
Dozois, Gardner. The Peacemaker. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #39. Supplements a copy of the Short Story Hardback edition.
Wolfe, Gene. The Hero as Werewolf. Pulphouse, 1991. Issue #40. This is one I did actually need, and I still need the hardback version. Also, this is the last one from 1991. Pulphouse put out 40 of these in 1991. This is called “channel stuffing.” I wasn’t dealing books at the time, but I’m pretty sure SF/F/H dealers were not thrilled at this tsunami of small press books of dubious sales-worthiness.
Oates, Joyce Carol. The Bingo Master. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #41.
Effinger, George. Schrodinger’s Kitten. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #42. Supplements the hardback version.
Bear, Greg. Sisters. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #43.
Holder, Nancy. The Ghosts of Tivoli. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #44.
Brin, David. Dr. Pak’s Preschoool. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #45. Supplements a copy of the Cheap Street edition (which precedes).
Lansdale, Joe R. Tight Little Stitches in a Dead Man’s Back. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #46. Isajanko, The World Lansdalean C03.a.i. Supplements a copy of the Short Story hardback version.
Somtow, S. P. Fiddling for Waterbuffaloes. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #47.
Murphy, Pat. Rachel in Love. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #48.
Card, Orson Scott. Unaccompanied Sonata. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #49.
Le Guin, Ursula K. Nine Lives. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #50.
Bloch, Robert. The Skull of the Marquis de Sade. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #51.
de Lint, Charles. Merlin Dreams in the Mondream Wood. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #52.
Kress, Nancy. The Price of Oranges. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #53.
Busby, F.M. If This Is Winnetka, You Must be Judy. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #54.
Cadigan, Pat. My Brother’s Keeper. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #55.
Bryant, Edward. The Thermals of August. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #56.
Blaylock, James P. Paper Dragons. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #57. A few small rubs along spine. Supplements a copy of the Axolotl Press hardback (which precedes).
Resnick, Mike. Kirinyaga. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #58. Kelleghan, Mike Resnick: An Annotated Bibliography and Guide to His Work A39.
Sloca, Sue Ellen. Candles on the Pond. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #59. As far as I can tell, this is her only publication anywhere.
Wu, William F. Shaunessy Fong. Pulphouse, 1992. Issue #60. Has some slight rubbing along front near spine. Last in the Short Story Paperbacks series.
Reference: Jack Chalker and Mark Owings, The Science-Fantasy Publishers: A Critical and Bibliographic History, 2002, page 719 (numbers 1 through 10), page 721 (numbers 11-20), pages 722 (numbers 21-30). This is what Chalker had to say about the Short Story paperback line:
In January, 1991, Pulphouse continued its expansion with the Short Story Paperbacks and the selected Short Story Hardbacks, although we’re still only half- convinced that these are in any sense legitimate books. What they were, though, was what seemed to be a quick way to make money, and if people bought them, fine. They brought the whole operation as of the start of 1991 at a whopping 80+ titles a year. It should be noted that the paperbacks series was supposed to be originals and reprints, but became, after the initial ones, primarily reprints, a move that, while understandable, seemed to us to take away the one good reason why most people might buy them.
Money held by SF/F/H collectors is a finite commodity, and Pulphouse in the early 1990s seemed to treat it as a limitless resource. If you’re publishing books by Lansdale, Zelazny, Wagner, De Lint, etc., that’s a license to print a little money. But Antieau, Clemence, Caraker? Not so much. Why they thought collectors were going to shell out money for such items is a mystery.
The entire set bought for $61.
Tags:Books, Brian Aldiss, Bruce Boston, Charles de Lint, Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, Connie Willis, David Brin, David J. Schow, Dennis Etchison, Ed Bryant, Ester M. Friesner, F. Paul Wilson, Fantasy, Gardner Dozois, Gene Wolfe, George Alec Effinger, George R. R. Martin, Greg Bear, Horror, James P. Blaylock, Joe Haldeman, Joe R. Lansdale, John Brunner, Joyce Carol Oates, Karen Joy Fowler, Karl Edward Wagner, Kate Wilhelm, Kim Stanley Robinson, Lewis Shiner, Michael Bishop, Mike Resnick, Nancy Kress, Octavia Butler, Orson Scott Card, Pat Murphy, Poul Anderson, Pulphouse, Robert Bloch, Robert Sheckley, Roger Zelazny, S. P. Somtow, Science Fiction, Suzy Mckee Charnes, Tanith Lee, Ursula K. Le Guin, William F. Wu
Posted in Books, Fantasy, Horror, Science Fiction | 1 Comment »
Thursday, September 21st, 2023
Three Subterranean Press books that came in recently:
MacLeod, Ian R. Ragged Maps. Subterranean Press, 2023. First edition hardback, #171 of 1,000 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and publisher’s plastic bag. Short story collection.
Swanwick, Michael. The Best of Michael Swanwick Volume Two. Subterranean Press, 2023. First edition hardback, #204 of 1,000 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and publisher’s plastic bag, with a Subterranean bookmark laid in. Supplements the first volume Subterranean did back in 2008.
Wolfe, Gene. The Dead Man and Other Horror Stories. Subterranean Press, 2023. First edition hardback, #870 of 1,000 numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and publisher’s plastic bag. Now out of print from the publisher.
I will have copies of all of these in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog.
Tags:Books, Fantasy, Gene Wolfe, Horror, Ian R. MacLeod, Michael Swanwick, Science Fiction, small press publishers, Subterranean Press
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Wednesday, November 30th, 2022
Three Michael Andre-Driussi critical companions to Gene Wolfe works, all bought from Amazon (the only place they’re available; click on the hyperlinks to buy them there).
(Gene Wolfe) Andre-Driussi, Michael. A Chapter Guide for the Long Sun & the Short Sun. Sirius Fiction, 2022. First edition POD hardcover, a Fine copy in decorated boards, sans dust jacket, as issued. Just what it says, a chapter-by-chapter summary of The Book of the Long Sun and The Book of the Long Sun and The Book of the Short Sun, including lists of characters and unusual terms that show up in each chapter.
(Gene Wolfe) Andre-Driussi, Michael. Gene Wolfe’s The Book of the New Sun: A Chapter Guide. Sirius Fiction, 2019 (2022). First edition POD hardcover, a Fine copy in decorated boards, sans dust jacket, as issued. Same as the above, but for The Book of the New Sun.
(Gene Wolfe) Andre-Driussi, Michael. Gene Wolfe: 14 Articles. Sirius Fiction, 2016 (2022). First edition POD trade paperback original, a Fine copy. Various essays on Wolfe’s work.
Counting chapbooks, I now have 14 Andre-Driussi books on Gene Wolfe…
Tags:Books, Gene Wolfe, Michael Andre-Driussi, reference works, Science Fiction, science fiction criticism
Posted in Basketball, Books, Science Fiction | 1 Comment »
Tuesday, December 21st, 2021
Four more signed first editions:
Simmons, Dan. Lovedeath. Subterranean Press, 2013. First limited edition a PC copy of 250 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Mylar-protected dust jacket. Formerly Subterranean Press founder William Shafer’s copy. Supplements a copy of the Warner Books first edition inscribed to me. Bought from Camelot Books for $52.50.
Spiner, Brent with Jeanne Darst. Fan Fiction: A Mem-Noir Inspired By True Events. St. Martin’s Press, 2021. First edition hardback, a Fine copy, signed by Spiner. Mystery by Spiner, starring Spiner, revolving around a box he received during the filming of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Bought for $22.39 from The Mysterious Bookshop.
Wellman, Manly Wade. Rebel Boast. Henry Holt and Company, 1956. First edition hardback, a Very Good+ copy from which the FFE has been excised and a cracked front hinge, otherwise nice, in a Very Good+ dust jacket with a few 3/4″ closed tears along the top edge that have been mended (fairly skillfully) with blindside tape, signed by Wellman. Non-fiction about a group of Confederate soldiers that fought the entirety of the Civil War. “First at Bethel — Last at Appomattox.” Bought for $15 off eBay.
Wolfe, Gene. Home Fires. Tor, 2011. First edition hardback, a Near Fine copy with black remainder dot to top page block and slight bumping at head in a Fine dust jacket, signed by Wolfe. Supplements an unsigned first and a copy of the PS Publishing signed, limited edition.
Tags:Books, Brent Spiner, Civil War, Dan Simmons, Gene Wolfe, Horror, Manly Wade Wellman, Mystery, Science Fiction, Star Trek
Posted in Books, Horror, Science Fiction | No Comments »
Wednesday, June 23rd, 2021
Here are two different signed, limited edition anthologies from different publishers that, spine-out, look a whole lot like each other because they were printed using the same printing and binding technology. Chalker/Ownings called it the “Newcomer-Dikty process,” which turned out to be an early example of what became “Print On Demand” publishing, though both books below are true first editions with defined print runs.
Cahill, James, editor. Lamps on the Brow. James Cahill Publishing, 1998. First edition hardback, #70 of 274 numbered copies signed by all the contributors, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, in a Fine slipcase, as issued. Low print-run anthology of original stories (all save the last one by A. E. van Vogt), featuring Gene Wolfe, Mike Resnick, Andre Norton, Bruce Bethke, etc., plus an introduction by Ben Bova. I also have Ten Tales, a similar Cahill anthology. Cahill was active in the 1990s, publishing books by Joe R. Lansdale, Tim Powers, etc. I also think he did some mystery limited editions. Bought off eBay for $58, slightly more than half the original publication price of $100.
Rusch, Kristine Kathryn, editor. Pulphouse Winter 1990: Issue Six. Pulphouse Publishing, 1990. First edition hardback, #196 of 250 numbered copies signed by all the contributors, a Fine- copy with a tiny crease at head, sans dust jacket, in a Fine slipcase, as issued. Back in the dim mists of the late 1980s, I thought the black trade edition of Pulphouse: The Hardback Magazine, with it’s faux leather, embossed covers and deckled edges, was fairly attractive. Many of the Author’s Choice Monthly volumes were also worthwhile. Then Pulphouse wildly overproduced a huge variety of material nobody wanted, almost single-handedly depressing the market for small press books in the early 1990s. This volume has work (and signatures) from Avram Davidson, George Alec Effinger, Bradley Denton, Charles De Lint, Susan Palwick, etc. “Shrunk,” the Effinger story, is actually one George brought to the second Turkey City Writer’s Workshop I ever threw, which he said he had just missed selling to Playboy. According to him, Alice Turner had said “Well, I looked at it, and looked at it, and I finally decided it just wasn’t right for us.” Said George: “Do you realize what she said? ‘You just missed $5000 by that much.’ Tell me what’s wrong with it! I’ll walk to New York on my knees and fix it!” I already have all 12 issues of the trade edition of the hardback magazine run, and pick up the signed editions when I find them cheap, and I now have four. Chalker/Owings (2002), page 715. Bought off eBay for $25, more than half off the original offering price of $60.
Tags:A. E. van Vogt, Ben Bova, Books, Bradley Denton, Bruce Bethke, Fantasy, Gene Wolfe, George Alec Effinger, James Cahill, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Mike Resnick, Pulphouse, Science Fiction
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Wednesday, July 24th, 2019
Here it is, the giant roundup of all books I bought during the first half of the year. Some, but not all, of these have been covered here before.
Allston, Aaron. Galatea in 2-D Baen, 1993. First edition paperback original, a Fine- copy with slight wear at points, inscribed by the author: “To Scott,/Many thanks!/Aaron Allston/ 11/5/93.” Replaces an unsigned copy. Bought from Half Price Books for $2.24.
Asher, Neal. Prador Moon. Night Shade Books, 2006. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine copy. Bought for $2 from a friend culling his library.
Avallone, Michael. Mannix. Popular Library, 1968. First edition paperback original, a Near Fine- copy with tiny chip out of top front corner, three small closed tears along rear outer cover edges, age darkening at top and along spine, and other touches of wear. Tie-in novel based on the first season of the TV detective show Mannix. Given to me as a gift.
Bloch, Robert. Screams. Underwood -Miller, 1989. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, with a $39.95 overprint pricing sticker on flap (as issued). Signed by Bloch. Omnibus edition of The Will To Kill, Firebug, and The Star Stalker, being the first hardback editions of each. Replaces an unsigned copy. Chalker/Owings (1991), page 440. Bought off eBay for $25.
Bradbury, Ray. Bullet Trick. Gauntlet Press, 2009. First edition hardback, one of 500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread, still in publisher’s shrinkwrap. Collection of teleplays and short fiction. List price of $85. Bought off eBay for $46.
Bradbury, Ray. Christmas Greetings 1982. Self-published, 1982. First edition broadsheet, a Near Fine copy with wrinkling on the right side (probably do to inadequate stiffing in an envelope shipped from France) and a former paperclip impression at top left. Inscribed by Bradbury. Bought for $30 plus shipping.
Bradbury, Ray, et. al. Ray Bradbury Chronicles Volume 6. Nantier Beall Minoustchine/Byron Preiss, no date (but 1994). First edition hardback, #828 of 1000 signed, numbered copies signed by Bradbury and the illustrators, a Fine- copy with a bit of spine lean (only noticeable because the book is so thin), in a Fine dust jacket. Bought for $26.10 plus shipping off eBay. Original published price was $45.
(Bradbury, Ray) Robin Anne Reid. Ray Bradbury: A Critical Companion. Greenwood Press, 2000. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in decorated boards, sans dust jacket, as issued. Signed by Bradbury. Non-fiction reference book. Bought from an Internet book dealer for $35.
Bush, George W. Decision Points. Crown Publishers, 2010. First edition hardback, a Near Fine copy with a faint red stain at heel, in a Fine- dust jacket with just bit of wrinkling at top and bottom edges. Signed by Bush. Autobiography of his time as President. Bought at a Half Price Books in Houston for $7.99, picked out of several unsigned copies (obviously they failed to check it for signatures when it came in; having known Bush signed in Houston, I took care to check every copy).
Bush, George W. 41: A Portrait of My Father. Crown Publishers, 2014. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with a tiny bit of wrinkling at head and heel. Signed by George W. Bush. Political biography of George H. W. Bush. Bought for $7.99 at a Half Price Books in Austin.
Campbell, John W. Frozen Hell. Wildside Press, 2019. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Longer version of Campbell’s “Who Goes There?” recently rediscovered. Introduction by Silverberg. Bought off Kickstarter for $25.
Caro, Robert A. Working. Knopf, 2019. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread, signed by Caro. Book of essays from this multiple Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and biographer. Tells stories from Caro’s research about the lengths to which he went to get the story right, such as finding out how Brown & Root made LBJ, and how Caro actually sat down to interview Ladybird Johnson about her husband’s longtime lover. Bought at Caro’s signing at Bookpeople for cover price.
Carroll, Jonathan. The Crow’s Dinner. Subterranean Press, 2017. First edition hardback, #220 of 1,000 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Collection of essays. Bought on sale at 50% off cover price.
Dalgaard, Niels. Damphammeren: En steampunk-anologi. Science Fiction Cirklen, 2018. First edition trade paperback original (with self-wrapper flats), a Fine copy, new and unread. Danish-language steampunk anthology Paul di Filippo sent to me.
Davidson, Avram. The Redward Edward Papers. Doubleday, 1978. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with slight bend at head and heel in a Near Fine dust jacket with very faint spotting, fading the red lettering on spine, slight age darkening to the white cover, and a few tiny specks of dust soiling. Inscribed to fellow science fiction and fantasy writer Randall Garrett on the front free endpaper: “June 25/78 Pacific Grove/Califo./For an old, good and helpful/friend,/Randall Garrett/with the Compliments/of the Author,/Avram Davidson.” Additionally signed by Davidson on the title page. Bought from Half Price Books for $45.
Delany, Samuel R. Letters From Amherst. Wesleyan University Press, 2019. First edition hardback, a Fine new copy, sans dust jacket with ISBN price sticker, as issued. Subtitled “Five Narrative Letters.” Bought for $16.96 pre-publication off Amazon, considerably off the list price of $45.
(Dick, Philip K.) Mckee, Gabriel. Pink Beams of Light from the God in the Gutter: The Science-Fictional religion of Philip K. Dick. University Press of America, 2004. First edition trade paperback original, #68 of 100 copies signed and dated by the author on the date of publication (1-6-04). Bought from an online book dealer for $35.
Di Filippo, Paul. Aeota. PS Publishing, 2019. First edition hardback, #76 of only 100 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in decorated boards and a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. “On the trail of a missing con man, our private eye hero uncovers a vast conspiracy that stretches from the dawn of time to the Omega Point—and find himself central to the whole enigmatic game.”
(Gaughan, Jack) Ortiz, Luis. Outermost: The Art + Life of Jack Gaughan. Nonstop Press, 2010. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in decorated boards, sans dust jacket, as issued, new and unread. Book on the renowned SF/F artist, including hundreds of examples of his art, in color throughout. Bought at a significant discount from the publisher.
Hand, Elizabeth. Icaus Descending. Bantam Spectra, 1993. First edition paperback original, a Fine- copy with a trace of wear at points and foxing to inside covers.
Harrison, Harry. The Stainless Steel Rat for President. Bantam Books, 1982. First mass market edition and first paperback edition (preceded by the SFBC edition, for which I also have a signed copy), a Near Fine copy with a bit of edgewear, most notable at head join, where there is also a very short (1/4″) crease. Signed by Harrison. The fifth Stainless Steel Rat book (at least by publication order).
Hawke, Simon. Much Ado About Murder. Tor Forge, 2002. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Shakespeare mystery. Bought for $2 from a friend culling his library.
Hawke, Simon. Timewars 1: The Ivanhoe Gambit. Ace, 1986. Paperback reprint, a Fine- copy with a tiny bit of edgewear. Inscribed by Hawke. “To Lori,/Best/Simon Hawke.”
Hawke, Simon (as Nicholas Yermakov). Jehad. Signet, 1984. First edition paperback original, a Very Good copy with spine creasing, edgewear, slight darkening to outer portion of white back cover, and slight foxing to inside covers. Inscribed by Hawke: “To Lori,/Best/(signature).” I think it may be signed as Yermakov; if so, it’s very similar in style to his Hawke signature. Hawke used to write under his birth name of Nicholas Yermakov, but legally changed his name to Simon Hawke in 1984. Third book in the Boomarang trilogy, about an alien race that possesses a form of linear immortality and human missions to the planet to “capture” it, and one with a number of notable cyberpunk elements.
Hawke, Simon. The Wizard of Camelot. Warner Books, 1995. First edition paperback original, a Fine copy. Inscribed by Hawke. “To Lori,/Best/Simon Hawke.”
Hawke, Simon. The Wizard of Santa Fe. Warner Books, 1991. First edition paperback original, a Fine- copy with an invisible spine crease. Inscribed by Hawke. “To Lori,/Best/Simon Hawke.”
Kosinski, Jerzy. Passing By: Selected Essays 1960-1991. Random House, 1992. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Left out on a neighborhood freebie table.
Lafferty, R. A. The Man Who Walked Through the Cracks: The Collected Short Fiction Volume Five. Centipede Press, 2019. First edition hardback, #40 of 300 signed, numbered copies, new and unread, still in publisher’s polybag. I have matching numbers of all five books in the series.
Lake, Jay. Death of a Starship. Monkeybrain Books, 2009. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine copy, new and unread. Bought for $4.99.
Lansdale, Joe R. Bubba and the Cosmic Blood-Suckers. Subterranean Press, 2917. First edition hardback, letter G of 26 signed, lettered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and Fine traycase. Prequel to Bubba Ho-tep. The traycase is a vaguely coppery color and feels vaguely suede-like. Supplements a signed trade edition. Bought off eBay for $185, $65 less than the original $250 publication price. I wouldn’t mind picking up all the Lansdale traycase editions, since I already have four of those, and have virtually everything else of Joe’s…
Lansdale, Joe R. The Steel Valentine. Pulphouse, 1991. First edition hardback, #36 of 100 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in imitation leather boards, sans dust jacket, as issued. Pulphouse Short Story Hardback #7, reprinted from By Bizarre Hands. I avoided the short story hardback line when it first came out, as I had a hard time thinking of them as real books rather than gimmicks, and didn’t expect them to hold their value. Now, after I’ve collected everything else by the author, I’ve been picking them up, and my original judgment about their collectability (or lack thereof) was largely accurate. I picked this and the following up for $29, which is all of $7 over the combined price of both when published…
Lansdale, Joe R. The Steel Valentine. Pulphouse, 1991. First edition trade paperback original (simultaneous with the hardback), a Fine copy, signed by Lansdale.
Lansdale, Joe R. and Karen, editors. Dark at Heart. Dark Harvest, 1992. First edition hardback, #120 of 400 copies signed by all the contributors, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with just a couple of touches of edgewear at top front (and a $45 price sticker on inside front flap, as per Chalker/Owings), in a Fine slipcase. Anthology of “dark suspense.” Includes some signatures I didn’t have in my collection heretofore. Chalker/Owings (2002), page 1049. Nova Express Lansdale Bibliography, 1A.2. Hankow, A Checklist of Joe R. Lansdale, AA4a. Bought for $17.26 plus shipping off eBay, less than half the publication price of $45.
Lee, Tanith. Dancing Through the Fire. Fantastic Books, 2015. First edition (stated, though it looks like a POD book) hardback, an Ex-Library copy with most of the usual flaws (stickers, stamps, dust jacket taped to boards, etc., but otherwise apparently new and unread. Don’t usually pick up such current books as Ex-Lib copies, but I’d never seen a copy of this before, there are no other firsts listed online, and this was very cheap (I think $3).
Ligotti, Thomas. A Little White Book of Screams and Whispers. Borderlands Press, 2019. First edition hardback, a #501 of 600 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued. A “compilation of Interviews with Ligotti that have never been collected or reprinted.” Out of print before publication.
Locke, George. Voyages in Space. Ferret Fantasy, 2015. First edition trade paperback original (simultaneous with a very small hardback run of only 28 copies), one of 500 copies, a Near Fine copy with slight wear along spine and what appears to be a spot of dampstaining at heel. Inscribed to Australian-born, Paris-resident science fiction, film and travel writer (and fellow book collector) John Baxter: “For John Baxter/With all good wishes and the/hope that you’ll run into one of the Olde/Aussie Interplanetaries when you next meet/the banana-benders!/George Locke”. (I also own Baxter’s The Inner Man: the life of J. G. Ballard.) Subtitled “A Bibliography of Interplanetary Fiction, 1801-1914.” Tymn Schlobin Currey, A Research Guide to Science Fiction Studies, 47. Barron, Anatomy of Wonder 4 7-7 (though only in passing, since the main entry is for Currey). Reginald, Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature 1975—1991, 28470. Bought from a UK bookdealer for £40 plus shipping.
Martin, George R. R., editor. Wild Cards: Black Trump. Baen, 1995. First edition paperback original, a Fine- copy with trace of edgewear and spine just slightly concave. All the Baen Wild Cards volumes are hard to find these days. Bought for $2.69.
Matheson, Richard. The Memoirs of Wild Bill Hickok. Jove, 1996. First edition paperback original, a Near Fine copy with previous owner’s small (Mylar?) ownership label and “January 1996” on the second blurb page, plus slight edgewear. Western novel. Replaces a reprint copy. Bought for $2.48.
Mayhar, Ardath. Carrots and Miggle. Atheneum, 1986. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Inscribed by Mayhar: “For Marj/with love/Ardath Mayhar/May, 1986.” Would you believe it’s a young adult novel about two girls on a farm in east Texas? Not a lot of those in my library. Bought for $6.49.
Mayhar, Ardath. Golden Dream: A Fuzzy Odyssey. Ace, 1982. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine- copy with rubbing to raised golden foil letters on front cover and just a trace of wear at heel, otherwise new and apparently unread. Inscribed by Mayhar: “For Marj/May all your dreams/be golden./Ardath —/Oct. 14, 1982.” Sequel to H. Beam Piper’s “Little Fuzzy” stories. Bought for $5.99.
Moorcock, Michael. Modem Times 2.0. PM Press, 2011. First edition trade paperback original, a Fine copy. Mixture of fiction (a Jerry Cornelius novella “Modem Times 2.0” previous published in different form as “Modem Times”), plus two essays and a bibliography. Bought for $4.99.
Moorcock, Michael, with James Cawthorn, as Desmond Reid. Caribbean Crisis. Sexton Blake Library 501/Fleetway Publications, 1962. First edition (“First Printing” stated) trade paperback original (digest format), a Very Good+ copy with small stains to front and rear cover from rusting staple bleed-through (a common flaw for this title), with very slight wrinkling along spine, slight wear at points, a touch of soiling to white cover and the usual age-darkening to the pages. 62 double-column pages, plus a two page “mailbag” at rear. Not sure if this counts as a book serial or a magazine, but it features an English detective who first made his debut in 1893. Currey, page 368. Tanelorn Archives, page 12. An online Sexton Blake bibliography says that W. Howard Baker also did some revisions on this. Bought online for $8.25.
Moorcock, Michael, and Mervyn Peake. The Sunday Books. Duckworth/Overlook, 2011. First English language edition (originally published in France), a Fine copy in decorated cloth, sans dust jacket, as issued. Book of children’s story art by Peake, based on tales he told his children but never wrote down, with story text by Moorcock (a friend of Peake’s and a notable champion of his work). Bought for $7.99.
Moore, C.L. The Scarlet Dream. Donald M. Grant, 1981. First edition hardback, one of 220 copies signed by Moore and illustrator Alicia Austin, a Fine- copy with a few pinhead spots of light staining at head, in a Fine- dust jacket with just a trace of wear at head and points, and very slight edge wrinkling at rear flap top, in a Near Fine slipcase with two tackhead sized abrasions to bottom. All the Northwest Smith science fiction adventure stories, including one (“Song in a Minor Key”) not in Northwest of Earth or Shambleau. Chalker/Owings, page 221. Bought for $60 from an internet dealer.
Moore, Ward. Breathe the Air Again. Harper & Brothers, 1942. First edition hardback (stated), an Ex-Lbrary copy with all the usual flaws, including spine sticker, stamps, pocket, internal stamps and stickers, etc., with touches of wear, some mild page-block soiling, points blunted, etc., lacking the dust jacket. Really only a reading/placeholder copy, but this seems to be a genuinely rare book; the only other copy I’ve seen pop up in all that time was about the same condition, but offered at over 10 times the cost. Reportedly a mainstream novel of labor organizing. Bought from a multilister for $18.63.
Nicolle, Ethan. Bears Want To Kill You. Bearmageddon, 2019. First edition hardback, #192 of 500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and Fine slipcase, with four stickers in a paper band laid in. Illustrated humor. Backed on Kickstarter (my name appears as a backer on page 234) for $35 plus shipping.
Niven, Larry. Neutron Star. Ballantine Books, 1968. First edition paperback original, a Very Good copy with spine creasing and slight lean, edgewear, and slight black marker staining over prices on front cover and spine (most, but not all, came off with Bestine, leaving a tiny bit of shadowing around the price). Currey, page 386. Bought for $1.99.
Powers, Tim. Alternate Routes. Charnel House, 2018 (though not received until 2019). First edition hardback, #54 of 150 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, in boards embossed with a large capital “L” gold stamped onto the cover, in polybag, with a sheet of instructions to leave it in the poly bag (due to possible rubbing off of the gold foil) laid in, sans dust jacket, as issued. Already out of print from the publisher, with at least one companion volume forthcoming.
Powers, Tim. The Drawing of the Dark. Del Rey, 1979. First edition paperback original, a Near Fine- copy with bookstore stamp on blurb page, wear along spine edges, and an invisible crease. Inscribed by Powers: “for/Richard—/Hoping you like/dark beer./Cheers,/Tim Powers/ 10/8/87.” Berlyne, A3a/1. Supplements the Hypatia hardback. For some reason I never picked this up when I was picking up all the other Powers PBOs. Bought from Half Price Books for $3.
Powers, Tim. More Walls Broken. Subterranean Press, 2019. First edition hardback, #378 (or possibly 318) of 500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Novella. Bought on sale at 50% off cover price.
Powers, Tim. More Walls Broken. Subterranean Press, 2019. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Trade edition. Bought on sale at 50% off cover price.
Reynolds, Alastair. On the Steel Breeze. Gollancz, 2013. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with a tiny bit of wear at points. Actually, this is a Reynolds that I missed when it first came out and had difficulty locating an affordable copy of, so I was quite surprised to be able to pick this up in just shy of perfect shape for a mere $5.99 at Half price Books.
Rosiak, Luke. Obstruction of Justice: How the Deep State Risked National Security to Protect the Democrats. Regnery Publishing, 2019. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. The story of how the Awan spy ring hacked the computers of congressional Democrats, and the ensuing coverup. Bought from Amazon for $19.24.
Rothfuss, Patrick. The Name of the Wind. DAW, 2007. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with the barest trace bend at points and a trace of haze-rubbing. Bought at Half Price Books for $14.99. Popular fantasy that seems to go in the $300-400 range these days.
Rusch, Kristine Kathryn, editor. Pulphouse: The Hardback Magazine Issue Three: Fantasy. Pulphouse, 1989. First edition hardback, #170 of 250 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine slipcase, sans dust jacket, as issued. Signed by contributors Avram Davidson, Harlan Ellison, Jack Williamson, Charles De Lint, Michael Bishop, Don Webb, etc. Bought off eBay for $22.99.
Rusch, Kristine Kathryn, editor. Pulphouse: The Hardback Magazine Issue Five: Horror. Pulphouse, 1989. First edition hardback, #36 of 250 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine slipcase, sans dust jacket, as issued. Signed by contributors George Alec Effinger, Ed Bryant, Elizabeth Hand, etc. Bought off eBay for $19.99.
Schow, David J. The Big Crush. Subterranean Press, 2019. First edition hardback, #733 (or possibly 133) of 500 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Novel. Bought on sale at 50% off cover price.
Schow, David J. DJStories. Subterranean Press, 2018. First edition hardback, #927 of 1000 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Oddly enough, this is one of the books I wanted to pick up in the Camelot sale late last year, but it was too recent to earn the discount. Bought off eBay for $17.95, plus shipping. (List price was $40.)
Shiner, Lewis. Outside the Gates of Eden. Subterranean, 2019. First edition hardback, #327 of 1,000 signed, numbered hardback copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Sweeping novel of rock music and the 1960s. Lew’s been working on this one a long time. To quote the publisher: “I consider Lewis Shiner’s Outside the Gates of Eden to be the best original novel SubPress will have published in our nearly twenty-five years of existence. At 880 pages, it’s also the longest. This is a book too important to miss.”
Silverberg, Robert. In The Beginning: Tales From The Pulp Era. Subterranean Press, 2006. First edition hardback, probably an Ex-Library copy: the dust jacket flaps have been glued to the inside covers, something has been crossed out at the top of the front free endpaper, and just below that is what appear to be very faint traces of pocket removal, very easy to miss against the thick patterned endpapers used, maybe a Near Fine/Near Fine Ex-Lib copy, #173 of 1,000 signed numbered copies. Again, normally I wouldn’t bother with an Ex-Lib for so recent a book, but I missed this when it first came out and all the copies online list for more than $100. Bought for $17.99.
Swanwick, Michael. Cigar Box Faust. Dragonstairs Press, 2019. First separate edition and first edition thus, preceded by the 2003 Tachyon chapbook Cigar Box Faust and Other Miniatures, one of only 40 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in special cigar box. Here’s the description from the Dragonstairs Press site:
Now you can produce your own performance of Cigar Box Faust. Dragonstairs Press is offering everything you need to mount your own production! The theater (a cigar box), the cast (a cigar in the title role and a cigar cutter as Mephistopheles, the sun, moon, and stars– well, cutouts and glitter), an mp3 file of Swanwick reading the text, and a chapbook of the script (a limited edition, signed by Michael Swanwick and numbered)!
Stross, Charlie. The Trade of Queens. Tor, 2010. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Sixth book in The Merchant Princes series. Bought for $5 from Recycled Reads.
Swanwick, Michael. Dragonskin. Dragonstairs Press, 2019. First edition chapbook original, letter J of 10 copies bound in python skin, a Fine copy, new and unread. Essays on writers who have written works on dragons: “The Scale-Hunter’s Wayward Son,” “The Mother of Earthsea,” “A Daughter of Pern,” “The Iron Dragon’s Father,” and “Afterword.”
Swanwick, Michael. Dragonskin. Dragonstairs Press, 2019. First edition chapbook original, #39 of 50 numbered copies, a Fine copy. (Note: the numbered edition I have states that the lettered edition is in boa constrictor skin rather than python, and it has a more sand-colored look rather than dark green.)
Vance, Jack. To Live Forever. Charles F. Miller, 1995. First limited edition, #116 of 500 signed, numbered hardbacks, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket and Fine slipcase. Cunningham, 79c. Chalker/Owings (2002), page 533. Supplements a signed copy of the Ballantine Books hardback first edition. Bought off eBay for $46.57 (original publication price was $60).
(Vance, Jack) Tim Underwood and Chuck Miller, editors. Jack Vance. Taplinger, 1980. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, signed by Vance. Book of critical essays. Hewett, M74. Replaces an unsigned copy. Bought from a friend for $35.
(Jack Vance) David Russell. Tschai: An illustrated Portfolio. First edition portfolio, #18 of 100 numbered copies signed by both artist Russell and Jack Vance, a Fine copy. Four black and white art prints. Bought off eBay for $35 plus shipping.
Wellman, Manly Wade. Clash on the Catawba. Ives Washburn, 1962. First edition hardback (no statement of printing, as per Currey), a Fine- copy, with a little bend at head and heel, in a Near Fine dust jacket with extremely shallow loss at head and heel and wear at points, plus bottom front flap corner (non-priced corner) clipped, which I’ve seen on several other Washburn titles, otherwise bright and unfaded. Third in a four-volume Revolutionary War YA series, preceded by Rifles at Ramsour’s Mill and Battle for King’s Mountain, and followed by The South Fork Rangers, all of which I have. Currey, page 512. Bought off the Internet for $20 plus shipping.
Wellman, Manly Wade. Harper’s Ferry Prize of War. MacNally of Charlotte, 1960. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with slight wear at heel and head in a Near Fine dust jacket with slight spine fading, a tiny bit of loss at tips, and a touch of edgewear at head and heel. Inscribed by Wellman to his brother and fellow author Paul I. Wellman on the pictorial front free endpaper: “author time to Paul/the old War Chief of the/Tribe/Centia Campa/from/Manly”. Civil War history book. Bought off eBay for $20.
Wellman, Manly Wade. The Kingdom of Madison: A Southern Mountain Fastness and Its People. The University of North Carolina Press, 1973. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with a trace of dust soiling at head and heel in a Near Fine, corner-clipped dust jacket that will get traded out for the unclipped dust jacket on my unsigned copy. Inscribed by Wellman: “for/Bill Washburn/and/Linda Ocker/Manly Wade Wellman/April 26, 1973.” Non-fiction. Bought for $20 plus shipping off eBay.
Wellman, Manly Wade. Not At These Hands. Putnam’s, 1962. First edition hardback, a Very Good+ copy with slight bumping at head and heel, slight wear to spine, and a faint dime-sized stain to page edges, in a Very Good- dust jacket with several small tears which I’ll be trading out with the better dust jacket on my unsigned copy. Inscribed by Wellman: “with best wishes/to/Richard Steele/(read it sometime)/Manly Wade Wellman.” Currey (1979), page 514. Mystery novel. Bought for $34.99 off eBay.
Wells, H. G. The Time Machine with The War of The Worlds. Limited Editions Club, 1964. First edition thus, #1327 of 1500 numbered sets signed by illustrator Joseph Mugnaini in each book, each Fine copies, sans dust jackets (as issued), in a Very Good+ slipcase with abrasions along the top and other touches of wear. Mugnaini is probably most famous to SF readers for his illustrations of Ray Bradbury books, especially the first edition of The Halloween Tree. This is a handsome set that usually lists for 2-3 times what I paid, and it’s possible I’ll never own nice copies of the true first editions of either. Bought off eBay for $50 for the set.
Willis, Connie, and Cynthia Felice. Light Raid. Ace, 1989. First edition hardback, a Very Good+ copy with rubbing along gilt of spine and bumping at head and heel, in a Fine dust jacket. Inscribed by both the authors: “To Meschke,/The elegeantly/written half is by me./Connie/Willis” “To Meschke/The fun stuff is all/by me! Cynthia Felice.” Karen Meschke was con chair of the 1997 San Antonio Worldcon, where Willis won the Hugo for Best Short Story. Bought from Half Price Books for $13.50.
Wilson, Gahan. Everybody’s Favorite Duck. Mysterious Press, 1988. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Inscribed by Wilson: “To/David-/Gahan/Wilson/and/the/duck” with an arrow pointing to a drawing of a duck. Looks like a literary mystery/adventure pastiche of multiple authors, much in the manner of Roger Zelazny’s A Night in the Lonesome October (or vice versa, as this precedes the Zelazny by five years), which, interestingly enough, was also illustrated by Gahan Wilson. Bought off the Internet for $17.
Wolfe, Gene. Innocents Abroad. Tor, 2004. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, signed by Wolfe. Bought off eBay for $14.99 plus shipping.
Wolfe, Gene. Weird Tales #290 (Sixty-Fifth Anniversary Issue): Special Gene Wolfe Issue. Terminus Publishing, 1988. First edition hardback-bound state of the magazine, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued. Inscribed by Wolfe and editors Darrell Schweitzer, John Betancourt, and George H. Scithers to “Bruce.” Presentation state, lacking the limitation page but including the extra George Barr illustration not in the regular magazine edition, which is where Wolfe signed. Includes six Wolfe stories (one original), an interview and a profile. There were evidently 100 copies of the hardbound limited edition done at a list price of $50, but I’m not sure how many of these presentation state were done. Bought off eBay for $27.95.
Tags:Books, Charles Stross, David J. Schow, Gene Wolfe, Jack Vance, Joe R. Lansdale, Liz Hand, Manly Wade Wellman, Michael Moorcock, Michael Swanwick, Neal Asher, Ray Bradbury, Simon Hawke, Subterranean Press, Tim Powers
Posted in Books, Fantasy, Horror, Science Fiction | No Comments »
Thursday, May 23rd, 2019
Checking eBay after Gene Wolfe died, I came across a listing for a signed copy of Innocents Aboard, and wondered to myself “Is my copy signed?”
That’s when I found out that, much to my chagrin, I did not own a copy of Innocents Aboard at all.
Hence this:
Wolfe, Gene. Innocents Abroad. Tor, 2004. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, signed by Wolfe. Bought off eBay for $14.99 plus shipping.
Tags:Books, Fantasy, Gene Wolfe, Science Fiction, signed
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Tuesday, April 16th, 2019
Science fiction writer Gene Wolfe died on Sunday. If you know who Gene Wolfe was no explanation is necessary, and if you don’t no explanation is possible.
He was the best of us all: the cleverest, trickiest science fiction writer alive, capable of carrying off narrative gambits the rest of us could barely conceive of. And this was not just my opinion: it’s all but universally held in the field, from Neil Gaiman to Howard Waldrop.
In The Book of the Short Sun, protagonist Horn sets off to retrieve Patera Silk, the protagonist of The Book of the Long Sun. He comes back thinking he’s failed. The great tragedy of the work is that he hasn’t. In Return to the Whorl, there comes a line of just two words: “Silk nodded.”
And it’s absolutely heartbreaking.
Gene Wolfe was a Korean War veteran, a fact that greatly shaped The Book of the New Sun, whose last volume features protagonist Severian gradually being drawn into a distant war. He was also a working engineer, and helped develop the cooking portion of the machine that makes Pringles potato chips. He was also an editor on Plant Engineering magazine, where he handled (among other things) robotics and cartoons.
Gene was a friend, albeit one I saw only every half a decade or so. I interviewed him for Nova Express at the 1998 Worldcon, bringing a box of his books with me to sign. (Since then, of course, I’ve picked up many more.) We had lunch together at the 2012 Chicago Worldcon, by which time his beloved wife Rosemary was dying of Alzheimer’s.
Here’s a scanned picture of Gene and Rosemary on their wedding day from A Wolfe Family Album:
And here’s a picture of Gene and Rosemary (with Elizabeth Hand in-between) at the 2009 Readercon:
And here are some pictures of Gene’s books from my library:
He will be deeply missed.
Tags:Books, Fantasy, Gene Wolfe, Obituary, Science Fiction
Posted in Books, Fantasy, Obituary, Science Fiction | 3 Comments »
Saturday, March 2nd, 2019
Two signed firsts bought cheap off eBay:
Schow, David J. DJStories. Subterranean Press, 2018. First edition hardback, #927 of 1000 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Oddly enough, this is one of the books I wanted to pick up in the Camelot sale late last year, but it was too recent to earn the discount. Bought off eBay for $17.95, plus shipping. (List price was $40.)
Wolfe, Gene. Weird Tales #290 (Sixty-Fifth Anniversary Issue): Special Gene Wolfe Issue. Terminus Publishing, 1988. First edition hardback-bound state of the magazine, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued. Inscribed by Wolfe and editors Darrell Schweitzer, John Betancourt, and George H. Scithers to “Bruce.” Presentation state, lacking the limitation page but including the extra George Barr illustration not in the regular magazine edition, which is where Wolfe signed. Includes six Wolfe stories (one original), an interview and a profile. There were evidently 100 copies of the hardbound limited edition done at a list price of $50, but I’m not sure how many of these presentation state were done. Bought off eBay for $27.95.
Tags:Books, David J. Schow, Gene Wolfe, Horror, Science Fiction, small press publishers, Subterranean Press, Weird Tales
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