Posts Tagged ‘James Tiptree Jr.’

Library Addition: Two Subterranean Press Firsts

Friday, December 22nd, 2023

These came in a while back, but I haven’t had room to shelve them until I finished finishing my latest bookcase.

  • 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.”

  • 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.) Now out of print from the publisher.

  • Library Additions: Five Unsigned First Editions

    Wednesday, May 11th, 2022

    Various books I’ve bought in various places:

  • Bester, Alfred. Virtual Unrealities: The Short Fiction of Alfred Bester. Vintage/Random House, 1997. First edition proof, trade paperback format, a Fine- copy with a tiny chip to tip of bottom front corner, gold “A Vintage Original” sticker on front cover and accompanying review page. Supplements a copy of the trade paperback original. Bought off eBay for $10.97.

  • Davidson, Avram. Beer! Beer! Beer! Or All The Seas With Oysters Publishing (OATSWOP), 2021. First edition print-on-demand trade paperback (the only print edition offered), a Fine copy. An original prohibition tale unearthed by the Davidson estate and offered through Amazon, which is the only place it’s available.
  • Howard, Robert E. The Iron Man. Donald M. Grant, 1976. First edition hardback, a Near Fine copy with a 1/2″ high area of abrasion across bottom of front and back boards near spine (but not at the spine itself), in a Fine- dust jacket with slight touches of wear at points and elsewhere. Howard’s boxing stories. Obtained as a throw-in freebie on another order.
  • Tiptree, Jr. James. Up the Walls of the World. Berkley Putnam, 1978. First edition hardback (no statement of printing on copyright page, as per ISFDB), a Fine- copy with slight bending at head and a small ding to top front board, in a Near Fine- dust jacket with a long crease along bottom front cover and associated 1/4″ closed tear. Tiptree’s only novel. Bought as part of a four book lot for $15.
  • Wellman, Manly Wade. The Haunts of Drowning Creek. Holiday House, 1951. First edition hardback, a Good only copy with cracked front and rear inner hinges, a 1/4″ triangular board loss at heel, pocket removal, former owner’s name on inside front cover, bumped corners, and general spotting and wear. Reading copy only, but this is possibly the hardest Wellman Young Adult novel to find. Bought off eBay for $15 as part of a two book Wellman lot.
  • Library Additions: Three Michael Swanwick Chapbooks

    Wednesday, June 17th, 2020

    Actually, Swanwick was only the interviewer on one, but author of the other two:

  • Dozois, Gardner, with Michael Swanwick. ‘She Saved Us From World War Three’: Gardner Dozois Remembers James Tiptree, Jr. Temporary Culture, 2020. First edition chapbook original, one of 225 copies printed, a Fine copy in a Fine black envelope, as issued. Swanwick interviews Dozois on the subject of the reclusive Alice Sheldon AKA James Tiptree, Jr., who corresponded with Dozois and met him in person at least once. Haven’t read it yet, but the story Gardner told was that as a CIA analyst, Sheldon was told to look at satellite photographs the government, fearful of a nuclear first strike, thought showed hundred of mobile Soviet missile launchers. She told them they were hay drying carts for the fall harvest. (Neal Barrett, Jr. used to tell a story about how he had prevented World War III. He was with the army in West Germany in the late 1950s, and his night watch superior had gotten liquored up and wanted to invade East Germany. “I don’t think that’s a very good idea, sir.”)

  • Swanwick, Michael. The Devil’s Bestiary. Dragonstairs Press, 2020. First edition chapbook, #8 of 45 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy in dyed paper wrappers. A short alphabetical vignette bestiary of supernatural creatures. Out of print upon publication.

  • Swanwick, Michael. The Death of Aubrey Darger. Dragonstairs Press, 2020. First edition chapbook thus, #14 of 100 signed, numbered copies, a Fine copy. Excerpted from the 2015 novel Chasing the Phoenix.

  • I will have copies of all three chapbooks available in the Lame Excuse Books catalog currently in progress.

    Library Additions: Eight Hardback Starmont Reader’s Guides

    Monday, June 9th, 2014

    I recently picked up eight hardbacks in the Starmont Reader’s Guide line. For many authors, these were the only critical companions to their work ever published, and I get the impression that the hardback book runs for the critical titles were pretty miniscule (Chalker/Owings The Science Fantasy Publishers estimates 75-80 hardbacks) and mostly sold to libraries. Starmont was distributed by Borgo Press, and sometime you’ll see these titles listed under the Borgo imprint or with Borgo price stickers affixed.

    Some of these state First Edition and some don’t, but I’m assuming these are first printings unless they state otherwise (the Silverberg states Second Printing). All are essentially Fine- copies with slight rubbing, sans dust jackets, as issued.

  • (Bester, Alfred) Wendell, Carolyn. Alfred Bester: Starmont Reader Guide 6. Starmont House, 1982. Signed by Wendell.
  • (Clement, Hal) Hassler, Donald M. Hal Clement: Starmont Reader Guide 11. Starmont House, 1982. Signed by Hassler.
  • (Delany, Samuel R.) Weedman, Jane Branham. Samuel R. Delany: Starmont Reader Guide 10. Starmont House, 1982. Signed by Delany: “Samuel R. Delany/Madison/2006”.
  • (Farmer, Philip Jose) Brizzi, Mary T. Philip Jose Farmer: Starmont Reader Guide 3. Starmont House, 1980.
  • (Haldeman, Joe) Gordon, Joan. Joe Haldeman: Starmont Reader Guide 4. Starmont House, 1980. Signed by Haldeman (and also an unreadable signature that I take to be either Gordon’s or the cover artist).
  • (Silverberg, Robert) Clareson, Thomas D. Robert Silverberg: Starmont Reader Guide 18. Starmont House, 1983. Signed by Silverberg. Second Printing.
  • (Pohl, Frederik) Clareson, Thomas D. Frederik Pohl: Starmont Reader Guide 39. Starmont House, 1987. Signed by Pohl. By this time the press had moved to what Chalker/Owings called the “Ditky-Newcomer” printing process (basically high quality Xerography) with the characteristic flocked edges that would appear on Pulphouse: The Hardback Magazine a year later.
  • (Tiptree, Jr., James) Siegel, Mark. James Tiptree, Jr.: Starmont Reader Guide 22. Starmont House, 1986.
  • As the seller said: “They never bound any two books the same way.” As you can see from the picture, some have the trade paperback cover affixed to the front, while others are simply cloth with the title, author and series number printed on the spine.

    P1000156

    Paid a total of $246.40, which went to SF writer Julian May, who is: A.) Still alive, and B.) The widow of Starmont House founder Ted Ditky.