Classic Returns: Reprints, Updates, and Bargains
By Mike Rogers Oct 7, 2010Word of the reborn column must be reaching publishers' ears because the books are coming in hard and fast. To keep my head above the deluge, I'm aiming to include more each time. There's really good stuff here, so let's get to it.
FICTION
Burroughs, William S. Queer. Penguin Group (USA). 2010. 125p. ISBN 9780143117834. pap. $15. F
Borroughs's second novel, this was written in 1952 but not released until 1985. Set in early 1950s Mexico, the autobiographical story follows recovering junkie William Lee (Kerouac heads know that Burroughs appears as Bull Lee in a number of Jack's books) as he bar hops with other ugly American expatriates. Lee falls in love with another man, which leads to his downfall. This 25th-anniversary edition restores previously deleted passages and includes notes on the text and the author's original intro.
Highsmith, Patricia. The Highsmith Reader. Norton. Dec. 2010. c.642p. ISBN 9780393080131. $29.95. F
It's about time Highsmith, the American thriller queen, ranked a Reader! And it's a good one: this beauty sports a lucky 13 of her shorts (seven early/six later stories), the novels Strangers on a Train and The Price of Salt, plus an intro by Highsmith's biographer Joan Schnekar. Grab it!
Lennon, John. In His Own Write & A Spaniard in the Works. S. & S. 2010. 90p. illus. ISBN 9781451611014. $15. F
To commemorate what should have been Lennon's 70th birthday, October 9, Simon & Schuster is reissuing this combination volume of his writings. Both Write and Spaniard were composed during his early Beatles days in the 1960s. Both feature short—a page or two at most—stories and poems reminiscent of Lewis Carroll's nonsensicalness. Typical Lennon, the pieces are simultaneously silly and bitter, but always fun. Both are illustrated with the author's original illustrations, and the book sports introductions by Paul McCartney and Yoko Ono. Lennon's popularity shines on, so pop for this, especially at this price. And happy birthday, John. Love to you.
Rucker, Rudy. The Ware Tetralogy. Prime Bks. 2010. 752p. ISBN 9781607012115. pap. $24.95. SF
The cyberpunk Ware Tetralogy is made up of Software (1982), Wetware (1988), Freeware (1997), and Realware (2000). Soft and Wet both snagged Philip K. Dick Awards (Soft was the first winner of that prize). If cyberpunk circs well in your library, get this solid bargain.
Squire, Elizabeth Daniels. Is There A Dead Man in the House? 264p. ISBN 9781589850668.
Squire, Elizabeth Daniels. Where There's a Will. 264p. ISBN 9781589850613.
Squire, Elizabeth Daniels. Whose Death Is It Anyway? 249p. ISBN 9781589850637.
ea. vol: Five Star Sleuths. 2010. pap. $15.95. MYST
Released between 1998 and 1999 (she cranks 'em out), these three volumes all feature absent-minded detective Peaches Dann. In Dead Man, Peaches is visiting her father, who is building a house for his new wife. The discovery of a skeleton buried on the property sets Peaches to sleuthing. In Will, a friend, who is part of a family bequeathed millions, hires Peaches to discover why some of the other new millionaire relatives are turning up dead. In Death, the Dann family reunion is blighted by a murder. Unpleasant things happen wherever Peaches goes, but you'll still want to come along with her.
Wodehouse, P.G. Just Enough Jeeves. Norton. 2010. c.640p. ISBN 9780393339437. pap. $18.95. F
Perhaps a better title for this would be Can't Get Enough Jeeves. This evergreen character has spawned numerous novels and TV adaptations. Yet another bargain volume, this offers Joy in the Morning, Very Good, Jeeves, and Right Ho, Jeeves for under $20.
NONFICTION
Galbraith, John Kenneth. Galbraith: The Affluent Society and Other Writings. Library of America. 2010. 1098p. index. ISBN 9781598530773. $40. ECON
Money is much on the populace's mind right now, and not for good reasons. The Library of America here collects four of economics superstar Galbraith's best works: American Capitalism: The Concept of Countervailing Power; The Great Crash, 1929; The Affluent Society; and The New Industrial State. If your Galbraith collection is thin, you'll be well stocked with this single volume.
Marcus, Eric. Why Suicide?: Questions and Answers About Suicide, Suicide Prevention, and Coping with the Suicide of Someone You Know. HarperCollins. 2010. 220p. bibliog. ISBN 9780062003911. pap. $15.99. PSYCH
Marcus's 1996 original received glowing praise from LJ's reviewer, who dubbed it "a marvelous addition to suicidology collections as well as a solid choice for bibliotherapy." Both Marcus's father and sister-in-law killed themselves, so he comes to this with a deep personal investment. More than a treatise on the subject, this aspires to give comfort and insight to those who also have close friends or relatives who've taken their lives. The text is presented in a Q&A format touching on numerous aspects of the subject. This revised and updated edition remains "a solid choice."
Saint, Andrew. Richard Norman Shaw. Yale. (Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art). 2010. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780300155266. $65. ARCHITECTURE
Saint, general editor of The Survey of London, updates his 1976 original on the noted British architect with a revised text, new introduction, and new color photos, many commissioned solely for this book. Besides the lovely pix, there are numerous floor plans and other illustrations.
Stringer, Lee. Grand Central Winter: Stories From the Street. Severn Stories. 2010. 249p. ISBN 9781583229187. pap. $14.95. MEMOIR
Stringer's 1998 memoir tracking his years of living homeless on New York City's streets garnered high praise. This expanded edition adds 50 pages of additional material and a completely new ending.
Weaver, Tom. Science Fiction Confidential: Interviews with 23 Monster Stars and Filmmakers. McFarland. Nov. 2010. illus. index. ISBN 9780786445165. pap. $39.95. FILM
The title pretty much spills it. Weaver, who has written numerous interview books with B stars of yesteryear, focuses on the actors and directors behind some of the worst stinkers ever on celluloid. We're talking The She Creature, The Blob, It Came from Outer Space, The Devil Bat, and other turds. Many of them also starred in A films, but Weaver is more concerned with their low-budget horror experiences. Great fun for movie trivia buffs and horror film fans.
RETURN GUESTS
D'Alleva, Anne. Arts of the Pacific Islands. Yale. Nov. 2010. 176p. illus. index. ISBN 9780300164121. pap. $20. ART
In this reprint of a 1998 classic text first published in Great Britain, D'Alleva (art History & women's studies, Univ. of Connecticut) provides sound research in a readable format. New Guinea heads the chapters, logically, since the island's size and proximity to Australia encouraged the earliest Pacific explorations and provided the area's earliest known art. Melanesia, Polynesia, and Micronesia ensue, providing division by area and cultural/artistic practice. Information is descriptive and complete, setting the art in situ and illustrating that "Pacific art must be approached not in social context, but as social context." Art as power, collateral, social change, and identity are enumerated within the various cultures.
VERDICT A great vehicle for armchair travel, but also helpful to scholars of cultural anthropology and art history.—Nadine Dalton Speidel, Public Services Assistant, Cuyahoga Cty. P.L., Parma, OH
Hobbs, Robert. Milton Avery. Hudson Hills: dist. by National Bk. Network. Nov. 2010. 264p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780933920958. $85. ART
This 1990 reprint of the original 1982 Whitney Museum of American Art retrospective on Avery (1885-1965) both visually and textually introduces its audience to Avery's art and life. It includes a detailed account of his career, the importance of his relationship with his wife, Sally Michel, and his dealings with his abstract expressionist friends such as Mark Rothko, Adolph Gottlieb, and others. The catalog begins with an insightful introduction by top art critic Hilton Kramer and includes a carefully considered chronology, bibliography, exhibition history, and index.
VERDICT This is just as exquisite to behold as it is to read. From its smart 12" x 12" square format and 120 high-quality color plates, to its well-researched content, this an essential read for art scholars and art lovers.—Jennifer H. Pollock, Coll. of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning Lib., Univ. of Cincinnati
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