Posts Tagged ‘Gene Wolfe’

Rosemary Wolfe, RIP

Monday, December 16th, 2013

From Michael Swanwick comes the sad news that Rosemary Wolfe, Gene Wolfe’s wife of more than 50 years, has died.

I don’t have a lot to add to Michael’s write-up. I knew that she had been suffering for ill health for some time, and had been confined to 24-hour care for over a year.

My condolences to Gene and the rest of the Wolfe family on her passing.

Here’s a scanned picture of Gene and Rosemary on their wedding day from A Wolfe Family Album:

Wolfe Wedding

And here’s a picture of Gene and Rosemary (with Elizabeth Hand in-between) at the 2009 Readercon:

10399694_1096304367956_2997018_n

Library Addition: A [Gene] Wolfe Family Album

Tuesday, December 10th, 2013

I’ve been busy and have gotten slightly behind in cataloging books that have come in. In the interests “some content is better than no content,” I’m going to catalog the more interesting ones one at a time until I catch up with the backlog.

Up first: One of the few Gene Wolfe chapbooks I didn’t already own:

Wolfe, Gene. A Wolfe Family Album. United Mythologies Press, 1991. First edition chapbook original, a Fine copy. Signed by Gene Wolfe. Chapbook of mostly Wolfe family photos, evidently issued with the hardback edition of Letters Home (which I’ve owned for some time, but which didn’t come with the chapbooks when I bought it).

Wolfe Family Album

An Overview of Gene Wolfe’s Time at Plant Engineering Magazine

Saturday, August 17th, 2013

Nigel Price alerted me to his short but interesting piece on Gene Wolfe’s time at Plant Engineerring magazine, where he got to write on a number of interesting engineering subjects, including robotics. (And there are a number of other pieces up at Ultan’s Library (which boasts an A-List cast of Gene Wolfe scholars) worthy of your attention. ) It, in turn, quotes the Nova Express interview I did with Gene at the 1998 Baltimore Worldcon (which I think is worth your attention if you haven’t read it already).

Alas, Gene won’t be able to make the San Antonio Worldcon, since the folks at DragonCon have evidently paid his way there instead….

Library Additions: January 1, 2013—June 13, 2013

Thursday, June 20th, 2013

Time for another roundup of the books I’ve bought over the lat (roughly) half year. (Why June 13 rather than the end of the month? Because I’ve just purchased a large Roger Zelazny collection I have yet to catalog, and I want to get all this out of the way and posted before I start cataloging that.)

As always, all books listed here are Fine first edition hardbacks in Fine dust jackets unless otherwise noted.

  • Anderson, Poul. Homebrew. NESFA Press, 1976. First edition hardback, one of 500 copies signed by Anderson (Currey B, no priority), a Fine- copy with slight bumping at head and heel in a Fine- dust jacket with a tiny bit of dust patterning to rear dust jacket. Currey (1978), pages 10-11. Three short stories plus miscellany.

  • Ashley, Mike, editor. Steampunk. Fall River Press, 2011. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in decorated boards, sans dust jacket, as issued. Anthology.
  • Asimov, Isaac. Foundations Edge. Whispers Press, 1982. First limited edition (consensus seems to be that the Doubleday trade edition precedes by about a month), #282 of 1,000 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in quarter-bound leather over embossed cloth boards, top edge gilded in real gold, sans dust jacket, as issued. Hugo winner and Nebula Finalist. Chalker/Owings, p. 476. Bought off the Internet for $160.

  • Asimov, Isaac and Theodosius Dobzhansky. The Genetic Effects of Radiation. U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, 1966. Presumed first edition chapbook (no additional printings listed), a Near Fine copy with slight dust soiling and age darkening to covers, and phantom crease to bottom corner. Non-fiction pamphlet. Marjorie M. Miller, Asimov: A Checklist, page 48.

  • Baker, Kage and Kathleen Bartholomew. Nell Gwynnes’s At Land and At Sea. Subterranean Press, 2013.
  • Baxter, Stephen. Gravity Dreams. PS Publishing, 2011. First edition hardback, #17 of 100 signed, numbered copies, Fine in a Fine dust jacket.
  • Benford, Gregory. At the Double Solstice. Cheap Street, 1986. First edition chapbook original, a Fine copy, in original mailing envelope. Chalker/Owings, page 108, which lists this copy (with publisher’s greetings on (unnumbered) page 23) as one of 60 copies thus, one of apparently four states.

  • Benford, Gregory. Time’s Rub. Cheap Street, 1984. First edition chapbook original, a Fine copy, in original mailing envelope. Chalker/Owings, page 107, which lists this copy (with publisher’s greetings on (unnumbered) page 19) as one of 73 copies thus, one of apparently four states.

  • Bishop, Michael and Steven Utley, editors. Passing for Human. PS Publishing, 2009. First edition hardback, #189 of 200 numbered copies signed by all the contributors, supposedly in a slipcase, but this copy actually came in a traycase, Fine in a Fine dust jacket and traycase.
  • Bok, Hannes. Bok 1. Glenn Nigra, 1975. Portfolio with 12 loose Hannes Bok illustration sheets, portfolio folder Fine- with bumping to corners, all illustrations Fine. Uneven shading in pic is a scanner artifact, as the portfolio folder is actually slightly too large to fit on the scanner.

  • Bradbury, Ray. Nemo! Subterranean Press, 2013.
  • Buekes, Lauren. The Shining Girls. Umuzi (South Africa), 2013. First edition hardback, #224 of 1000 copies signed and numbered by the author, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, new and unread. Precedes both UK and U.S. editions.

  • Dann. Jack. Insinuations. PS Publishing, 2010. First edition hardback, one of 100 signed, numbered copies (my number could either be 04, 14, or 64), Fine in a Fine dust jacket. Autobiography (non-fiction).
  • Davidson, Avram. The Beasts of the Elysian Fields by Conrad Amber. The Nutmeg Point District Mail, 2001. First edition chapbook, Fine.

  • Davidson, Avram. The Wailing of the Gaulish Dead The Nutmeg Point District Mail, 2013. Perfect-bound chapbook first edition, one of 200 copies in heavy cardstock with self-wrapper flaps and errata sheet pasted inside, a Fine copy. I’ll have copies for sale in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog.

  • De Camp, L. Sprague, and Fletcher Pratt. The Carnelian Cube. Gnome Press, 1948. First edition hardback, a Very Good+ copy with bumping at head and heel and wear at heel and tips, and slight dust soiling at head, in a Very Good- dust jacket with 1/4″ loss at head, and slightly less loss at heel and tips, significant fading to red ink on spine (the cube is barely carnelian anymore), partial stamp on rear flap, top front (non-price) flap trimmed at very tip, and general wear. The first Gnome Press book. Chalker & Owings, page 197. Earl Terry Kemp, The Anthem Series (see below), page 191. Currey (1978), page 132.

    Really only a placeholder copy, and I wouldn’t even have picked it up if it hadn’t been part of a lot with:

  • De Camp, L. Sprague, and Fletcher Pratt. Land of Unreason. Henry Holt and Company, 1942. First edition hardback, a Near Fine+ plus copy, with slight bumping at head and heel and slight dust soiling to page block at heel, in a Near Fine dust jacket with age darkening to rear cover. A very nice copy, and a splendid example of the Boris Artzybasheff dust jacket. Bought for $34 for this and the above (plus shipping and buyers premium) off Heritage Auctions.

  • DeVore, Chuck. The Texas Model: Prosperity in the Lone Star State and Lessons for America. Texas Public Policy Foundation, 2012. Trade Paperback Original, Fine. Inscribed by the author. Non-fiction.
  • Dick, Philip K. The Collected Stories of Philip K. Dick volume 3: On the Dull Earth. Subterranean, 2012.
  • Dick, Philip K./Howard L. Cory. The Unteleported Man/The Mind Monsters. Ace, 1966. First edition paperback original (PBO) (Ace Double G-602, 50¢ price on cover), a Near Fine copy with faint spine crease, touches of edgewear, a few dog-eared pages, and slighting foxing. Levack, PKD, 43a. Currey, page 159.
  • Dick, Philip K. The Unteleported Man. Berkley, 1983. First edition paperback original thus, with previously unpublished original ending, VG+ with spine creasing.
  • Di Filippo, Paul. Roadside Bodhisattva. PS Publishing, 2010. First edition hardback, one of 100 signed copies in traycase.

  • Ellis, Novalyne Price. One Who Walked Alone: Robert E. Howard: The Final Years. Donald M. Grant, 1986. Non-fiction. Basis of the movie The Whole Wide World.

  • Ellison, Harlan. The Deadly Streets. Edgeworks Abbey/Subterranean Press, 2013. First hardback edition. One of 750 trade copies.
  • Ellison, Harlan. Gentlemen Junkie. Edgeworks Abbey/Subterranean Press, 2013. First hardback edition. One of 750 trade copies.
  • Fanthorpe, R. L. (as Pel Torro). Galaxy 666. Tower Books, 1968. First American paperback edition, a Fine- copy with a touch of edgewear and a penciled letter at head. Reported to be the worst science fiction novel ever professionally published.
  • Gaiman, Neil. Day of the Dead: An Annotated Babylon 5 Script. DreamHaven Book, 1998. First edition trade paperback original, Fine. Bought for $1.
  • Gingrich, Newt. To Renew America. Harper Collins, 1995. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Near Fine dust jacket with crease to front inner flap. Inscribed to me by the author. Non-fiction.
  • Haldeman, Joe. The Best of Joe Haldeman. Subterranean Press, 2013. First edition hardback, #147 of 250 signed, numbered copies.
  • Haldeman, Joe. The Best of Joe Haldeman. Subterranean Press, 2013. First edition hardback, trade edition.
  • Howard, Robert E. Lord of the Dead. Donald M. Grant, 1981.
  • Kemp, Earl Terry. The Anthem Series: A Guide to the Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror and Weird Specialty Publisher’s of the Golden Age. The Last Stand, 2012. First edition trade paperback edition, oversized, a Fine copy (or it was before I started reading it). Non-fiction. I’ll try to finish a review of this in the near future.

  • Kinsella, W. P. Shoeless Joe. Houghton Mifflin Company, 1982. First edition hardback, a Near Fine- copy with a trace of spine lean and faint dust soiling at heel in a Fine- dust jacket with a thin line of very slight discoloration at the very top. Locke, Spectrum of Fantasy Three, page 49.
  • Klaw, Rick, editor. The Apes of Wrath. Tachyon, 2013. Trade paperback original, Fine. Inscribed to me by the author.
  • Lake, Jay (with illustrations by Frank Wu). Greetings From Lake Wu. Traife Buffet, 2006. First hardback edition, one of 250 copies signed by the author and illustrator, a Fine copy in decorated boards and cut-out slipcase, sans dust jacket, as issued. Contents differ considerably from 2003 trade edition. When this originally came out I thought “$150 for 250 signed, numbered copies? That’s a reasonable price point…for a Neil Gaiman limited.” (Sorry, Jay.) I picked this up for $30.

  • Lansdale, Joe R. Dead Aim. Subterranean Press, 2013. One of 400 signed, numbered copies.
  • Lansdale, Joe R. Dead Aim. Subterranean Press, 2013. Trade edition.
  • Lansdale, Joe R. (writing as Ray Slater). Texas Night Riders. Chivers Press/Curley Publishing, 1991. First hardback edition (preceded by the 1983 Leisure Books paperback original), an ex-library copy with minimal markings (a stamp on front free endpaper), otherwise VG in decorated boards with bumping along extremities, sans dust jacket, as issued. Part of the Large Print Atlantic Western line. Hankow, A Checklist of Joe R. Lansdale, A3b.

  • (Lansdale, Joe R.) Michael Blaine, Dennis Etchison, James Kisner, Dean R. Koontz, Joe R. Lansdale, Richard Christian Matheson, Robert R. McCammon, William F. Nolan, Alan Rodgers, David B. Silva, J. N. Williamson and Chelsea Quinn Yarbro. The Monitors of Providence. World Fantasy Convention, 1986. First edition chapbook original, one of 1000 copies given out at the 1986 World fantasy Convention in Providence, RI, a Fine copy.

  • Leiber, Fritz. In the Beginning. Cheap Street, 1983. First edition hardback, #67 of 128 copies of the “Collectors’ Edition” signed by both Leiber and illustrator Alicia Austin (there were also 10 lettered collector’s copies, and 7 lettered and 32 number publisher’s copies), a Fine copy, in full cloth with title labels pasted on front and spine, sans dust jacket, as issued, with prospectus laid in. Chalker/Ownings, pages 106-107.

  • Ligotti, Thomas. The Agonizing Resurrection of Victor Frankenstein & Other Gothic Tales. Silver Salamander Press, 1994. First edition hardback, number 116 of 125 hardback copies, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket, with small black and white art plate laid in. Bought for $200, marked down from $400, from the Half Price Books on 183 with their 50% off coupon (I showed up when the door opened). Probably the rarest Ligotti hardback. (Evidently the hardback state of The Silver Scarab Press edition of Songs From a Dead Dreamer is spurious; proof yet again you can’t completely trust Chalker & Ownings.)

  • (Lovecraft, H. P.) Burleson, Donald R. H.P. Lovecraft: A Critical Study. Greenwood Press, 1983. Non-fiction.
  • (Lovecraft, H. P.) Price, Robert M., editor. Worlds of Cthulhu. Fedogan & Breamer, 2012. Cthulhu Mythos anthology. Good to see Fedogan & Breamer wake from their deathless slumbers. I’ll have copies of this for sale in the next Lame Excuse Books catalog.
  • MacLeod, Ian R. Wake Up and Dream. PS Publishing, 2011. First edition hardback, #38 of 100 signed, numbered copies, Fine in a Fine dust jacket and slipcase.
  • McKillip, Patricia A. The Forgotten Beasts of Eld. Atheneum, 1974. First edition hardback, a Near Fine copy with bend at head and heel in a Near Fine- dust jacket with crimping at head and heel, edgewear and a closed 1/4″ tear at top front cover. The very first winner of the World Fantasy Award for Best Novel. Pringle, Modern Fantasy 100, #54. Bought for $26 off the Internet.

  • Martin, George R. R. (and Roger Zelazny). The Last Defender of Camelot. Subterranean Press, 2003. First edition chapbook, a Fine copy, new and unread. Includes Martin’s teleplay for the revived Twilight Zone as well as Zelazny’s original story. Evidently done as part of the slipcased edition of Martin’s GRRM career retrospective collection.

  • McCammon, Robert. I Travel By Night. Subterranean Press, 2013. Trade edition.
  • McCammon, Robert. I Travel By Night. Subterranean Press, 2013. #306 of 474 signed, numbered copies. The trade edition precedes by about 8 weeks.
  • Moorcock, Michael. Epic Pooh. British Fantasy Society, 1978. First edition chapbook, Fine- with tiny bit of creasing to bottom outer corner tip. Non-fiction.

  • Moorcock, Michael. Wizardry and Wild Romance. Gollancz, 1987. Non-fiction.
  • Novik, Naomi. Empire of Ivory. Harper Voyager, 2007. First hardback edition; the U.S. edition, which I have, is a PBO that precedes by a month. The fourth Temeraire, and since I have the rest in hardback, and just read the third one, I thought it was high time to pick this up…
  • Potter, J. K. (William Schafer and Bill Sheehan, editors). Embrace the Mutation. Subterranean Press, 2002. First edition hardback, one of 250 copies signed by the artist and editors. Anthology of stories based on Potter’s work.
  • Powers, Tim. Salvage and Demolition. Subterranean Press, 2013. One of 350 signed, numbered copies.
  • Powers, Tim. Salvage and Demolition. Subterranean Press, 2013. Trade edition.
  • Resnick, Mike. Lucifer Jones. Warner Questar, 1992. First edition paperback original this, a Fine- copy with just a trace of wear at tips.
  • Russell, Eric frank. The Space Willies b/w Six Worlds Yonder. Ace Books, 1958. Paperback reprint, VG with spine creasing and wear.
  • Scalzi, John. Redshirts. Tor, 2012. Bought for half cover price at Half Price Books.
  • Simmons, Dan. The Guiding Nose of Ulfänt Banderōz. Subterranean Press, 2013. First separate hardback edition, #179 of 250 signed, numbered copies.
  • Simmons, Dan. The Guiding Nose of Ulfänt Banderōz. Subterranean Press, 2013. First separate hardback edition. Trade edition.
  • Smith, Clark Ashton. The Tartarus of the Suns. Roy A. Squires, 1970. First edition thread-bound chapbook, a Fine copy in envelope. The Fugitive Poems, First Fascicle, Zothique Edition. This is copy 105. Donald Sydney-Fryer, Emperor of Dreams: A Clark Ashton Smith Bibliography, P. 140. Chalker Owings, P. 588.

  • Smith, Clark Ashton. The Titans in Tartarus. Roy A. Squires, 1974. First edition thread-bound chapbook, a Fine copy in envelope. The Fugitive Poems, Second Series, First Volume, Xigarph edition. This is copy 30 of the “small” edition (as opposed to the “manuscript” sized edition). Donald Sydney-Fryer, Emperor of Dreams: A Clark Ashton Smith Bibliography, P. 140. Chalker Owings, P. 589.

  • (Smith, Clark Ashton) Sidney-Fryer, Donald. Clark Ashton Smith: The Sorcerer Departs. Tsathoggua Press, 1997. First edition chapbook, Fine-. A critical miscellany, plus one poem by Smith.

  • (Smith, Clark Ashton). The Tales of Clark Ashton Smith: A Bibliography. Thomas C. L. Cockcoft, 1951. First edition chapbook, one of 500 copies, Near Fine- with a few small spots of soiling, phantom crease to rear dust jacket, and age darkening. Non-fiction. Currey (1978), P. 455. Tymn Schlobin Currey, A Research Guide to Science Fiction Studies, 323. A very early Clark Ashton Smith bibliography. Not as useful as I hoped it would be.

  • Smith, Michael Marshall (translation and re-translation by Benoît Domis and Nicholas Royle). The Gist. Subterranean Press, 2013. One of 300 signed, numbered copies. Literary experiment in which a story by Smith is translated into French, and then translated back.
  • Smith, Michael Marshall (translation and re-translation by Benoît Domis and Nicholas Royle). The Gist. Subterranean Press, 2013. Trade edition.
  • Smith, Reginald. Weird Tales in the Thirties. Self published, no date (but 1966). First edition, 8 1/2″ x 11″ side-stapled, mimeographed from typewritten copy, Near Fine- copy with small abrasion at top front, and slight bend to front and rear self-covers. Long essay about the magazine. Joshi, H. P. Lovecraft: An Annotated Bibliography, III-D-574.

  • Stableford, Brian. Optiman. DAW, 1980. First edition paperback original, a Fine- copy with a few pinpoint rubs.
  • Swanwick, Michael. It Came Upon a Midnight. Dragonstairs Press, 2011. First edition chapbook original, #81 of 100 signed, numbered copies, a Fine- copy with one faint stray mark to front.

  • Swanwick, Michael. Midwinter Elves. Dragonstairs Press, 2012. First edition chapbook original, #15 of 100 signed, numbered copies, a Fine- copy with small stain on rear.

  • Vance, Jack. The Avatar’s Apprentice. Sadlark Press, 2011. First edition chapbook, one of 30 copies printed from photopolymer plates, a Fine copy, new and unread. According to the publisher “I collected all the excerpts from the five Demon Princes novels that dealt with the Avatar’s Apprentice: Scroll from the Ninth Dimension, and put them into one book. I letterpress printed, illustrated, and hand bound an edition of thirty-five. I used photopolymer to print all the text and images in this book.” I’ve comfirmed with the publisher via email that the edition is actually the 30 stated on the limitation page at back.

  • Vance, Jack. The Eyes of the Overworld. Gregg Press, 1977. First hardback edition, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued. Sequel to The Dying Earth featuring Cugel the Clever. Precedes the Underwood/Miller edition. Hewett, A26g. Currey (1978), page 498.

  • Vance, Jack (writing as Ellery Queen). Four Men Called John. Gollancz Detection, 1976. First hardback edition a Fine- copy in a Fine- dust jacket with a tiny bit of crimping at head, and a few faint invisible, non-breaking surface scratches. Hewett, A14j. Actually, Jerry Hewett was the one who picked this up for me, since he knew I was looking for it…

  • Vance, Jack. Magic Highways. Subterranean Press, 2013. First edition hardback. Omnibus.
  • Vance, Jack. Strange Notions with The Dark Ocean. Underwood/Miller, 1985. First edition hardbacks, number 47 of 500 signed (Strange Notions only, as issued), numbered sets in slipcase, Fine, sans dust jackets, as issued. Mystery novels. Hewett, A75 and A76.

  • Vance, Jack. To Live Forever. Ballantine books, 1956. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy in a Near Fine- dust jacket with slight spine fading and tiny (1/32″) chipping at head and heel. Signed by Vance. Currey (1978), page 500, A1 (dark blue) binding. Hewett, A4ab.

  • Varley, John. Good-bye, Robinson Crusoe and Other Stories. Subterranean Press, 2013. First edition hardback, #146 of 1,000 signed, numbered copies.
  • Vinge, Vernor. Children of the Sky. Tor, 2011
  • Waldrop, Howard. Strange Things in Closeup. Legend, 1989. Trade paperback original, Near Fine- with slight spine crease and the usual age darkening to the paper (ubiquitous for Orbit/Legend books of this era).
  • Wellman, Manly Wade. The Complete John Thunstone. Haffner Press, 2012.
  • (Wells, H. G.) William J. Scheick and J. Randolph Cox. H. G. Wells: A Reference Guide. G. L. Hall & Co., 1988. Fine-, with tiny crimps at head and heel, sans dust jacket, as issued.
  • Williams, Tad. Diary of a Dragon. Subterranean Press, 2013. Trade paperback chapbook first edition, #86 of 750 signed, numbered copies.
  • Wilson, Robert Charles. Vortex. Tor, 2011.
  • Wolfe, Gary K. American Science Fiction: Nine Classic Novels of the 1950s. The Library of America, 2012. First Edition hardback thus, being a two volume compilation of some of the best American SF novels of the 1950s: Frederik Pohl and C. M. Kornbluth’s The Space Merchants, Theodore Sturgeon’s More Than Human, Leigh Brackett’s The Long Tomorrow, Richard Matheson’s The Shrinking Man, Robert A. Heinlein’s Double Star, Alfred Bester’s The Stars My Destination, James Blish’s A Case of Conscience, Algis Budrys’ Who?, and Fritz Leiber’s The Big Time, both volumes Fine in Fine dust jackets, new and unread, in a Fine slipcase. This is an example of book collecting madness, since I either have first editions of, or have already read, all the books here except Who?, but I thought this was a handsome set when it came out, and snapped this up when it showed up at Half Price Books.

  • (Wolfe, Gene) Andre-Driussi, Michael. Gate of Horn, Book of Silk. Sirius Press, 2012. Non-fiction.

  • (Wolfe, Gene) Fawcett, Bill and J.E. Mooney, editors. Shadows of the New Sun: Stories in Honor of Gene Wolfe. Tor, 2013. Uncorrected proof (trade paperback format) of the first edition, Fine.

  • Wyly, Sam and Andrew. Texas Got It Right! Melcher Media, 2012. Trade Paperback Original, Fine. Non-fiction.
  • Zelazny, Roger. Damnation Alley. Putnam, 1969. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with just a tiny bit of edgewear along top front. Levack, Amber Dreams, 9a. Currey (1978), page 570.

  • Zelazny, Roger and Robert Sheckley. If At Faust You Don’t Succeed. Bantam, 1993. Uncorrected proof (trade paperback format) of the trade paperback original first edition, Fine, new and unread.

  • Zivkovic, Zoran. The Ghostwriter. PS Publishing, 2012. #44 of 100 signed, numbered copies. Fine in a Fine dust jacket.
  • Happy Birthday, Gene Wolfe!

    Tuesday, May 7th, 2013

    Gene turned 82 today. Hopefully he’ll be at the San Antonio Worldcon. I also look forward to reading his book The Land Across later this year.

    I also hope to have a bit more Gene Wolfe-related content later in the week.

    It’s Raining Gene Wolfe Review Copies!

    Thursday, February 7th, 2013

    Any year is a good year to read Gene Wolfe, but it seems that right now we’re in a Gene Wolfe Year, or even a Gene Wolfe Sesquiennial, which started with his induction into the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame and continued with him being named Nebula Grandmaster.

    Then Michael Andre-Driussi (the author of Lexicon Urthus and other useful Wolfe critical works) published this:

    And sent me a review copy, which I hope to get to shortly. I also have copies of Gate of Horn, Book of Silk for sale through Lame Excuse Books; just drop me a line if you want one.

    And this just arrived in the mail:

    That’s Shadows of the New Sun: Stories in Honor of Gene Wolfe, edited by Bill Fawcett and J.E. Mooney, which is due out in August. Complete contents here.

    We’ll see if I can’t review both of those here in the coming months.

    Ironically, I’m actually reading another Wolfe-related book with the same title right now: Peter Wright’s Shadows of the New Sun: Wolfe on Writing/Writers on Wolfe, which includes the interview I did with him for Nova Express. When I had lunch with him at the Chicago Worldcon, Gene said even he didn’t have a copy of the Wright book.

    Hopefully Gene will be able to come to the San Antonio Worldcon. He said he was going to try to make it.

    Book Acquisitions: July 1—December 31, 2012

    Tuesday, January 1st, 2013

    Time for another roundup of what additions I’ve made to my library of science fiction first editions. This is what I’ve picked up in the last six months. All are Fine/Fine hardback first editions unless otherwise noted.

  • Adams, Douglas. Mostly Harmless. Harmony Books, 1992. First U.S. edition, a Fine hardback in a Fine- dust jacket with a trace of haze rubbing along the spine join. Inscribed by Adams: “To Bev + Bill/Douglas Adams.” Bought for $7.99 at Half Price Books on University in Houston.

  • Aldiss, Brian. Summer 1773. The Bellevue Press, 1976. Postcard first edition, Fine.
  • Anderson, Poul. Fantasy. Tor/Pinnacle, 1981. Paperback original, Near Fine+ with faint spine crease.
  • Barnes, Steven. Assassin and Other Stories. ISFiC Press, 2010. Signed by Barnes.
  • Barrett, Neal, Jr. Other Seasons. Subterranean Press, 2012.
  • Bishop, Michael. White Power Poem. The Bellevue Press, 1977. Postcard first edition, Fine.
  • Blaylock, James P. The Shadow on the Doorstep. ISFiC Press, 2011.
  • Blaylock, James P. Zeuglodon (with Hans Clinker). Subterranean Press, 2012. One of 250 signed and numbered copies (with a signed and numbered chapbook).
  • Blaylock, James P. Zeuglodon. Subterranean Press, 2012. Trade edition.
  • Bradbury, Ray. Greentown/Tinseltown. Stanza Press, 2012. First edition hardback, Fine in decorated boards, sans dj, as issued. Miscellaneous collection of Bradbury material (stories, poems, essays, holographic material, etc.) about growing up on both a small town and (later) Los Angeles.
  • Bradbury, Ray. The Last Circus & The Electrocution. Lord John Press, 1980. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Signed by Bradbury. Two stories and an afterword, plus an introduction by William F. Nolan.

  • Carr, James and Archana Kumar. Hipster Hitler. Feral House, 2012. Advanced copy of trade paperback first edition. Cartoon collection.
  • Carroll, Jonathan. The Woman Who Married a Cloud. Subterranean Press, 2012. One of 350 signed, numbered, leatherbound copies.
  • Carroll, Jonathan. The Woman Who Married a Cloud. Subterranean Press, 2012. Trade edition.
  • Chambers, Robert W. The King In Yellow. F. Tennyson Neely (as part of their Neely’s Prismatic Library series), 1895. First edition, first printing of green cloth with brown lettering, with lizard design on cover and review of In the Quarter at rear. Full details here.

  • [Coen, Joel & Ethan] Luhr, William G. The Coen Brothers’ Fargo. Cambridge University Press, 2004. First edition hardback, Near Fine with remainder mark to head, sans dust jacket, as issued. Non-fiction.
  • Cowper, Richard. The Story of Pepita & Corindo (with The Young Student). Cheap Street, 1982. First edition chapbooks, both Fine copy in wraps, each #15 in a signed edition of 75 slipcased copies.

  • Crowley, John. Beasts. Doubleday, 1976. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Inscribed by Crowley: “June 1988 4th St/To Scott/John Crowley.” Supplements a copy inscribed by Crowley to me which has a weird spine defect.
  • Dann, Jack. Borges. The Bellevue Press, 1977. Postcard first edition, Fine.
  • Dann, Jack. Hallways. The Bellevue Press, 1974. Postcard first edition, Fine.
  • Datlow, Ellen and Terri Windling, editors. The Year’s Best Fantasy and Horror: Fifteenth Annual Collection. St. Martin’s, 2002.
  • Datlow, Ellen, Kelly link and Gavin Grant, editors. The Year’s Best Fantasy and Horror: Nineteenth Annual Collection. St. Martin’s, 2006.
  • Dick, Philip K. The Selected Letters of Philip K. Dick, 1980-82 (Volume Six). Underwood Books, 2005. Nonfiction.
  • Disch, Tom. The West Coast. The Bellevue Press, 1977. Postcard first edition, Fine.
  • Dorman, Sonya. Pomegranate. The Bellevue Press, 1977. Postcard first edition, Fine.
  • Dozois, Gardner. The Year’s Best Science Fiction: Twenty-Ninth Annual Collection. St. Martins, 2012.
  • Eugenides, Jeffrey. Middlesex. Farrar Straus Giroux, 2002. First edition hardback, a Fine- copy with slight bumping at heel in a Near Fine dust jacket with a 1″ closed tear along bottom rear spine join. Pulitzer Prize winner.
  • Grant, Mira. When Will You Rise: Stories to End the World. Subterranean Press, 2012.
  • Hamilton, Peter F. Manhattan in Reverse Subterranean Press, 2012. First limited edition one of 250 signed, numbered copies.
  • (Heinlein, Robert A.) William H. Patterson & Andrew Thronton. The Martian Named Smith: Critical Perspectives on Robert A. Heinlein’s Stranger in a Strange Land. Nitrosyncratic Press, 2001. Trade paperback original. Picked up at the Heinlein Society party at the Chicago Worldcon for free.
  • (Howard, Robert E.) Herron, Don, editor. The Dark Barbarian: The Writings of Robert E. Howard: A Critical Anthology. Greenwood Press, 1984. First edition hardback, a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, as issued.

  • (King, Stephen) Beahm, George. Knowing Darkness: Artists Inspired by Stephen King. Centipede Press, 2009. First edition oversized hardback (slipcase is 15 3/4″ high by 11 1/2″ wide), a Fine copy, sans dust jacket, in fine, illustrated slipcase.

  • Kushner, Ellen. Swordspoint. Unwin Hyman, 1987. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine dust jacket. Inscribed by the author: “To Scott/Best Wishes/Ellen Kushner.” Supplements my inscribed American first edition.
  • Lake, Jay. Escapement. Tor, 2008. Signed by Lake.
  • Lansdale, Joe R. All the Earth Thrown to the Sky. Delacorte Press, 2011. Signed by Lansdale.
  • Lansdale, Joe R. The Cases of Dana Roberts. Subterranean, 2011. First edition chapbook, Fine in wraps. Originally published to accompany the limited edition of Subterranean: Tales of Dark Fantasy 2. This copy signed by and purchased from the author.
  • Lansdale, Joe R. Edge of Dark Water. Mulholland Books/Little Brown, 2012. Signed by Lansdale.
  • Lansdale, Joe R. Trapped in the Saturday Matinee. PS Publishing, 2012.
  • Lansdale, Joe R. with Karen Lansdale and Keith Lansdale. In Waders From Mars. Subterranean Press, 2012.
  • Le Guin, Ursula K. From Hsin Ch’i-chi 1140-1207. The Bellevue Press, 1977. Postcard first edition, Fine.
  • Le Guin, Ursula K. Travelling. The Bellevue Press, 1977. Postcard first edition, Fine.
  • Leicht, Stina. And Blue Skies From Pain. Night Shade Books, 2012. Trade paperback original, a Fine copy. Inscribed to me by the author after purchase.
  • Lichtenberg, Jacqueline. Unto Zeor, Forever. Doubleday, 1978. First edition hardback, a Fine-/Fine- copy with slight bumping at head and heel. Full page inscription by the author.

  • Lovegrove, James. Diversifications. PS Publishing, 2011.
  • Matheson, Richard. Other Kingdoms. Tor, 2011.
  • McAllister, Bruce. Humanity Prime. Ace, 1971. Paperback original, Fine- with name inside cover.
  • McDonald, Ian. The Twenty Five Mile High Club. Birmingham Science Fiction Group, 2002. First edition chapbook, #283 of 325 copies.
  • Moody, David. Trust. Infected Books, 2012. One of 500 signed, numbered hardback copies.
  • Lumley, Brian. No Sharks in the Med and Other Stories. Subterranean Press, 2012.
  • Moorcock, Michael. The Jade Man’s Eyes Unicorn Bookshop, 1973. First edition paperback original, a Fine copy, new and unread. An original Elric novella. An odd trim size, being wider than the standard mass market paperback. Currey (1978), p. 370.

  • Novik, Naomi. Tongues of Serpents. Del Rey, 2010.
  • Pohl, Frederik. Star Science Fiction Stories No. 2. Ballantine Books, 1953. First edition hardback, a VG copy with dust-staining along top page block edges and wear along bottom boards in a VG dust jacket with slight sun-fading to spine and dust staining to white rear cover.
  • Powers, Tim. Hide Me Among the Graves. Charnel House, 2012. First limited edition, one of 124 signed, numbered copies in mica-flecked boards, a Fine copy, sans dj, as issued. The usual oversized, elaborate Charnel House production, ordered pre-publication.

  • Reeves, Michael and John Pelan, editors. Shadows Over Baker Street. Del Rey, 2003.
  • Resnick, Mike. Stalking the Zombie. American Fantasy, 2012. One of 250 signed, numbered copies.
  • Resnick, Mike. Stalking the Zombie. American Fantasy, 2012. Trade edition.
  • Resnick, Mike, et. al. Win Some, Lose Some. ISFiC Press, 2012. First edition hardback, Fine-/Fine- with a bumped corner. Signed by Resnick and several other contributors.
  • Resnick, Mike, editor. Alternate Warriors. Tor, 1993. PBO, Fine-.
  • Resnick, Mike and Joe Siclari, editor. Worldcon Guest of Honor Speeches. ISFiC Press, 2006. Non-fiction.
  • Reynolds, Alistair, and Liz Williams. Odyssey 2010 Souvenir Book. Contains original Reynolds/Williams novelette “Lune and the Red Empress”.
  • River, Uncle. Counting Tadpoles. PS Publishing, 2009. Fine in decorated boards, sans dj, as issued.
  • Silverberg, Robert. The Collected Stories of Robert Silverberg Volume Seven: We Are for the Dark 1987-90. Subterranean Press, 2012. Fine, sans dj, as issued.
  • Smith, Clark Ashton. The City of the Singing Flame. Timescape, 1981. Paperback original thus (though I believe all the stories appeared previously in various Arkham House collections), Near Fine+ with one 1/4″ stray brown mark to page edges.
  • Stross, Charles. The Apocalypse Codex. Ace, 2012. The fourth Laundry novel.
  • Sturgeon, Theodore. Case and the Dreamer: Volume XIII: The Complete Stories of Theodore Sturgeon. North Atlantic Books, 2010.
  • Tidhar, Lavie. Osama. PS Publishing, 2011. One of 100 signed, numbered copies.
  • Tidhar, Lavie. Osama. PS Publishing, 2011. Trade edition. Fine, sans dust jacket, as issued.
  • Tolkien, J. R. R. (edited by Christopher Tolkien) The History of Middle Earth Volume V: The Lost Road and Other Writing. Houghton Mifflin, 1987. First American edition, Fine-/Fine. See here for details for this and the following Tolkien books.
  • Tolkien, J. R. R. (edited by Christopher Tolkien) The History of Middle Earth Volume IV: The Shaping of Middle Earth. Houghton Mifflin, 1986. First American edition, Fine-/Fine.
  • Tolkien, J. R. R. (edited by Christopher Tolkien) The History of Middle Earth Volume VI: The Return of the Shadow: The History of the Lord of the Rings Part One. Houghton Mifflin, 1988.
  • Tolkien, J. R. R. (edited by Christopher Tolkien) The History of Middle Earth Volume VII: The Treason of Isengard: The History of the Lord of the Rings Part Two. Houghton Mifflin, 1989.
  • Tolkien, J. R. R. (edited by Christopher Tolkien) The History of Middle Earth Volume VIII: The War of the Ring: The History of the Lord of the Rings Part Three. Houghton Mifflin, 1990.
  • Tolkien, J. R. R. (edited by Christopher Tolkien) The History of Middle Earth Volume IX: Sauron Defeated: The History of the Lord of the Rings Part Four. Houghton Mifflin, 1992.
  • Tolkien, J. R. R. (edited by Christopher Tolkien) The History of Middle Earth Volume X: Morgoth’s Ring: The Later Simarillion Part One. Houghton Mifflin, 1993.
  • Tolkien, J. R. R. (edited by Christopher Tolkien) The History of Middle Earth Volume XI: The War of the Jewels: The Later Simarillion Part Two. Houghton Mifflin, 1994.
  • Tolkien, J. R. R. (edited by Christopher Tolkien) The History of Middle Earth Volume XII: The People of Middle Earth. Houghton Mifflin, 1994.

  • Vance, Jack. The House on Lily Street. Underwood/Miller, 1979. First edition hardback, one of 450 copies, a Fine copy in a Fine- dustjacket with 1/2″ closed tear at head. Signed by Vance. Hewett A55.

  • Vance, Jack. Monsters in Orbit b/w The World Between and Other Stories. Ace Books, 1965. paperback original, Fine. Hewett A20a/A21a. Currey (1978), page 499.
  • Vance, Jack. The Seventeen Virgins & The Bagful of Dreams. Underwood/Miller, 1979. One of only 111 signed hardback copies, a Fine- copy with a tiny bump to bottom front boards in a Fine dust jacket. Hewett A58b and A59b.

  • Vinge, Joan D. There Are Songs. Science Fiction Poetry Association, 1980. First edition postcard.
  • Walton, Jo. Among Others. Tor, 2011. Signed by the author.
  • Wells, Martha. The Serpent Sea. Night Shade Books, 2012. Trade paperback original.
  • Westerfeld, Scott. Leviathan. Simon Pulse, 2009.
  • Willis, Connie. Blackout. Ballantine Books, 2010. First edition hardback, a Fine copy in a Fine- dust jacket with a tiny bit of crimping at the top of the dust jacket.
  • Williams, Tad. A Stark and Womry Knight. Subterranean Press, 2012. One of 250 signed, numbered, leatherbound copies.
  • Williams, Tad. A Stark and Womry Knight. Subterranean Press, 2012. Trade edition.
  • Wolfe, Gene. Home Fires. PS Publishing, 2011. First limited and first UK edition, one of 300 hardback copies signed by Wolfe.
  • Wolfe, Gene. On Lyra III. Science Fiction Poetry Association, 1980. Postcard first edition, Fine.
  • Yarbro, Chelsea Quinn. Constellations. The Bellevue Press, 1977. Postcard first edition, Fine.
  • Zelazny, Roger (created by). Ever After. Baen, 1995. Paperback original, Fine.
  • Finally! Gene Wolfe Named Grandmaster!

    Thursday, December 13th, 2012

    In a well-earned and long-overdue honor, SFWA has finally named Gene Wolfe a Nebula Grandmaster.

    Congratulations to Gene for a lifetime of great work, and to SFWA for getting this one right.

    (Hat tip: SF Signal.)

    Pringles White Chocolate Peppermint

    Thursday, October 25th, 2012

    “I understand what all those word mean individually, but together in the same sentence they don’t make any sense!”

    Sometimes you buy something just so that later you can prove to people it exists.

    This is one of those times.

    Feast your eyes on this:

    I thought they might be white chocolate covered Pringles. But no, they’re regular Pringles with a hint of…white chocolate peppermint. It’s actually pretty subtle. But I’m not sure I want my mass produced pressed potato chips to be “subtle.”

    If you want to try them, you should probably pick them up, as I doubt you’ll see them again after this Christmas.

    By the way, did you know that Gene Wolfe helped engineer the machine that makes Pringles? Absolutely true. He designed the part that cooks the chips.

    Pictures from the 2012 Chicago WorldCon: Friday

    Thursday, September 6th, 2012

    The obligatory Stina Leicht picture:

    Stina was a John W. Campbell Award nominee this year, and she moderated a panel that included Gene Wolfe, Martha Wells, and Joan D. Vinge (below).

    After the panel I had lunch with Gene Wolfe, Gary K. Wolfe (below), Gene’s daughter Teri Goulding, and Gary’s girlfriend Stacie Hanes.

    Gary ordered the Frank Gehry Sandwich, impressively postmodern and completely impractical.

    Alaskan David Marusek:

    Laura Ann Gilman. “Smile broadly! Drink heavily!”

    Bookseller and Tiger Eye Press publisher Chris Edwards:

    Allen Steele.

    Jim Minz and Catherine Asaro. I trust you can guess which is which.

    James Patrick Kelly, John Kessel and David Marusek. “Look into my eyes!”

    Toastmaster and SFWA President John Scalzi: