Books Bought–Matt ‘n’ Jeff–June 20
(Matt’s haul)
Okay, so we’ve been going to some bookstores while Matt Staggs and his wife Meg have been in town. In addition to the long-time institutions Paperback Rack and Bookshelf, we stopped at the newly risen Word Traffic and Secret Headquarters. Both of these new places are absolutely fantastic.
Here’s my haul, with some notes. I’d love reader comments on these books because this time I’m not buying extra copies of stuff I’ve already read…
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I deeply enjoy old mass markets from the 1960s and 1970s. Maybe it’s just me, but it seems like there was more quality stuff in mass market back then. Even the Alfred Coppel looks like it’s pretty darn well written.
I’m a sucker for non-tea-cozy England-based mysteries, so maybe these Richardson’s will suck, but then again…maybe not. As for the third one, I’ve been told to read some Van Vechten for awhile now…
I think, with these, I just don’t want the magic to end, even though it’s ended.
I found some more Dedalus for my collection! Anyone read these?
Two more Dedalus! Woo-hoo!
I fear packaging might have outstripped content on these, but from a skim they look rather well-written. We’ll find out…
These graphic novels looks absolutely fantastic. Anyone read them?
I’ve always wanted this book.
The universe will explode now that these two disparate books are rubbing shoulders. I’ve wanted both for a long, long time.
Matt recommended this DMZ series to me, and a Comics Journal featuring Trondheim? How could I resist?
And then I made this impulse buy, which I’ve explicated below with three photos. The note with the book says, “Maggots is a facsmile of a book Brian Chippendale completed but never printed in 1996 and 1997 while living in Fort Thunder, Providence, RI. Frankly drawn over the pages of a Japanese book catalog [which you can see ghosting beneath his illos--JV] Chippendale’s first masterpiece has lain dormant for more than a decade.” Who is Chippendale?! This book is crazy crazy cool.
Interiors (nice dustjacket over the paperback)
June 20, 2008 at 6:19 pm
Ooh! Those are great hauls, even if I’ve only read a handful for Matt’s and none of yours. I too have wanted to read some of Schama’s work for a while now, though. Thanks for reminding me.
June 20, 2008 at 10:02 pm
I’ve skimmed La Bas, which I have in an older translation. Not a patch on À Rebours unless you’re after being tickled by some trendy fin de siècle Satanism. The Beardsley “Black Arts” drawing is the perfect choice for the cover, however. En Route is from the period when he went Catholic and therefore dull. Les Diaboliques may be more worthwhile; des Esseintes in À Rebours rates Barbey D’Aurevilly as just below the Marquis de Sade in terms of “voluptuous imagination”.
June 21, 2008 at 12:17 am
I actually know many more of Matt’s books than yours. Observatory Mansions is wonderful. What English non cozy authors do you favor?
June 21, 2008 at 1:40 am
I’ve read all the Dedalus stuff. In a sense, I actually prefer En Route and Huysmans other later writings. They are not as “exciting” as his earlier stuff, but they offer a lot more brain food.
Barbey d’Aurevilly is one of very favourite writers. I don’t think the book you have shown there is his best book, but it is very readable and interesting.
A book of his I prefer is, I believe, called “Bewitched” in the English edition.
The Golem is clearly Meyrink’s best book.
The Max Beerbohm title was on the 100 best books ever written list, right? A very enjoyable read, if not slightly over-rated.
June 21, 2008 at 2:01 am
Ohh, do tell about Serenity once you’re done. The magic ended for me, looks like, since I didn’t even know they made a comic.
June 21, 2008 at 4:12 pm
How old are those Gormenghast books?
June 22, 2008 at 10:39 am
I think the 1970s or something. Yamamanama–do I know you? Your hermetic feast site has several sections named after stuff in City of Saints & Madmen.
Jeff
June 22, 2008 at 12:46 pm
Mark Richard’s FISHBOY is an absolute gem – he has published this and two-volumes of stories, both of which are also highly recommended. Seek them all out and let’s hope we hear from him again.
James
June 22, 2008 at 5:04 pm
I spy a copy of House Of Leaves there! Envious that you get to read it for the first time; the pleasure of discovery can never really be found again on subsequent readings…
Corum’s good too, although as Neil Gaiman put it, as with Hawkmoon, even when you’re not actually reading Elric, half the time you’re still reading Elric. Or something. Moorcock is a legend though, a giant of the Weird-Heroic. My favourite by him will always be Dancers At The End Of Time. There is a generosity of spirit there, I suppose you could call it (I think somebody else already did) that makes me beam from ear to ear every time I read it.
I should read Gormenghast myself at some point, shocking that I’ve avoided it thus far really. It always seemed a bit daunting during my teenage years.
Nothing as exciting as a fresh stack of unread books, is there?
June 23, 2008 at 12:39 pm
House of Leaves is hands down one of the best books I’ve ever read. It’s in my all-time top ten, certainly.
June 28, 2008 at 11:27 am
I think that’s the Peake edition with covers by Barbara Remington, who did the original Hobbit and LOTR paper covers. She’s a friend of a friend that I had known for about 10 years as a children’s book illustrator, until I found out about the LOTR connection. And I didn’t know about the Peake’s until a friend was unloaded a box of things on me, including one of her covers. Serendip!
June 28, 2008 at 11:31 am
Oh, wait — I’m thinking of A fish dinner in Memison – she did the covers for those re-issues. Crap. Same box of books.
July 1, 2008 at 5:24 pm
Brian Chippendale is a member of an incredibly noisy and cool band named Lightning Bolt. I think he’s the drummer. It’s a duo with just drums and bass, but it’s crazy stuff. Check out the covers of their CDs, and you’ll see that it is, indeed, the same guy. I envy you for owning that book. Thanks for sharing!
July 5, 2008 at 8:03 pm
No, not personally. I’ve posted here, though.
July 10, 2008 at 6:48 pm
You should also visit Tom’s store on South Monroe. Great used books, great comics. I’m sure you know it, and I hope you know about Tally’s best kept secret seafood hell-hole across Monroe – check out the Shell when you are down there.
Go Noles,
ZMW