There’s been a tiny bit of news in the case of murdered bookstore owner Sherry Black: police have released pictures of a belt that may belong to her murderer. So if you live in Salt Lake City and know someone with criminal tendencies who has worn a belt with the initials “AX” on the buckle… Continue reading Sherry Black Murder Tidbits Trickle Out
Category: Books
Blogroll Updates
I’ve been doing a little blog-roll updating, and I’ve finally got around to adding the blogs of some other writers. (The Wheels of Futuramen may grind slow, but they grand exceedingly, well, slow. Glacial, even.) These are writers who are personal friends I know and like, who are excellent writers, who write interesting blogs, or… Continue reading Blogroll Updates
Recent First Edition Acquisition: George Orwell’s 1984
You might have noticed that I buy a few books. I’m trying to assemble a library of every important (IMHO) science fiction book ever published in first edition hardback (plus selected fantasy and horror titles to boot), but I’m also doing it on the budget of someone who is not made of money. With one… Continue reading Recent First Edition Acquisition: George Orwell’s 1984
More from the Salt Lake City Crime Blotter
A commenter on the Sherry Black murder followup suggested a possible connection between her murder and the arrest of transient Paul David Vara (not Vera) on multiple rape charges. I am unable to find any mention of a connection with the Sherry Black murder, or Lorin Nielsen, or Insane Clown Posse, in the searches on… Continue reading More from the Salt Lake City Crime Blotter
Sherry Black, Pickers, and the Salt Lake City Meth Underworld
As far as I can tell, there are no new leads in the murder of bookseller Sherry Black. Or at least none that the police are sharing with the media. However, that blog update did link to this fascinating piece from 2008 talking about a ring of meth addicts stealing Mormon collectables and selling them… Continue reading Sherry Black, Pickers, and the Salt Lake City Meth Underworld
The Lame Excuse Books December 2010 Catalog
I sent out the Lame Excuse Books December 2010 to regular customers last week. Here it is (minus the books that sold out) in “just plopped the hell down as text on a blog” form: Greetings, and welcome to Lawrence Person’s Lame Excuse for a Book Catalog! Once again there’s lots of great stuff, including… Continue reading The Lame Excuse Books December 2010 Catalog
Book Review: Gene Wolfe’s Home Fires
Home Fires By Gene Wolfe Tor, 2011. Following the fantasy of The Sorcerer’s House, Gene Wolfe has given us a near-future, stand-alone SF novel. Home Fires features Skip, a very successful lawyer in a somewhat dystopian North America awaiting the return of his young, beautiful wife (or “contracta”) Chelle from military service in another star… Continue reading Book Review: Gene Wolfe’s Home Fires
Charles Portis is Still Alive?
Evidently so, according to The New York Times, which semi-interviews and profiles him in advance of the Coen Brother’s True Grit opening. And if you haven’t read the original novel it’s well worth doing so. Not my favorite western (or even my favorite western made into a John Wayne movie, as Glenden Swarthout’s The Shootist… Continue reading Charles Portis is Still Alive?
New Lame Excuse Books Catalog This Week
I intend to send out my latest Lame Excuse for a Book Catalog to regular customers via email this week. Lots of new small press books by the likes of Joe R. Lansdale, Jay Lake, Ted Chiang, Peter Straub, Joe Hill and Charles Stross, along with the huge, definitive, two-volume H. P. Lovecraft biography I… Continue reading New Lame Excuse Books Catalog This Week
Sherry Black Murder Follow-Up #2
This story by Paul Koepp of the Deseret News, unlike the one I linked to yesterday, seems competently written, and sheds light on a few items that were previously unclear, namely: Suspect Lorin Nielsen pleaded guilty in April 2009 to theft, a third-degree felony, and theft by deception, a second-degree felony. He was sentenced to… Continue reading Sherry Black Murder Follow-Up #2