Archive for February, 2015

Shoegazer Sunday: Jeniferever’s “The Sound of Beating Wings”

Sunday, February 8th, 2015

This is pretty swell considering the lead singer can’t really sing. If this band was fronted by a top-notch singer like Rachel Goswell or Hope Sandoval, it would be unbelievably awesome.

Library Addition: H.P. Lovecraft: A Life

Wednesday, February 4th, 2015

I finally found a copy of the definitive one-volume H. P. Lovecraft biography I could afford.

(Lovecraft, H.P.) Joshi, S. T. H. P. Lovecraft: A Life. Necronomicon Press, 1996. First edition, one of only 250 signed hardbacks (the only hardback edition), a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with a very tiny wrinkle at head. Widely considered to be the definitive Lovecraft biography until Joshi’s two volume expansion I Am Providence (which I also have) came out in 2010. The hardback of H. P. Lovecraft: A Life peaked around $500, but has since drifted down a bit. I bought this one from the publisher off eBay for $160.

Lovecraft A Life

Library Additions: Several Interesting Books

Monday, February 2nd, 2015

A batch of interesting books from January:

  • Baxter, Stephen. Raft. Grafton, 1991. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with a tiny bit of haze rubbing. Author’s first book. Bought for $50 off an Australian Internet dealer. Replaces an Ex-Library copy.

    Raft

  • Farmer, Philip Jose. The Grand Adventure. Berkley Books, 1984. First hardback edition, #264 of 325 signed, numbered hardbacks, a Fine- copy (tiny bit of wear to reflective inlay pattern to the cover), sans dust jacket in a Fine slipcase, as issued. The trade paperback precedes by a month. This limited edition is the only hardback edition. Bought for $39.99 off eBay, which is less than the original issue price of $50.
  • Friedman, Kinky. A Case of Lone Star. Beech Tree Books, 1987. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with slight haze rubbing. Inscribed by Friedman: “To Justa—/to one good/American from/another —/Your friend,/Kinky/Aug 13, 1987.” Bought at the 2015 Austin Book Show for (after discounts and show $5 credit) $10.

    Kinky sig

  • Leckie, Ann. Ancillary Justice. Gale/Thorndike Press, 2015. First hardback edition (a Large Print edition preceded by the trade paperback original and which, in turn, precedes the forthcoming Subterranean Press signed/limited edition), a Fine copy in decorated boards, sans dust jacket, as issued. Hugo and Nebula winner for best novel.

    Ancillary justice LP

  • (Lovecraft, H.P.) Books at Brown, 1991-1992, Volumes XXXVIII-XXIX. The Friends of the Library of Brown University, 1995. First edition academic journal, trade paperback format, a Near Fine copy with a slightly bent top outer corner. Features numerous essays on H. P. Lovecraft (the Providence native for which the Brown library contains considerable holdings), including work from S. T. Joshi, Peter Canon, Robert Price, etc.

    Books at Brown

  • Moorcock, Michael. The Whispering Swarm. Tor, 2014. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Signed by Moorcock. Seems to be both a roman a clef of growing up in London, as well as a world shift fantasy.
  • Smith, Clark Ashton (Johnson, Raymond F. and Ardath Winterowd, editors). Shadows Seen and Unseen. HTH Art Studio, 2007. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket over decorated boards, signed by the editors. Odd miscellanea of poems, facsimile manuscripts, drawings, paintings, and non-fiction about Smith from various sources. An oversized, 94 page hardback.

    Shadows Seen

  • Shoegazer Sunday: Ulrich Schnauss’ “Clear Day”

    Sunday, February 1st, 2015

    Ulrich Schnauss seems to have played with half the people in Shoegazerdom, from Mojave 3 to Asobi Seksu. Here’s “Clear Day” from one of his solo works, which sounds a bit like Malory.