Archive for December, 2014

Library Additions: Three Ray Bradbury Chapbooks By Roy Squires

Thursday, December 4th, 2014

Three more Ray Bradbury chapbooks from small press publisher Roy A. Squires, all bought from Lloyd Currey for $28 each.

  • Bradbury, Ray. Old Ahab’s Friend, and Friend to Noah, Speaks His Piece. Roy A. Squires, 1971. First edition thread-bound chapbook original, #152 of 485 copies, a Fine copy.

    Bradbury Old Ahab

  • Bradbury, Ray. That Ghost, That Bride of Time. Roy A. Squires, 1976. First edition thread-bound chapbook original, #289 of 400 copies, a Fine copy, in mailing envelope. (You can’t see from the scan, but the title is just barely visible through the slightly translucent paper wrapper.)

    Bradbury That Ghost

  • Bradbury, Ray. That Son of Richard III. Roy A. Squires, 1974. First edition thread-bound chapbook original, #164 of 400 “ordinary” copies, a Fine copy, in mailing envelope. With small typed note from the publisher laid in: “Send No Money, Rik. We’ll get squared away at Westercon.” and “RAS” signature.

    Bradbury Son Richard III

  • Library Additions: Three Michael Moorcock Titles

    Wednesday, December 3rd, 2014

    Update: I was curious about the publisher’ stamp, so I asked Moorcock why “Wehman Bros./Publishers/138 Main Street/Hackensack, N.J.” was stamped on the title page. Mike thinks these copies were illegally imported into the U.S. and sold by Wehman Bros., which would explain the $3.00 stamp on The Stealer of Souls (and there appears to a sticker pull just above the price clip on the other where the same $3.00 stamp used to be); I guess that would make them second state dust jackets. I’ve also noted that the binding on The Stealer of Souls is actually the First State binding, as per Tanalorn Archives.

    I bought a lot of imperfect Michael Moorcock first editions in a Heritage auction. There were a total of seven titles I got for $26 plus buyer’s premium and shipping. Four will be going cheap in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog, but these are going into my own library:

  • Moorcock, Michael. The Stealer of Souls. Neville Spearman, 1963. First edition hardback, a Fine- first state (orange binding with black lettering) copy with publisher stamp for “Wehman Bros./Publishers/138 Main Street/Hackensack, N.J.” on title page, and some slight bend at head and heel, in a Very Good-, price-clipped dust jacket with $3.00 stamp above price clip, rubbing and shallow chipping and wear at extremities. Though I usually look for books in better condition than this (at least for this era), this and Stormbringer were too cheap to pass up. Tanalorn Archive, page 32. Currey (1979), page 373.

    Stealer of Souls

  • Moorcock, Michael. Stormbringer. Herbert Jenkins, 1965. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with “Wehman Bros./Publishers/138 Main Street/Hackensack, N.J.” stamp on title page, and slight bend at head and heel, in a Very Good, price-clipped dust jacket with sticker pull just over the price clip, rubbing and shallow chipping at extremities. Tanalorn Archive, page 32. Currey (1979), page 373.

    Stormbringer

  • Moorcock, Michael. The Sword of the Dawn. White Lion, 1973. First hardback edition, a Fine- copy with a tiny bit of bend at head and heel in a Near Fine dust jacket with slight rubbing. Tanalorn Archive, page 34. Currey (1979), page 373.

    Sword of the Dawn

  • The Force Awakens Trailer…In LEGO

    Monday, December 1st, 2014

    I assume you’ve already seen the teaser trailer for next year’s Star Wars movie.

    Well, here’s the LEGO remake. I’m super-impressed with how quickly they put it together, and how amazingly close to the original it is.