books from Daedalus

Actually picked up a few books to go along with music CDs here from Daedalus recently, and I actually have them cataloged too:

• Barrett, Andrea SERVANTS OF THE MAP, Norton, 2nd, (beautiful stories about the wonder and work of science), as new in dj 3.00
• Clarke, Susanna JONATHAN STRANGE & MR NORRELL, Bloomsbury '04, 1st US edn, (combines the dark mythology of fantasy with the delicious social comedy of Jane Austen into a masterpiece of the genre that rivals Tolkien; 782 pages), as new in dj 6.00
• Forster, E.M. THE CELESTIAL OMNIBUS and Other Stories, snowbooks, nd, ("A Collector's Edition -- Includes the First Short Story E.M. Forster Ever Wrote"), as new in dj 5.00
• Ghosh, Amitav THE HUNGRY TIDE, Houghton Mifflin, 2nd, (a very contemporary story of adventure and unlikely love, identity and history, set in one of the most fascinating regions on the earth--the immense labyrinth of tiny islands known as the Sundarbans--off the easternmost coast of India, in the Bay of Bengal; a prophetic novel of remarkable insight, beauty, and humanity), as new in dj 5.00
• Lethem, Jonathan AS SHE CLIMBED ACROSS THE TABLE, Faber and Faber '01, 1st UK, (anthropologist loses particle physicist to black hole; a fluent, fascinating, and enjoyable read), as new 4.00
• Lethem, Jonathan MEN AND CARTOONS: Stories, Doubleday, 2nd, (sparkling with off-beat humor and subtle insights), as new in dj 5.00
• Lethem, Jonathan THE WALL OF THE SKY, THE WALL OF THE EYE, Faber and Faber '02, 1st UK, (stories that blur the boundaries of sci-fi, mystery, and thriller; each tale features author's characteristic deadpan wit and unflinchingly macabre vision of life; can and should be enjoyed by mainstream fiction readers as well as SF fans), as new 4.00
• Lethem, Jonathan & Carter Scholz KAFKA AMERICANA, Norton '01, 1st pb, (first published by Subterranean; takes Modernism's presiding genius for a literary joyride; portrays an absurd, ominous world that K might have invented but could never have survived), as new 3.00

covershot session today

Such a nice bright sunshiny day. Though it may have been cold and snowy outside, the sunroom was warm enough so I neglected all the more pressing things on my itinerary to exonerate a bunch of books from the boxes to which they had been consigned for a covershot session on the sunroom. Hopefully I will get them all cataloged now, and not just find someplace to stash them. Here are the bare titles:

ability quotient • after utopia • agnes day • alternities • ambassador of progress • anarch lords • anarchistic colossus • and the devil will drag you under • antigrav • as the green star rises • asimov presents the great sf stories 3 • asutra • attar the merman 1 • attar the merman 2 • battlestar galactica • berserkers planet • best of jack vance • beyond rejection • bio of a space tyrant 2 • bio of a space tyrant 4 • blal • blood county • book of fritz leiber • book of saberhagen • borderland • brainchild • bride • bright companion • butcher, baker, nightmare maker • cachalot • camelot in orbit • chance • chaos weapon • cheftain of andor • childgrave • clarion sf • close encounters • cobra bargain • cobra strike • colossus and the crab • commune 2000 a.d. • cornelius chronicles • dannus • dark crystal • daystar and shadow • deathbeast • destinies 80-sum • dinosaurs! • disciples of cthulhu • dream chariots • earthchild • elluvon gift • empire strikes back • enchantress of world's end • exit earth • fang the gnome • farthest star • flash gordon 1 • flash gordon 2 • flash gordon 3 • flash gordon 4 • flash gordon 5 • flash gordon 6 • flashing swords 2 • flashing swords 4 • fleet of the damned • further adventures of the joker • galactic convoy • galaxies • getaway world • god of tarot • gods of xuma • greater infinity • greatheart silver • hadon of ancient opar • hellwalker • hidden variables • hospital horror • house of zeor • i--alien • illuminatus! 2- leviathan • in the moons of borea • inferno • interworld • into the aether • journey to aprilioth • journey to the underground world • kill the dead • lasertown blues • legend of miaree • logan's search • lost prince • love not human • magick of camelot • man from atlantis 1 • man with a thousand names • many worlds of magnus ridolph • mote in time's eye • my brother's keeper • narrow land • nestling • nursery tale • out from ganymede • outcast • pawn of prophecy • platypus of doom • quest of the dna cowboys • rack 1- earth lies sleeping • raphael • redworld • retief- emissary to the stars • revolt on majipoor • ring of charon • rites • sandworld • scavengers • science fiction discoveries • section g- united planets • shiva descending • shocking thing • six of swords • six science fiction plays • skeleton lord's key • skyrocket steele • spaceways 1 • spawn of the winds • star loot • star trek 21- uhura's song • star trek 37- bloodthirst • star trek log three • star trek- perry's planet • star trek- the abode of life • star trek- the entropy effect • star trek- the motion picture • star trek- the prometheus design • star trek- the wrath of khan • star trek- triangle • star trek- yesterday's son • star web • starfollowers of coramonde • starship orpheus 1 • starship orpheus 2 • stolen goddess • stress pattern • survivor • symbiote's crown • texts of festival • thirteen bracelets • thousandstar • through the reality warp • time slave • to keep the ship • two-eyes • vampyr • venus of dreams • vestiges of time • voyage to a forgotten sun • walkers on the sky • wandor's journey • warriors of dawn • what's it like out there? • wheelworld • witherwing • world is round • wyst- alastor 1716 • z effect

If you want to see the covershots let me know and I will burn you a CD full of the most recent JPEGS.

Ash-tree new arrivals

The two latest from Ash-Tree arrived today:

Oliver, Reggie MASQUES OF SATAN: Twelve Tales and a Novella, Ash-Tree '07, 1st, (chills as literate as they are frightening), new in dj 49.00
Olson, Danel (ed) EXOTIC GOTHIC: Forbidden Tales from Our Gothic World, Ash-Tree '07, 1st, (On this tour, the uncanny is everywhere -- Isn't that the attraction?), new in dj 49.00

PS books from some months ago

A few books from PS Publishing that have been here for a while I finally got around to listing:

• Campbell, Ramsey THE GRIN OF THE DARK, PS, 4/07, 1st edn, one of 500 SIGNED trade hc copies (700 total), (disturbing novel; Michael Marshall Smith intro; 382 pages), new no dj as issued (pictorial boards) SOLD [inquire if you want me to try for another]
  
• Edric, Robert THE MERMAIDS, PS, 4/07, 1st edn (trade issue), one of 500 SIGNED trade copies (800 total), (Nicholas Royle intro; 86 pages), new no dj as issued (pictorial boards) 20.00
• Erikson, Steven THE LEES OF LAUGHTER'S END, PS, 4/07, 1st trade edn, (a tale of the the intrepid sorcerors Bauchelain and Korbal Broach; James Barclay intro; 115 pages), new no dj issued (pictorial boards) SOLD [inquire if you want me to try for another]
• Parks, Richard HEREAFTER, AND AFTER, PS, 4/07, 1st edn ("semi-soft" issue), one of 800 (total) SIGNED copies, (novella; even the comma in the title is smart; Andy Duncan intro; 90 pages), new no dj (pictorial boards) 20.00
• Williams, Conrad THE SCALDING ROOMS, PS, 4/07, 1st edn (trade hc variant), (a grim ride in some violent weather; Graham Joyce intro; 102 pages), new no dj (pictorial boards) 20.00

---I have an order in for more PS books, but only titles that people want me to get for them -- no extras to list here. So let me know if you want any PS publications. Discount, as usual, should be 20%.

Haffner Brackett book in stock

Here today:

Brackett, Leigh LORELEI OF THE RED MIST: Planetary Romances, Haffner '07, 1st edn, (picks up where Martian Quest: The Early Brackett left off; collects 12 more tales of strange adventures on other worlds from the undisputed "Queen of Space Opera"; drawn from Planet Stories and Thrilling Wonder Stories pulp magazines; foreword by Ray Bradbury; intro by Harry Turtledove; 474 pages), new in dj 40.00

---Included with these initial copies I have on hand is the "2-page broadside [with] reprinted comments solicited by Robert E. Briney back in 1953 wherein Ms. Brackett supplies many biographical details as well as her personal thoughts on the Frank Kelly Freas artwork for that year's reprint of 'Lorelei of the Red Mist.'"

still another daedalus order

I couldn't resist clicking to send still another order to Daedalus. Here is what I have coming now:

77194 222144 MAHLER ESSENTIAL SYMPHONIES 9.98
77207 222176 STRAVINSKY RITE OF SPRING 9.98
77114 98126 SCHUBERT OVERTURE D8A IN C 5.98
77115 98152 SCHUBERT QUARTET IN C MAJOR 5.98
77126 98190 SCHUMANN SYMPHONIES 2 & 4 5.98
77119 98310 SCHUBERT SYMPHONIES 3 & 4 5.98
77120 98312 SCHUBERT SYMPHONIES 1 & 2 5.98
73357 AS SHE CLIMBED ACROSS THE TABLE 3.98
69433 BLUES HAD BABY CALLED ROCK N ROLL 9.98
77079 BOCCHERINI & HAYDN: CELLO CONCERTOS 5.98
77107 BRUHNS BACH FRANCK & GUILMANT ORGAN 5.98
73574 BUILDING BIG 6.98
73391 CELESTIAL OMNIBUS & OTHER STORIES 4.98
73214 DALI 19.98
76806 FRANZ FERDINAND YOU COULD HAVE IT 5.98
38129 GEORGE SHEARING: FROM BATTERSEA 24.98
77189 HAYDN ESSENTIAL SONATAS SOLO PIANO 9.98
77188 HAYDN SURPRISE SYMPHONY 9.98
73580 HUNGRY TIDE 4.98
79260 JIMMY LUNCEFORD STRICTLY LUNCEFORD 24.98
79483 JOHN COLTRANE ABSOLUTELY OUT THERE 9.98
72932 JONATHAN STRANGE & MR. NORRELL 5.98
40891 KAFKA AMERICANA 2.98
48547 MAHLER SYM NO 4; ADAGIO FROM SYM 10 5.98
69563 MAMBO JAMBO EARLY MASTER AFRO CUBAN 9.98
63506 MEN & CARTOONS 4.98
69093 MODERN JAZZ QUARTET LA RONDE 6.98
77171 OH BOY CLASSICS JOE TEX 4.98
55033 POCKET GUIDE TO MUSHROOMS 9.95
40915 SERVANTS OF THE MAP 3.00
79133 SPANISH GUITAR MAGIC OF SEGOVIA 9.98
69425 VINTAGE BLUEGRASS MASTERS 9.98
73356 WALL OF THE SKY, THE WALL OF EYE 3.98
69095 YMA SUMAC QUEEN OF EXOTICA 6.98

---My prices to you would reflect a 30% discount from the prices listed above for anything you might want. For more information on specific items, just feed the item number into the search box at the Daedalus site (if I haven't already set up a link from items I have reviewed for myself). Note that the $9.98 music CDs from Membran in Germany contain four CDs! And with a 30% discount, too! It's ridiculous.

International shipping question

Email rec'd:

Hi Chris

i was thinking about doing another order but i believe the US postal have made some changes to their overseas deliveries and was wondering if this would make it a lot more expensive for you to send a parcel overseas. Therefore i was wondering if you could let me know what you currently charge for sending a parcel to the UK.

best wishes
[person in Scotland]

My labored reply:

Yes, the postal service in their Bushian obliviousness has done away with Book Rate and surface shipping, making overseas cultural exchange something only for the rich, like many other basics. Everything has to go First Class or Priority, best as I can see. This will, one should think, speed up deliveries, but it will make things cost more to send than they might actually be worth in the first place.
There are different ways to go with shipping. There are the flat rate Priority mailers that may hold one or two books. These cost $11.00 to send to the UK (and western Europe). First class mail international to the UK would be between $10 and $30 for 1 to 4 lbs (a light-weight book to three or four books depending on the weight of the books [1 pound = 453.59237 grams, rounding off to the fifth decimal place].) Larger shipments would go first-class M-bag which costs $31.35 for 11 lbs. with $2.85 per pound additional. As an example, I am sending a box to Sweden right now that contains eight heavy-ish books and 17 CDs that will cost (if my scale reads correctly, as it usually does, give or take a pound) $37.05 to send (14 lbs). The goods being sent total about $200 in value, so the postage amounts to 18 or 19% extra tacked on. I’m not sure how typical that is, but it doesn’t seem too atypical. There is a donut hole between 4 lbs and 11 lbs where it costs the same to send anything between those weights, so it is more cost-efficient to send enough to at least get the full 11-lbs worth--once you reach the 4 lb threshold. These costs do take away from the discounts I give, I know, but I should think that with the discount, if it is something you want, the increased postage cost shouldn’t be an absolute deterrant. And with the US dollar becoming increasingly worthless, maybe it isn’t such a bad deal after all, considering the supposedly expedited delivery.
(Here is where I was looking at the rates: http://pe.usps.gov/text/imm/fh_014.htm)

Daedalus Books

Here are most of the mostly book items that have come in from Daedalus (over the past few weeks -- finally getting them out from underfoot):

• Calasso, Roberto K., Knopf, 2nd(12/05), (reminds us now of the indispensable existence of Kafka, reporter of the numinous experience; fourth part in a work in progress), as new but with some sort of burn mark at fold of endpapers (not affecting pages or outside appearance of books) in dj 5.00
• Cunningham, Michael SPECIMEN DAYS, FSG '05, 1st edn, (evokes a New York 150 years into the future, when the city is all but overwhelmed by refugees from the first inhabited planet to be contacted by the people of Earth; genre-bending, haunting, and transformative ode to life in our greatest city, and a meditation on the direction and meaning of America's destiny), as new in dj 5.00
• Dorsey, Candas Jane A PARADIGM OF EARTH, Tor, 1st trade pb edn, 11/02, (literary SF parable about a woman and her offbeat household), as new 1.50
• Gorman, Ed DIFFERENT KINDS OF DEAD and Other Tales packaged with GENERAL MURDERS by Loren D. Estleman, Request Audio ('06), (unabridged stories; more than 6 hours of listening), CDs, as new (shrinkwrapped) 8.00
• Irvine, Alexander C. A SCATTERING OF JADES, Book Club, nd, (facsimile of Tor edition; one wild ride), as new in dj 2.00
• Lethem, Jonathan AMNESIA MOON, Faber and Faber '02, 1st UK, (road trip through a post-apocalyptic USA), as new 4.00
• Malanga, Gerard NO RESPECT: New & Selected Poems 1964-2000, Black Sparrow '01, (This monumental retrospective volume includes all the major highlights of author's previously published work, plus many new or rediscovered poems appearing here in book form for the first time; Malanga was an Andy Warhol associate), as new 4.00
• Morrell, David TALES FROM NIGHTSCAPE (Front Man, Nothing Will Hurt You, & Resurrection) packaged with FOGGY MOUNTAIN BREAKDOWN and Other Stories by Sharyn McCrumb, Request Audio ('06), (unabridged stories; TT: 5 hrs 58 min), CDs, as new (shrinkwrapped) 5.00
• Pratt, Fletcher THE WELL OF THE UNICORN, Gollancz '01, (Fantasy Masterwork #23; a determined and conscientious attempt to bring a new gravitas to sword and sorcery), as new 4.00
• Rudnicki, Stefan (ed) IMAGININGS: An Anthology of Visionary Literature, Volume One, Frog '04, 1st, (After the Myths Went Home; navigates a long literary history of high imagination), Harlan Ellison intro), as new 4.00
• Shiner, Lewis MISSING PERSONS: Three Tales of Extreme Suspense packaged with NOT SAFE AFTER DARK and Other Stories by Peter Robinson, Request Audio ('06), (unabridged stories; 5 hr, 32 min), CDs, as new (shrinkwrapped) 8.00

---Additionally there are a whole slew of terrific Proper Box 4-CD sets here at incredibly low prices (mostly $17.50). For more info or a list see elsewhere in this blog, or email me.