Friday, July 31, 2009

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.

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

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.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

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.

Monday, July 27, 2009

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.

Sunday, July 26, 2009

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.

Saturday, July 25, 2009

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.

Friday, July 24, 2009

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.

Thursday, July 23, 2009

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.

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

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.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

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.

Monday, July 20, 2009

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.

Sunday, July 19, 2009

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.

Saturday, July 18, 2009

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.

Friday, July 17, 2009

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.

Thursday, July 16, 2009

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.