10 Books A Day: #99

The White Goddess...Robert Graves...Farrar, Straus And Giroux

The Mystery And Lore Of Monsters...C. J. S. Thompson...University Books

The Lore Of The New Testament...Joseph Gaer...Little, Brown And Company

The Alchemists: Magic Into Science...Thomas G. Aylesworth...Addisonian Press

Vampires And Other Ghosts...Thomas G. Aylesworth...Addisonian Press

Werewolves And Other Monsters...Thomas G. Aylesworth...Addisonian Press

Monsters...Leonard Wolf...Straight Arrow Books

Myths Of The Norsemen...H. A. Guerber...Dover

Gods Of The North...Brian Branston...Thames And Hudson

Myths And Legends Of Japan...F. Hadland Davis...Dover

China And Japan: Myths And Legends Series...Donald A. Mackenzie...Avenel

The Thomas G. Aylesworths are copies of books I read back in middle school: when I was a lad Aylesworth, Daniel Cohen, and Georgess McHargue were the authors to go to for the outre and supernatural. The Guerber book on Norse myth is of peculiar interest to me because it was this book that not only solidified C. S. Lewis' love of "the Northern thing" but led to his life-long friendship with Arthur Greeves. Reading it is almost like looking over his shoulder. The New Testament lore is exactly that: nothing Biblical, but legends and beliefs that accreted over time. Curiously there are two traditions about Pontius Pilate: in one he goes straight to Hell, in another his experiences convert him and he becomes a Christian.

Book Count: 1140.

10 Books A Day: #98

American Folklore And Legends...John J. Marcatante...Globe Book Co., Inc.

The Penguin Book Of Scottish Folktales...ed. Neil Philip...Penguin

Werewolves, Bird-Women, Tiger-Men and Other Human Animals...Frank Hamel...Dover

The Prose Edda...Snorri Sturluson...Dover

The Poetic Edda...tr. Henry Adams Bellows...Dover

Compendium Maleficarum: The Montague Summers Edition...Francesco Maria Guazzo...Dover

Angels...Gilles Neret...Taschen

Devils...Gilles Neret...Taschen

Alchemy And Mysticism: The Hermetic Cabinet...Alexander Roob...Taschen

Alchemy And Mysticism: The Hermetic Museum...Alexander Roob...Taschen

The Taschen books are art books, full of depictions of angels, devils, and alchemy; the Cabinet is basically a shorter version of the Museum.

Book Count: 1129.

10 Books A Day: #97

Egyptian Myth And Legend...Donald A. Mackenzie...Bell Publishing Company

The Book Of The Sacred Magic Of Abramelin The Mage...tr. S. L. MacGregor Mathers...Dover

Vampires And Vampirism...Montague Summers...Dover

The Werewolf In Lore And Legend...Montague Summers...Dover

The Fairies In Tradition And Literature...Katherine Briggs...Routledge Classics

Christmas Customs And Traditions...Clement A. Miles...Dover

A Treatise On Angel Magic...ed. Adam McLean...Weiser Books

Magic In The Middle Ages...Richard Kieckhefer...Cambridge Medieval Textbooks

A Dictionary Of Symbols...J. E. Cirlot...Barnes & Noble Books

A Treasury Of Jewish Folklore...ed. Nathan Ausubel...Crown Publishers

Today we begin a run of books on legend and lore. One of my favorite little combos of wisdom and humor comes from A Treasury Of Jewish Folklore, and goes as follows: "A man was carrying a heavy load of wood on his shoulders. When he grew weary he threw the bundle down and cried bitterly: 'O, Death, come and take me now!' Immediately, the Angel of Death appeared and asked, 'Why do you call me?' After a frightened pause, the man answered, 'Could you please help get this load back up on my shoulders?' "

Book Count: 1219.

10 Books A Day: #96

Imaginary Worlds...Lin Carter...Ballantine Books

Dragons, Elves And Heroes...ed. Lin Carter...Ballantine Books

The Young Magicians...ed. Lin Carter...Ballantine Books

The Language Of The Night...Ursula K. Le Guin...Berkley

Fantasists On Fantasy...ed. Robet H. Boyer & Kenneth J. Zahorski...Avon Discus

A Reader's Guide To Fantasy...Baird Searles, Beth Meacham, Michael Franklin...Avon

A Reader's Guide To Science Fiction...Baird Searles, Martin Last, Beth Meacham, Michael Franklin...Avon

The Man Who Was Thursday...G. K. Chesterton...Capricorn Books

The Man Who Knew Too Much...G. K. Chesterton...Carroll & Graf

Trees: A Golden Guide...Herbert S. Zim & Alexander P. Martin...Golden Press

Book Count: 1209.

10 Books A Day: #95

All titles are by C. S. Lewis unless otherwise noted.

Out Of The Silent Planet...Macmillan Publishing Co. Inc.

Perelandra...Macmillan Publishing Co. Inc.

That Hideous Strength...Colliers

The Screwtape Letters...Macmillan

The Great Divorce...Macmillan

The Weight Of Glary and Other Addresses...Macmillan

Mere Christianity...Macmillan

The Abolition Of Man...Macmillan

Miracles...Macmillan

The Problem Of Pain...Macmillan

A Grief Observed...Bantam

The Seeing Eye...Ballantine Books

The Grand Miracle and Other Essays...Ballantine Books

Brothers And Friends: The Diaries Of Major Warren Hamilton Lewis...W. H. Lewis, ed. Clyde S. Kilby & Marjorie Lamp Mead...Ballantine Books

The copies of The Space Trilogy books (of which the first two covers are shown) are peculiar to me because they are the only things my grandmother ever bought me. I have two copies each of That Hideous Strength, Mere Christianity, and The Abolition Of Man; whenever I find an inexpensive duplicate of a good book I already have, I like to get lending copies.

Book Count: 1199.

10 Books A Day: #94

Hyperborea...Clark Ashton Smith...Ballantine Books
The Hounds Of Tindalos...Frank Belknap Long...Jove/HBJ
Cthulhu: The Mythos And Kindred Horrors...Robert E. Howard...Baen Books
One Hundred Years Of Solitude...Gabriel Garcia Marquez...Bard
The Moon And The Face...Patricia A. McKillip...Berkley
The Phoenix And The Carpet...E. Nesbit...Wordsworth
Five Children And It...E. Nesbit...Watermill
La Vita Nuova...Dante Alighieri...Penguin
The Inferno...Dante Alighieri...Mentor
The Purgatorio...Dante Alighieri...Mentor
The Paradiso...Dante Alighieri...Mentor
Book Count: 1185.

10 Books A Day: #93

Fungi From Yuggoth & Other Poems...H. P. Lovecraft...Ballantine Books

The Shadow Over Innsmouth and Other Stories Of Horror...H. P. Lovecraft...Scholastic

The Lurker At The Threshold...H. P. Lovecraft with August Derleth...Beagle Books

The Colour Out Of Space...H. P. Lovecraft...Jove/HBJ

The Dunwich Horror and Others...H. P. Lovecraft...Jove/HBJ

The Dream-Quest Of Unknown Kadath...H. P. Lovecraft...Ballantine Books

The Horror In The Museum and Other Revisions...H. P. Lovecraft and others...Ballantine Books

The Doom That Came To Sarnath and Other Stories...H. P. Lovecraft...Del Rey

The Case Of Charles Dexter Ward...H. P. Lovecraft...Del Rey

Tales Of The Cthulhu Mythos Volume I...H. P. Lovecraft...Ballantine Books

Tales Of The Cthulhu Mythos Volume II...H. P. Lovecraft...Ballantine Books

The Tomb and Other Tales...H. P. Lovecraft...Ballantine Books

At The Mountains Of Madness...H. P. Lovecraft...Ballantine Books

The Lurking Fear...H. P. Lovecraft...Ballantine Books

The Shuttered Room and Other Tales of Horror...H. P. Lovecraft with August Derleth...Ballantine Books

The Watchers Out Of Time...H. P. Lovecraft...Carroll & Graf

The Loved Dead...H. P. Lovecraft...Carroll & Graf

Book Count: 1174.

10 Books A Day: #92

At The Back Of The North Wind...George Macdonald...Airmont Books

The Princess And The Goblin...George Macdonald...Airmont Books

The Princess And Curdie...George Macdonald...Chariot

Lilith...George Macdonald...Eerdman

Phantastes...George Macdonald...Eerdman

She...H. Rider Haggard...Del Rey

The Worm Ouroboros...E. R. Eddison...Del Rey

A Voyage To Arcturus...David Lindsay...Del Rey

Watership Down...Richard Adams...Avon

The Princess Bride...William Goldman...Ballantine Books

Book Count: 1157.

10 Books A Day: #91

The Once And Future King...T. H. White...Berkley

The Book Of Merlyn...T. H. White...Berkley

The Sword In The Stone...T. H. White...Dell

The Elephant And The Kangaroo...T. H. White...Signet

Little, Big...John Crowley...Bantam

Engine Summer...John Crowley...Bantam

Beasts...John Crowley...Bantam

The Deep...John Crowley...Bantam

Dragons!...ed. Jack Dann & Gardner Dozois...Ace

Seaward...Susan Cooper...Collier

Book Count: 1147.

10 Books A Day: #90

The Fifth Elephant...Terry Pratchett...Harper Torch

The Truth...Terry Pratchett...Harper Torch

Thief Of Time...Terry Pratchett...Harper Torch

Night Watch...Terry Pratchett...Harper Torch

Monstrous Regiment...Terry Pratchett...Harper Torch

The Discworld Companion...Terry Pratchett & Stephen Briggs...Gollancz

The New Discworld Companion...Terry Pratchett & Stephen Briggs...Gollancz

The Science Of Discworld...Terry Pratchett, Ian Stewart, & Jack Cohen...Ebury Press

The Science Of Discworld II: The Globe...Terry Pratchett, Ian Stewart, & Jack Cohen...Ebury Press

The Science Of Discworld III: Darwin's Watch...Terry Pratchett, Ian Stewart, & Jack Cohen...Ebury Press

The Discworld Companion and the Science Of Discworld books are not generally available in the US; the Science books are only half by Pratchett at best; they alternate between a Discworld novella and two guys explaining about science in an easy and popular manner.

Book Count: 1137.

10 Books A Day: #89

All titles are by Terry Pratchett.

Small Gods...Harper

Lords And Ladies...Harper

Men At Arms...Harper

Soul Music...Harper

Maskerade...Harper

Feet of Clay...Harper

Hogfather...Harper

The Last Continent...Harper

Jingo...Harper

Carpe Jugulum...Harper Torch

Book Count: 1127.

10 Books A Day: #88

All titles are by Terry Pratchett.

Equal Rites...Signet

Mort...Signet

Sourcery...Signet

Wyrd Sisters...Roc

Pyramids...Roc

Guards! Guards!...Roc

Eric...Roc

Moving Pictures...Roc

Reaper Man...Roc

Witches Abroad...Roc

Book Count: 1117.

10 Books A Day: #87

Figures Of Earth...James Branch Cabell...Del Rey

The Silver Stallion...James Branch Cabell...Del Rey

Domnei...James Branch Cabell...Del Rey

Jurgen...James Branch Cabell...Avon

The High Place...James Branch Cabell...Del Rey

Something About Eve...James Branch Cabell...Del Rey

The Cream Of The Jest...James Branch Cabell...Del Rey

Stardust...Neil Gaiman...Spike

Neverwhere...Neil Gaiman...Harper Torch

Smoke And Mirrors...Neil Gaiman...Avon

Book Count: 1107.

10 Books A Day: #86

All titles are by James P. Blaylock.

The Elfin Ship...Del Rey

The Disappearing Dwarf...Del Rey

The Stone Giant...Ace

The Digging Leviathan...Ace

Homunculus...Ace

Lord Kelvin's Machine...Ace

Land Of Dreams...Ace

The Last Coin...Ace

The Paper Grail...Ace

Night Relics...Berkley

Winter Tides...Ace

All The Bells On Earth...Ace

The Rainy Season...Ace

Book Count: 1097.

10 Books A Day: #85

All titles are by Patricia A. McKillip.

Stepping from The Shadows...Berkley

The Throme Of The Erril Of Sherill...Tempo Books

The Forgotten Beasts Of Eld...Avon

The Riddle-Master Of Hed...Del Rey

Heir Of Sea And Fire...Del Rey

Harpist In The Wind...Del Rey

The Changeling Sea...Del Rey

The Sorceress And The Cygnet...Ace

The Cygnet And The Firebird...Ace

The Book Of Atrix Wolfe...Ace

Song For The Basilisk...Ace

Winter Rose...Ace

BookCount: 1084.

10 Books A Day: #84

Lord Foul's Bane...Stephen R. Donaldson...Del Rey

The Illearth War...Stephen R. Donaldson...Del Rey

The Power That Preserves...Stephen R. Donaldson...Del Rey

The Wounded Land...Stephen R. Donaldson...Del Rey

The One Tree...Stephen R. Donaldson...Del Rey

White Gold Wielder...Stephen R. Donaldson...Del Rey

Dinner At Deviant's Palace...Tim Powers...Ace

The Drawing Of The Dark...Tim Powers...Del Rey

The Anubis Gates...Tim Powers...Ace

Earthquake Weather...Tim Powers...Tor

On Stranger Tides...Tim Powers...Ace

The Stress Of Her Regard...Tim Powers...Ace

The Illearth War was one of the first three paperbacks I ever bought for myself (the other two were The Face in the Frost by John Bellairs and The Source of Magic by Piers Anthony). It's hard to realize that I've been reading Donaldson for thirty years now. I enjoyed the First Chronicles of Thomas Covenant immensely; the Second not quite as much; now I am two-thirds through the Third and Final Chronicles and my enthusiasm is mild but there. I cannot tell exactly if this is due to any loss of impact in Donaldson or to loss of passion in myself. One grows a little cagey with one's heart as one gets older, not expending it so lavishly as one did in youth. Is this wisdom, or merely exhaustion?

The Drawing of the Dark was the first Tim Powers book I ever read, and as a Del Rey it is one of the most obviously "fantastic" stories he's told yet. He really hit his stride with the historical fantasy of The Anubis Gates, and came to full and wonderful bloom in his Kingdom of the West books, of which Earthquake Weather is the third volume. And if the writers of The Pirates of the Caribbean movies didn't have On Stranger Tides in front of them, I'll eat my tricorn hat.

Book Count: 1072.