Post Your Latest Purchase

[Brian861]

Nice adds!

[Sock Monkey]

I passed on Dead on the Bones as I just couldn't fit it into my budget at the time, but I did pick up Soultaker from Thunderstorm. Agreed that it is a great looking book!
And as always, your photography is great!

[RonClinton]

I was really pleased to see how little of DEAD ON THE BONES I hadn't read before. Usually these collections from authors I love are filled with stories that I've already made a point to seek out and read...but this one had lots of new stuff. Very surprised, very pleased.

[Plasticine]

Thanks guys.

The amount of new material, or new to me, at least, is the reason I bought Dead on the Bones. Plus the pulp theme helped! It just made the collection seem kind of special to me.

[mhatchett]

IMG_0731.jpg
Looking forward to this one!

[Theli]

That is some interesting cover art. I've only read one Esslemont, and I liked it well enough. Didn't specifically blow me away, but I am open to more in the future.

[RonClinton]

For some reason, I rarely copy over my posts (from the other book forum I hang out at) of my 'latest purchase' items. So I'm going to remedy that a bit here and put my last few arrivals. I've tried to slow down my purchases and reading time and interest seems to be at a low ebb lately, so there're only a few items over the last month or two...but they're pretty good ones, so here we go...

In December:

1). A Fine/Fine HC of Joe Lansdale's A MAGIC WAGON, the Doubleday 1st HC, Joe's hardcover debut. Always wanted this one, even though I have the Borderlands S/L. I plan to have him sign it when I see him on his tour in a few weeks.

2). Tom Piccirilli's FRAYED (S/L HC), EVERY SHALLOW CUT (S/L HC), and WHAT MAKES YOU DIE (uncommon signed/numbered tpb).

3). David Morrell's MURDER AS A FINE ART (CD S/L HC).

4). Lansdale's DEAD ON THE BONES: PULP ON FIRE (Sub Press S/L HC).

5). IN SUNLIGHT OR IN SHADOW: Stories Inspired by the Paintings of Edward Hopper (Lawrence Block, ed.), trade HC with full-color prints BUT signed by 11 of the 17 contributors (and I'll have Lansdale sign it was well -- making it 12 of 17 -- when I see him on tour in a few months).

6). THE WATCHER AT THE DOOR: The Early Henry Kuttner, vol. 2, Haffner Press HC

In January, I picked up the new Fredric Brown set from Centipede:



(Photo borrowed shamelessly from an eBay auction)

Then, certainly the most exciting to me, I bought the following item and it arrived yesterday:

What could it be....? Don't be misled by the warning of Frah-gee-lay...it's not from Italy.



Why, it looks like a book...



And it *is* a book (In NF/NF condition, too) -- one by the wonderful Charles Beaumont! It's an interesting volume in his small body of work, one that is a collection of essays of cultural remembrances from his childhood, including Charlie Chaplin, radio dramas, movie serials, comics, pulps; horror movies and the essence of fear, Bela Lugosi, and more. The book is dedicated to Ocee Ritch and Jerry Sohl, two writer friends of his, who along with Beaumont, Richard Matheson, John Tomerlin, William F. Nolan, George Clayton Johnson, Charles E. Fritch, and peripherally Bradbury, Bloch, Sturgeon, and Harlan Ellison, formed what was self-termed the California Group (or Southern California Group).



But what, what's this on the title page...? Why, this appears to be Ocee Ritch's personal copy, and is inscribed to him by Beaumont!



Obviously, I'm thrilled to have the book, which given the association of the copy makes this Beaumont signature even more exciting. It joins my other signed Beaumont book that I bought a number of years ago, and to own two signed Beaumont books frankly humbles me and, yes, pleases me to no end:





I suspect most here already are familiar with Beaumont, but on the off chance that a few may not be, I'd encourage you to learn more about him and his incredible influence and impact on the mid-century development of macabre/fantastic fiction. And if you'd like to read his tremendous work, copies of his various books can be found on eBay and ABE and the usual suspects. For a Best Of selection, look for the Dark Harvest HC publication of SELECTED STORIES, the TOR pb of THE HOWLING MAN, or if you have deep pockets, the Centipede edition of MASS FOR MIXED VOICES. Valancourt also recently put out a tpb collection. The impact he had upon the dark fiction that we all love in his short life is remarkable.



Nolan once said, to paraphrase, that Beaumont must have somehow known that his life would be short and his time on Earth brief, so he burned like a bright star while he was here. With these two books, it's akin, to some small degree, to touching stardust...and it feels like magic.

[bugen]

Thanks for posting this. Beaumont's a hero of mine, and I'd feel humbled as well to have those pieces of history on my shelves. You must have one hell of a collection.

LOVE that final photo you posted. You get the feeling right there he's seeing something the rest of us would struggle to focus on, shading our eyes with our hand and squinting, then have to admit we can't see at all. Well done!

[Theli]

Great additions Ron! I am familiar with Beaumont, but have not read any of his works yet.

[Martin]

Ron,

Those Beaumont books are amazing. Beaumont's life has always intrigued me. I have read more about him than I have read his stories. I may have to remedy that.

[RonClinton]

Ron,

Those Beaumont books are amazing. Beaumont's life has always intrigued me. I have read more about him than I have read his stories. I may have to remedy that.

Martin, there is supposedly an exhaustive biography in the works about him that should see publication someday soon...I keep my fingers crossed it'll still happen.

By the way, have you seen the DVD, Charles Beaumont: The Short Life of Twilight Zone's Magic Man? It's quite good...understandably surface-level stuff, given the medium, but still interesting, especially for those who aren't as familiar with his life and career as you and me.

https://www.amazon.com/Charles-Beaum.../dp/B004HKIVCS

If you do want to read some of his fiction, Graham Holroyd on ABE has a copy of the TOR pb for $36, which isn't a bad price for it...and it'll be the best $36 you've spent on a book in the last year, guaranteed. Here's the ABE listing:

Item Description: Tor, 1992. Horror First Paperback Edition. Minor touches of edgewear. Light tanning along top edge of pages and interior wraps. Near fine. Edited by Roger Anker. Cover art by Peter Scanlan. This won the Bram Stoker Award for Best Collection in 1989. Bookseller Inventory # 38467

https://www.amazon.com/Charles-Beaum.../dp/B004HKIVCS

The Valancount tpb that was just released is cheaper, but it is not as impressive a collection, either in selection or size...but it would be a good appetizer, I suppose [whisper] but get the TOR pb [/whisper].

[slayn666]

I just picked up the Centipede edition of James Herbert's Rats trilogy for (what I think is) a terrific price. Can't wait to get them.

[Martin]

Martin, there is supposedly an exhaustive biography in the works about him that should see publication someday soon...I keep my fingers crossed it'll still happen.

By the way, have you seen the DVD, Charles Beaumont: The Short Life of Twilight Zone's Magic Man? It's quite good...understandably surface-level stuff, given the medium, but still interesting, especially for those who aren't as familiar with his life and career as you and me.

https://www.amazon.com/Charles-Beaum.../dp/B004HKIVCS

If you do want to read some of his fiction, Graham Holroyd on ABE has a copy of the TOR pb for $36, which isn't a bad price for it...and it'll be the best $36 you've spent on a book in the last year, guaranteed. Here's the ABE listing:

Item Description: Tor, 1992. Horror First Paperback Edition. Minor touches of edgewear. Light tanning along top edge of pages and interior wraps. Near fine. Edited by Roger Anker. Cover art by Peter Scanlan. This won the Bram Stoker Award for Best Collection in 1989. Bookseller Inventory # 38467

https://www.amazon.com/Charles-Beaum.../dp/B004HKIVCS

The Valancount tpb that was just released is cheaper, but it is not as impressive a collection, either in selection or size...but it would be a good appetizer, I suppose [whisper] but get the TOR pb [/whisper].

Thanks, I will watch for the biography. I had not heard of the DVD about him. I checked Movie Madness and they do not have it. I believe they have suggestion list in the store. I will add it and see if they bring it in.

[Daninsky]

I just picked up the Centipede edition of James Herbert's Rats trilogy for (what I think is) a terrific price. Can't wait to get them.

They're a very fun read. One of the better attempts at the 'wild kingdom run amok' motif ever committed to the printed page in my opinion. And Jerad's editions of them are as gorgeous as expected. Congrats!

[Theli]

I need to read more Herbert at some point. I read the Fog a few years back and really enjoyed it. Surprisingly violent and gory.